People are becoming very excessive in expressing their emotions
these days. No longer can you usually depend on the exercise of common sense as
you move through your day. Uninhibited self expression seems to be what we can
expect, and must accept, wherever we go in public. Our language now includes
many new words and phrases to reflect a changing reality of more emotionalism,
anger and fatalistic acceptance.*
For example, Road Rage is now a commonly
understood expression of anger by drivers. The warning 'Don't even go
there' warns those around you that they are asking for an argument if they
pursue a subject with you. In fact some of us may be 'cruising for a bruising'
and could experience physical violence if we persist.
Last year, this seemed sometimes to result
in gun violence, serious injury or death. We began to wonder whether any
of us might find ourselves 'caught in the crossfire' or be attacked if we
accidentally antagonized someone.
As a result, you may have the lowest overall crime rates in decades, but the
violent nature of the crimes that are committed, makes them popular and
appealing to a media, who's motto is 'if it bleeds, it leads'.
Meanwhile, less violently thankfully, but
somewhat fatalistically perhaps, 'it is what it is' now is said easily and
often. This indicates a tacit acceptance, resignation even, that
nothing is expected to change about an issue. Basically 'it is what it is'...so
'suck it up' and accept it. You can also 'knock yourself out'. This tells the
other person that you know that whatever you say they will do what they want
anyway. Unfortunately, this sometimes involves forcing those around
them out of their way.
I guess more people are feeling that it is
'easier to ask forgiveness than permission'. Besides they want it, need it,
gotta have it, and are gonna have it. Probably they feel they 'deserve' it.
After all, 'life is short', unfair, 'everyone else is doing it' and 'you
only live once'. **
In view of all this self expression, much
of the above being in anger, I need to ask how did our relations with
each other deteriorate to this point? Is all of this
emotionalism and 'entitlement' here to stay? Must we really be made
to feel everyone's 'pain'? Or do we just shut out the
'noise' coming at us and keep moving.
Let's face it, 'too much information' is
not just telling people that they are telling us more than we would ever want
to know about something; it is also trying to let them know that we really
don't want to know any more of the details. We are imploring them to 'spare me'
from hearing about this. This is especially true when someone, in a public
place, seems to either not care or perhaps wants everyone within hearing
range to hear whatever they are talking about today.
At least with a 'Reality Show' on the
media, the people who choose to broadcast details of their lives, or play act a
script purporting to do so, gives you a chance to switch it off. I wish
that in 'real life', like in the movie 'Click' that you could postpone or
better yet, shut off the other people around us. This applies especially
to the strangers among us who seem to have an endless need to 'share'
their experiences with anyone within earshot. Fat chance.***
NOTE: See also - From 2013:
*ACTING UP AND ACTING OUT (2013) and
**LIFE IS NOT TOO SHORT and
***UNREAL REALITY.
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