Saturday, July 26, 2008
Alieness (Uniqueness)
Julie had an interesting post about loneliness. I left a comment that we are never truly alone. We are connected to one another at many levels, from the atomic to molecular and likely even at the spiritual level - the level of Consciousness. From my perspective, I've always never fit in. My thinking and behavior is at odds with most of my peers. Part of it is my innate intelligence, part is cultural. I grew up in an isolated small town, mostly growing up ignorant, and yet blessed in having a foreign mother and family overseas. I was broadened culturally at an early age without consciously knowing that fact.And as smart as I am, there seem to be far smarter people than me running around. Whether that is due to confidence or craziness, I am not sure. I've met both types in academia. Business doesn't seem to attract smart people so much as ruthless people, at least at corporations. Ron Paul is correct when he states that Corporate America for the most part is fascist. It is fascist in the sense of authoritarian governance. It is fascist in the single-mindedness of its greed for profit and market share. I work at a corporation. I feel alien there. In most of my interactions with people, some people "get" me and others do not. Those that "get" me are usually the bright ones. I realized yesterday that I will never be promoted to management because I am smart and single. All of the lower level managers are married family men who are risk averse and toe the corporate line. This spills out into the rest of my life as well. One of the things that I've learned is that people don't like very intelligent people. They feel intimidated. Perhaps it could be summed up as people don't like other people who are different whatever that difference is. What I want to know is what "normal" is? That word seems meaningless to me since every individual is unique - genetically, behaviorally, mentally, etc. So, for now, I'll remain an alien, a misfit, and revel in my uniqueness while I find my own way. But I am never truly alone.
Labels: misfits
