I'd be more impressed if you could do that in a suit and tie, or a Taco Bell uniform, or a clown costume. Real personal power comes from within and doesn't rely on leather. Or from a baseball cap and a football team jacket, for that matter.
If you really want to be different, change from within. So few do.
Hrm? I don't believe that personal change was the point of his post. Seems like the idea is that, like you said, you can be a decent person no matter what outward appearances you have, but many people don't understand that. If we can show others that there's nothing horribly wrong with us black-leather-wearing, quake-playing non-conformists, then we've made a step towards mutual understanding.
I have read several posts from people claiming that they did not choose to be different, yet endured similar treatment. I understand that completely. I have not condemned them in any way. My comments were directed at people who intentionally exhibit behavior that is extremely likely to get them a lot of attention (again, good or bad).
I exibit behavior that often gets me a lot of attention. I look different ("like a freak" is the general sentiment of people who would criticize me); I spend long hours in front of the computer coding, absorbing, and hacking; and I spend time in groups with other people that do similar things. I have other strange habits, but they're not things that strangers or casual acquantances would likely know about, and they're similarly harmless, anyway. I'm well-aware after long years of experience that I'm going to get a lot of negative attention for these things, and it could be said that I should accept the abuse I get in stride because of than; in fact, for the most part, I do.
But I think that there is no good reason that I should have to accept abuse for merely refusing to follow the other sheep and for pursuing interests that are atypical. Fortunately, I don't have to put up with much crap from people at CMU, but memories of the abuse I received from uninformed or biased peers, parents, and administators still burn painfully when situations like this arise to remind me of them.
Of course I don't condone what those disturbed kids did, but like most of the "outsiders and freaks" have been posting, I want people to understand this phenomenon of misunderstanding and persecution that obviously so many of us have felt.
I agree with most of what you're saying, Mr. Grue:), but I just can't accept that people must put up with crap just because they choose to deviate from the norm. Violence is not the answer, but I do what I can to dispel that misunderstanding by being sociable, making my perspective known, and simply not giving in to being miserable as a "normal, well-adjusted citizen."
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If you really want to be different, change from within. So few do.
Hrm? I don't believe that personal change was the point of his post. Seems like the idea is that, like you said, you can be a decent person no matter what outward appearances you have, but many people don't understand that. If we can show others that there's nothing horribly wrong with us black-leather-wearing, quake-playing non-conformists, then we've made a step towards mutual understanding.
I exibit behavior that often gets me a lot of attention. I look different ("like a freak" is the general sentiment of people who would criticize me); I spend long hours in front of the computer coding, absorbing, and hacking; and I spend time in groups with other people that do similar things. I have other strange habits, but they're not things that strangers or casual acquantances would likely know about, and they're similarly harmless, anyway. I'm well-aware after long years of experience that I'm going to get a lot of negative attention for these things, and it could be said that I should accept the abuse I get in stride because of than; in fact, for the most part, I do.
But I think that there is no good reason that I should have to accept abuse for merely refusing to follow the other sheep and for pursuing interests that are atypical. Fortunately, I don't have to put up with much crap from people at CMU, but memories of the abuse I received from uninformed or biased peers, parents, and administators still burn painfully when situations like this arise to remind me of them.
Of course I don't condone what those disturbed kids did, but like most of the "outsiders and freaks" have been posting, I want people to understand this phenomenon of misunderstanding and persecution that obviously so many of us have felt.
I agree with most of what you're saying, Mr. Grue :), but I just can't accept that people must put up with crap just because they choose to deviate from the norm. Violence is not the answer, but I do what I can to dispel that misunderstanding by being sociable, making my perspective known, and simply not giving in to being miserable as a "normal, well-adjusted citizen."