It's not crack and biscuits all the time.

[hackthis_archive]

1. miram_heddy is talking about racial perceptions in fandom and I was fascinated to read not just her post, but the subsequent responses. Talking about race is always a hot-bed topic for me, and one likely to send my blood pressure ratcheting exponentially, as more than one person will attest. So, I point this out, not because I'm interested in a big sociological discussion today, because those tend to take a lot of Valium on my part, but just because it’s always interesting to read other people's opinions.

2. voodoo_in_tx has some advice on what to do if you feel a bit more shitastic ™ than normal. *Both 1 & 2 are gacked from voleuse

3. In case I'm really not the last person to have read cereta's fabulous post on fandom and male privilege, you can check it out here -- Might I suggest you read this one and miriam_heddy's together and have yourself a good long think? Your head'll explode, sure, but it's certainly food for thought.

4. There are all kinds of labels we attach to ourselves: liberal, conservative, straight, bi, gay, undecided, black, white, Asian, Latino, male, female, in-between, sexual, chaste, slutty, English, Welsh, French, American, Indian, Canadian, New Yorker, Californian, Londoner, Christian, Atheist, Jewish, Muslim, tall, short, medium, fat, thin, scrawny, obese, corpulent, Rubenesque, zaftig, professional, working class, rich, poor, skint, flush, smart, stupid, blonde, brunette, ginger, bald, mental, sane, in need of therapy -- why do we do this to ourselves?

Why is it when people ask, "What are you?" we don’t just say," I'm me, motherfucker, why do you ask?"


*Today's links are brought to you by hackthis's underutilized brain, which sometimes just has to have a moment to itself. During this moment, I felt I should also ask for a Jake icon that says, "gay cowboy marine," a George/Brad icon that says Big Gay Uncles, and a George icon that says, "makes his man trade go to Kentucky."

Comments

[sparky77.livejournal.com]

I guess at it's simplest, people label themselves so they can be part of a group. It's something that I've never really gotten because once you label yourself, your basically giving up part of who you are in order to feel like you belong. I just never got the idea of giving up part of yourself just to feel like a member of something.

Labels make things easy. You don't really ever have to know yourself or know anyone else if you use labels as identification. And unfortunately, I think for the most part most people really aren't truly interested in knowing themselves or really, anyone else. People just want to feel safe.

And wow, that was cynical. I'm going to shut up now and go back to work and try to think happy thoughts.