Live and Let Live
Your Instructor is Professor Taltos
How many crazies can you fit in one chat room? As many as you
dam well want! Trust me it’s true. But all and all they’re a loveable lot.
Which brings me to today’s subject, freaks.
There are all kinds of freaks. There are freaks that are freaks
only when it comes to they’re sexuality. I had a dear friend (Hi Julia) who
had a favorite expression “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but whips and
chains excite me!” She is a sexual freak and very happy to be so. There are
freaks that come out only at night; these are the ones you will find at one of
the more freaky bars and nightclubs. There are freaks who try to out do each
other in the different ways of being freaks, to these types being a freak is a
fashion statement. Each freak, as with all of us, is special in they’re own
way. It doesn’t matter if we’ve met in the real world or we had an encounter
in cyber-land, I love each and every one of you.
However I must tell you the rest of the world is not as
understanding as I am. The other day I was indulging myself in one of my
favorite past times, eves dropping and I actually heard a full grown man
claiming that the internet has just begun what will be the destruction of all
intelligent life on this planet. I waited and listened as this individual (and
you know who you are) bumbled along describing how we are raising a bunch of
illiterate children thanks to the internet and the poorly spelled words. I sat
silently, honest I did, and listened as he proclaimed that we’re all losing
our identities and the government can be in your p.c. in a blink. He complained
that couples are cheating on each other and family units were falling apart
because of this. His final shot was towards the ‘freaks’ that haunt the chat
rooms. “God only knows what kind of perversion these characters have going on,
or how far they’ll go!” This, thank the powers that may be, was his final
statement. He did however turn to me realizing I was listening and asked for my
agreement on the subject.
It took a few moments for the numbness in my brain to wear off.
Thanks to a trick I learned many years ago I can, sort of, disengage myself from
a situation. I have found that doing this helps me see things in a different
perspective. Being able to do this however also comes with a price. It leaves me
feeling numb. Being numb this time was a good thing. It kept me from replying to
the man immediately. It also gave me time to suppress what would have been a
waste of energy.
After a moment or two had passed I felt this man was simply
baiting me. He’s well aware of my work and doesn’t miss a chance to give me
a hard time about it. This gentleman is a very dear friend and I often value his
opinions. He’ll laugh at me when he reads this and I know I deserve it for
eves dropping. He and I enjoy exchanging banter on a lot of different things.
There have been many times we have gone to our different corners and simply
agreed to disagree. I think that’s why we enjoy each others company.
I finally cleared my head enough to tell him he would have to
read my next lesson and then we could talk about it, which is exactly what I’m
doing now.
I believe my friends opinions are simply a question definition.
For example do only freaks go to see the Rocky Horror Picture Show? Or does the
every day kind of person go to see it too? It depends on your definition of
being a freak. I personally have seen the show at least thirty times, I’m not
sure why but I’ve enjoyed it each and every time. Does that make me a freak?
This would depend on whom you asked. Personally I think I’m fine just the way
I am, I have a very healthy ego and I enjoy my life immensely. Some of my
friends and perhaps a member or two of my family may say I’m a wee bit odd.
All in all however I really don’t think I’m a freak, I simply value my
individuality.
The point is a definition is up to the individual person. I
have never seen it written in stone that we all have to be the same or risk
being tagged as a freak. I have also never seen it written in stone anywhere
that we have the right to rein judgment of others.
When it comes to his concerns for our children and how they
will grow up. I don’t think there has ever been such a wonderful time to be
alive on this planet. We have the entire world at our fingers tips. Any
information including proper spelling can be found online. As parents our duties
are to make sure we teach our children how to use this information and how to
use it safely.
We can if we chose to do so, develop close friendships with
people from all over the world. Pen pal friendships often fizzled out as time
goes by. With on-line friends you can chat everyday if you wish. I have friends
all over the world and I really like being able to chat almost daily with them.
It all depends on what you want to do that’s the beauty of it.
Are there perverts on line? Your damn straight there are.
There’s perverts all over the world, the internet hasn’t made them any
different. The net has just made another issue we as parents need to warn our
little ones about. Any parent worth anything will know how much time their child
is on line and what they’re doing. Think about it, you wouldn’t just let
your child run out the door without protecting them and preparing them for the
dangers out there. The same habits should fall into place when it comes to the
net. A little common sense goes a long way in this world.
So to my friend I say take heart. I believe we are very safe
from illiteracy, and the world is far from becoming one big freaker’s ball.
Why not take a little time and explore it?
That I believe is enough for today. Feel free to e-mail me at proftaltos@yahoo.ca
with any comments concerning my column.
For now this is Prof. Taltos signing off.
©2004 StoriesByEmail.com
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