Talk is cheap
posted: Jun 30, 06:44 PM
Well, it’s easy enough to tell when my life winds down to teddy bear slow. Gemini starts writing.
Aries is home for the summer and we went to a BBQ at her house yesterday. We have quite different careers and this leads us to having friends who bring a huge variety of perspectives and life experiences to any conversation. I like this variety. It challenges me to review my thinking on certain issues.
This variety can also challenge me to remember the old adage “live and let live”. Although, I find myself wondering why I accept we are all entitled to our beliefs, but others appear to feel compelled to “educate” me to the wisdom of their thinking. Aries believes I am a bit socialist in my belief system and consequently, is often concerned I may offend her rather more business oriented friends and colleagues. I find I need to remind her I do know how to behave appropriately when in public. (Smiling as I write…).
There were some very nice people at the BBQ. Individuals who were generally well traveled due to their careers or due to financial independence. I didn’t get the impression any of them had experienced financial hardship or been marginalized by their gender, sexuality or their life experiences. Of course, I am making judgments based on brief interactions and I would be most annoyed if similar judgments were made by others. So, I can only say this was my impression.
What is prompting my reflection on last night’s conversations is the sense I had that I was considered a “bleeding heart” and there was little to no understanding among these very well educated professionals of the impact of marginalization and poverty on children. I got the strong impression there was an attitude of if the parents’ pushed/encouraged/expected (substitute any similar word which might work in context) their children would achieve and poverty would no longer exist. Pretty simple apparently.
Why do I find poverty, “social” housing projects etc. to have so many layers and implications? Why do I question the impact of white power and privilege? Why do I find myself wondering about so many “things” and yet all these other people seem to have all the answers while I am still sorting through the questions?
It must be very reassuring when one has all the answers and easily answered questions. I’m not sure, however, I want to be one of the complacent.
Gemini