conflicting emotions

[Nevyn]

HoserHellspawn wrote:

It happens. If you conduct yourself the way Satori outlines, be yourself and accept and respect others, the stereotypes CAN be defied.

Acting the opposite of your stereotype is very fun too, I've been doing it for years now...


Jo wrote:

Couldn't have said it better myself Nevyn. I have found more interesting, real people on this here message board than anywhere else this entire year! Opeth fans rock!

Thanks. This is the best message board I've encountered during my *counting on fingers* 6 years long internet-life time.

 

[JeN]

Originally posted by HoserHellspawn

It happens. If you conduct yourself the way Satori outlines, be yourself and accept and respect others, the stereotypes CAN be defied. It doesn't always happen, and that's too bad. But it's possible.

beautifully put!

 

[Protocol]

Defying stereotypes could be turned into a full-time occupation very easily, there are just too many of them. I find removing the problem is a lot easier than solving it (I'd call it a daoist approach if I knew enough about daoism to be sure).

Very simply: The world happens in small circles.

You don't have to care about whole ethnic or religious or ideological groups. You only need concern yourself with those (relatively few) people that actually have any kind of impact on your life.

 

[Satori]

Originally posted by HoserHellspawn
It happens. If you conduct yourself the way Satori outlines, be yourself and accept and respect others, the stereotypes CAN be defied. It doesn't always happen, and that's too bad. But it's possible.

Thanks for your support and understanding.

I think the ability to love/accept/respect others starts by accepting ourselves. People need to just relax and trust each other more. Hating and fearing can be fun and entertaining but not nearly as rewarding as just accepting reality for what it is.

Satori

 

[Satori]

Originally posted by Protocol
Defying stereotypes could be turned into a full-time occupation very easily, there are just too many of them. I find removing the problem is a lot easier than solving it (I'd call it a daoist approach if I knew enough about daoism to be sure).

You're definitely on the right track. Taoism (pronounced with a d)is all about compassion for others (humanism) and acceptance of things as they are, like going with the flow. Taoism teaches that we can't stop or change the flow of things (events) but we can use the flow by re-directing it (like judo). If you have to cut wood, cut with the grain. Buddha has so much to teach us.

Removing the problem seem more like modern naturapathic medicine which seeks to cure problems by removing their cause rather than just treating them with drugs forever to supress the symptoms.

Babbling incoherently,

Satori, super-taoist freak

 

[Mantraschism]

*bump from beyond* Ah, now Zoidberg's big!

Pertaining to the 'image' discussion: A couple of years ago, when I was living in Monterey, California (which you'd think would be quite liberal), I was standing in a Walgreens, getting some pictures developed, and wearing an Emperor shirt with a large, red pentagram on the back. All of a sudden this woman walked up to me and said, 'Um, excuse me, did you know you have a Satanic symbol on the back of your shirt?' I was so caught off guard that I couldn't think of a witty, snappy comeback, so I just said, 'Yes.' She was obviously quite perturbed by this and stomped away, never to be seen by me again.

On the other hand, I was in a Krispy Kreme Donuts a while back, and I was wearing a Finntroll shirt with a (*gasp*) troll on the front. The cashier (a middle-aged woman who obviously wasn't a metalhead) complimented my shirt, saying that she liked it because it had real artwork on it, and not just some bullshit. It's worth mentioning that this was in Augusta, Georgia, which you'd think would be quite conservative.

Other than that, having a 'metal' image hasn't gained me much attention. Although I guess I do have a reputation for 'always wearing black', which isn't even true - I love khaki cargo shorts and blue jeans. It's just that most metal band shirts are black. Not my problem.

 

[Frosties]

Haha, nice bump.

I have a short story to share:
About six months ago (maybe more), I went to an Orphaned Land concert and I happened to meet there a girl who served with me in the army. Anyways, we greeted each other and so on, and then she said something like "What are you doing here? I didn't know you listened to THIS kind of music". The first thing that ran through my head was "wtf, you don't think I have good taste in music? Thats quite offensive actually!"

But, I don't think I've ever heard of (let alone encountered) any kind of interactions with ignorant people like the ones described here.