Why I Think It’s OK To Disagree With Other People’s Beliefs And How That Is Totally Different From Discriminating
I’m back.
For everyone not in the room: I said that over 15 annoying seconds. DJ and I have been bitching to ourselves while doing impressions of californians for a long time, “Hey dude, let’s get down to business and write some fucking blogs, right?” We never did. For like a year. That’s tremendously unimpressive. But, look we’re back. Let me see those hands. Let bygones be bygones. DJ has a bunch of posts planned out. I just read through them- funny shit. I’m ready to write one of my own. I’ve been inspired.
I might as well start this like this, “You know what really grinds my gears?!” Pretty much the stupidest way to start something: with a complain. Something I complain about all the time. But, I won’t beat myself over it. After all, you do it to. Hypocrite lecteur!—mon semblable,—mon frère!
Wouldn’t it be funny, I thought, if I went back to Smartass Radio dot com as if I had actually gone to college for English and Creative Writing? I mean I always write these blogs with one audience in mind: myself when I’m drunk off European wine and patting myself on the back . But, from the outside world, not really knowing me, wouldn’t I seem, I don’t know, oafish? Self-centered? Blogs that come to mind involve fake relations with Rihanna, Doritos and James Bond having a twitter. You don’t need links; it’s there if you want it.
So, let me up the bar a little (hm, maybe I should just go to the bar). Have I still not started this thing?? Out of practice. Anyway, you know what’s annoying? People saying dumb shit like this, “Why can’t we all just accept the beliefs of others?”
I pause.
Because of the definition! You can only accept one side of an argument, that’s what causes the conflict, creates the opinion, becomes known as the belief, which is then accepted! You morons, there are a bunch of topics. You get to pick your belief on each one. Have fun! There are lots of options. Most of them are easy: think you should kill a baby before it’s born if the Mom wants to? Yeah, me too. That’s my belief on that issue. Told you this was fun. Let’s do one more to make sure we have this: do you believe in God? I’m not sure. I haven’t picked my belief on that one yet. Weird right? I’m 23 years old and I’m not positive whether some being put the universe in motion or if it just happened. Despite being 23, not sure. I’ve known script for 15 years, but the jury is still out as far as universe creation goes. In this case, I have no belief. I’m not going to commit to an answer at the moment. My first answer was “Yes.” My second was “Not sure.” We can already see that you simply cannot accept both those responses, despite the question. Let’s do one last one, just to finish up and get on the same page: Do you like Kindles? No.
OK, everyone gets it. But I still feel like I hear this all the time, “We have to accept everyone’s beliefs.” You know what that does? It makes things like being gay or being middle eastern seem like beliefs. Obviously not.
Yes, everyone should accept others. A You’re-Here-I’m-Here type of situation, an “I have zero reason to hate you off the bat” situation. That’s equality right there.
I should be allowed to disagree with someone for having different beliefs than me though. Jim thinks the sky is green? No way, Jim, I don’t accept that shit. Patrice is fine with war? Fuck you Patrice, why would you be “fine” with war, that’s idiotic talk. Rikki’s getting married? At 23? I wouldn’t do that. Sally is a Jew?
I didn’t feel the need to comment on the last one. I’m not a Jew, but I wouldn’t just remind someone of that to her face- it would be really rude. Likewise, racism is infinitely rude. But, you see what is happening there? Nothing wrong. Wouldn’t it have been a lot stranger and perverse if I accepted their beliefs?
1) “I guess it is pretty green.”
2) “War isn’t that bad.”
3) “If Rikki’s getting married, maybe I should?”
4) “I want to be a Jew.”
Accepting others’ beliefs is a terrible idea unless you are checking the facts. Tolerate the beliefs of others. I hear what you’re saying, you’re not speaking my language exactly, but that’s fine. No reason for animosity. No reason for conversion.
I’m hoping everyone has just been agreeing with me the whole time. I don’t see why you wouldn’t, but I imagine there is someone. Well, if you have agreed so far, then I’ll tell you the problem at hand: People don’t even have their own beliefs figured out, like a bunch of fucking idiots. You will soon find, if you try to notice it, how annoying universal acceptance is, and it is everywhere.
“What type of music do you like?” “I like everything.”
How, how is that possible. Better answer: “I don’t know enough about music to give a shit.”
“What do you want to have for dinner?” “I could eat anything.”
OK, right, not anything obviously. It’s not bizarre foods. Maybe you are up for anything- that happens to me sometimes. I can understand this- that does not mean it is not a frustration.
We don’t need to accept the beliefs of others. We should accept others. We should have our own beliefs and stick with those and not bother anyone who doesn’t bother us. And if you don’t have your beliefs pretty much mapped out by the end of college, then you’re an idiot.
Welcome back!
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