Gimme Sumthin’ To Believe In

After all of the chicken controversy yesterday, I was talking to my mom. Well, complaining to her. Between the chicken and politics right now, and the general crap I look at on Facebook all day (“Do you love your mom? Click like. If you hate her and hope she dies a slow, terrible death, keep scrolling”). I don’t understand people’s motivations. We’ve already covered the chicken scandal and closeted bigotedness. But everyone’s always spewing hate and judgment everywhere.

First of all, I don’t know how Facebook, in any way, proves your love for anyone. People use it to prove they’re the biggest fan when their team is doing well, as if their support on Facebook has anything to do with success. Or, on the flip, those who hate a team, spew the hate of that team all over and then when their nemesis loses they’re all, “HA! Team name SUCKS!!! I knew they couldn’t pull it out. This team is the worst team in the entire world. I hate all of the players, their fans, their coaches, and anyone who has ever worn their colors, intentionally or accidentally. I hope everyone but me dies in a fiery crash.”  Somehow they get some weird satisfaction from rubbing in a loss – to their fake-friends on Facebook. Because, trust me, you don’t hope your real friends die.

Same thing with politics. Everyone’s always spewing hate. If I could count the number of pro-my side versus hate-opposition, it would be 1 to a million. I respect someone posting who they’re voting for, or even why. But all of this, “I hope Obama gets assassinated, he’s a terrorist” crap is getting old. On the other said, though, it’s exactly the same. There’s so much hate, it’s unreal. America has turned into a polarized, black and white country, where everyone hates everyone else.

Did you know this is a psychological disorder? Seeing only black and white? And I’m sure there’s another psychological disorder causing everyone to be so crazy. But I think it’s a simple case of hate breeding hate. Asshole-boyfriend-of-a-friend posts anti-liberal vitriol, calling everyone ignorant, brain-washed followers. Friend posts either a passive (on her own wall, using the infamous “some people” phrase) or aggressive (on his status) response. Both sides are so convinced only the black and the white are right. Neither will concede there is some gray area in the middle. And if this is truly how they feel, fine. But I feel like it’s a pissing contest for the sake of winning. Your beliefs shouldn’t be, “I’m a republican so I believe this. And you’re a fucking moron because you aren’t also a republican.” Your beliefs should be, “I’ve thought about this and I support this because…”

And it extends to every area of life. People pushing their religious beliefs on everyone, telling them what to believe and they’re sinners if they don’t. Hey, you can believe that, that’s perfectly fine. But shut your damn mouth commanding others how to think. You cannot control someone else’s mind. And it’s exhausting to read.

So, last night I deleted a few “friends” and hid a lot more. I hid all of the hate and judgment. I hid all of the pushy agenda. I hid all of the “I want everyone to think like me” people. Because I like people who have their own minds, and can peacefully articulate those beliefs. During the whole Paterno scandal, I hit a boiling point amidst the football-over-children posts, driven largely by the Campaign 2012 bullshit posts. And after the chicken, oh god the chicken. I’m done. I wish I were a strong enough person to delete all of those haters, but I didn’t. I hid them. 

And next I’m seeking help for my social media addiction, so I can be done with all of it totally. I was a happier person before I knew how much the world hates.

Because my mom says I’ll be happier if I figure out what I believe in, and believe in it and stand up for it. She knows I’ve lost faith in Catholicism. I go into church and all I see is a house of lies. Whether that’s right or wrong, I have an emotional reaction to being in church, and it’s not a good emotion. So I’m working on finding SOMETHING to believe in. Right now, because of social media, I also have a lot of disgust for Christianity and the use of it to hurt and judge and hate others. But maybe that’s an invalid generalization because of a group of loud-mouthed people. All I know is she seems to think I’d be happier if I had something bigger to believe in, and didn’t have to focus on all the hate and bad in the world. When she talks about religion the way she does, it makes me think of more of Eastern religion than Christianity. But I guess I need to figure out what works for me, rather than being stubborn at the cost of my happiness.

Chickengeddon

This Chik-fil-a debacle is about as stupid as those “if you love your mom click “like” otherwise keep scrolling.” It’s just a bunch of dumbasses puffing their chests, trying to be better than one another.

And meanwhile, the crappy food places of America profit on our stupidity.

The part I find hilarious is those who clearly are bigots are hiding behind freedom of speech. Yet, they’re saying those protesting (also exercising their right to their own opinion) are intolerant. I don’t see how one exists without the other? They’re saying those who are intolerant of those who are intolerant are the bad guys.

When I say giving money to any corporation stupid (or smart??) enough to bring such a controversial issue into their business politics is the stupidest thing of all.

Here’s the thing, so come out and admit you don’t support equal right. For whatever reason, I don’t even care. Blame it on the bible, blame it on “good values” blame it on being a hick. It’s really inconsequential. Just admit you don’t want everyone to have equal rights. There. That’s your right. You can believe whatever you want. Much as you can believe non-men and/or non-whites are inferior. You can also believe in God. Or believe there’s no god. You can believe Joe Paterno is a hero. Hell, you can believe the sky is green and filled with Skittles if you want. No one can stop you from BELIEVING. No one anywhere can stop anyone from having beliefs. The beauty of America is we also can’t stop people from expressing those beliefs. I can walk around all day saying, “Look at that green sky! I can’t wait for it to rain Skittles at 3:00!” I mean, someone MIGHT be able to get away with throwing me in a mental ward with a 5150, but chances are if I’m not hurting anyone, most people will ignore me or let me be. Also a nice thing about America. We mostly care about ourselves.

Except when someone’s infringing on our “rights.”

In this case, both sides need to step the hell back. Who cares what some idiot (again, likely genius!) running a crappy fast food joint thinks or doesn’t think? He’s playing you.

Proponents – Look at you. Lined up in the hottest damn summer of the year. To feed your kids fried food. And line his pockets. Yeah, good decision. Yay for your bigotry.

Opponents You’re doing nothing but spawn the proponents on. Without you pointing out how small-minded it is to hate, the “Christians” of the world would have no one to wave their bibles at and stand in the heat for.

Just think, between the heat stroke today and all of the grease in their arteries, the good news is they won’t be around as long as if they’d maintained their original plans for Hate Wednesday, 2012.