Thursday, April 13, 2006
"I am obnoxious..."
What does it say about me that instead of admiring someone who kept mastodon bones in his living room (as was noted in the listing on Thomas Jefferson in today's Writer's Almanac), I most heartily preferred his friend, John Adams, whose reason for not wanting to write the Declaration of Independence was "I am obnoxious, suspected and unpopular...."
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9 comments:
"Rebel" (noun, not verb).
Hey Pete...how so?
Crikey, you've put me on the spot. Now I have to think about what seemed obvious.
OK, it's conventional to want to be viewed as good natured, to be trusted, and, of course and perhaps most of all, to be popular. To prefer the company of people who react against those preferences suggests, to me, an element of rebelliousness.
Moreover, unpopularity can distinguish a person, so it can be a way of developing an identity. If you prefer what's popular, by definition that doesn't distinguish you; to prefer the unpopular is to rebel.
Did you really want an answer? I suspect you have rebellious tendencies and I suspect you know it. Lastly, I suspect you will remain popular and appreciated — at least with your few remaining friends ;^P
I will now duck for cover.
Thanks for this, Pete...I honestly wasn't being difficult (or at least no more difficult than usual) when asking for clarification.
Though I will note that I have always used the word perverse in place of what you describe as rebellious...and have entertained the idea, of late, of using the word 'perverse' as a book title.
I should also say that my reputation as a smiter extraordinaire is mostly unearned...so no need to duck and cover or cower, unless you want to that is...
Ah, "perverse". That was a word my mum used. Often about me.
:^P
Pete, I love your explanation, and plan to show it to my 12-year-old, who walks to her own beat, but yearns to be popular, or at least have popular friends. Such is the plight of an adolescent in junior high.
Substituting "rebel" for "unpopular" sounds very positive!
Perhaps she will even ask to borrow my combat pants...
Oh no. I think I've just reached another level of understanding why my daughter wishes for "conventional."
My own mum preferred "difficult."
...but then, I also got "sweetie" a fair bit.
Sweetie!
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