This is what I don’t understand about Americans, and what I think is their most defining characteristic - the need to pigeon-hole people. Everyone has to ‘be’ something. Everyone has to identify and be identified as part of a group - and these groups have really strict ‘entry’ policies. Just look at the whole Bear thing, with all the off-shoots and Trad Bears and New Bears and all that shite… So very very strange.
I think its generally speaking an insecurity issue....and Canada is almost as bad...especially Vancouverites.
And when you think about it, "identity" and "lifestyle" are loads of bullcrap anyway...everyone is unique and individual by nature and picking a bunch of external elements and making yourself all about them does nothing to express that. You can only do so much with clothes and hair.
Really? I thought Canadians had a reputation for being laid-back…
Quite. Was thinking about that this morning. A gay at the gym was being especially gay - which is fine if he chooses, but I couldn’t help thinking that it’s rather obvious that his main identifier is ‘being a gay’. I’m many things - being gay is just one part of what I am.
I suppose it’s the same over here to a degree though - just perhaps a little less overtly. My problem is that I’ve never really been enough of anything to identify any groups. I’m not cool enough, clever enough, geeky enough, indy enough to fit in. It used to bother me, and could feel quite lonely, but I’m kinda used to it now.
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And when you think about it, "identity" and "lifestyle" are loads of bullcrap anyway...everyone is unique and individual by nature and picking a bunch of external elements and making yourself all about them does nothing to express that. You can only do so much with clothes and hair.
*sigh* its all so high school, isnt it?
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Quite. Was thinking about that this morning. A gay at the gym was being especially gay - which is fine if he chooses, but I couldn’t help thinking that it’s rather obvious that his main identifier is ‘being a gay’. I’m many things - being gay is just one part of what I am.
I suppose it’s the same over here to a degree though - just perhaps a little less overtly. My problem is that I’ve never really been enough of anything to identify any groups. I’m not cool enough, clever enough, geeky enough, indy enough to fit in. It used to bother me, and could feel quite lonely, but I’m kinda used to it now.
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