More installments will follow, unless everyone thinks I'm just being a preachy ass, at which point I'll leave you all alone... -K

1. Everyone is fucked up. (or "There is no 'normal'.")

This is one of the most important things you can learn in life. This one is so significant, that Number 2 is a relative of Number 1.

I'll say it again, because it's just that important:
Everyone is fucked up.

That guy you've got a poster of in your room, that dude in the suit and tie carrying a briefcase, the pediatrician you used to see, the CEO of that major corporation, that guy/girl in your class who you have a crush on, your parents, your teachers, your friends, that person in your life you think is totally cool and really has their shit together...all these people are fucked up.

They are obsessive/compulsives, they have odd sexual fetishes, they have explosive tempers, they have fear of intimacy, they feel they've wasted their lives, they aren't sure they've married the right person, they have unwanted children, they are unsure of their own opinions, they are addicted to drugs, they are codependent, they live in a dream world...you can bet the farm that there is something wrong with them.

Some people are more fucked up than others, to be sure, but there are no "normal" people.

I have never met a single person, no matter how together they seem initially, that once you scrape off that top layer of protection, has no major malfunctions.

Some are benign, like being addicted to video games, and some are nasty, like an inability to be true to your spouse, but everyone is fucked up. Look at our last president. Look at our current one. Look at your favorite movie star or musician. Look at me. Look at you.

We're all fucked up!

So, the next time you're worried that you spend too much time on the Internet, or that you seem to be the only one of your friends that hasn't scored, or you spend too much time in the bathroom with the door locked, or your grades are too low (or too high!), or you have too few (or too many!) friends, or some dude keeps calling you a "fag"...

Don't worry about it!

You could be a lot worse.

This doesn't mean that you can't do anything about your malfunctions...and if you really don't like them, you can go about trying to change them, or at least control them, so they don't make a mess of your life. But if you're comfortable in your skin, there's no friggin' reason on Earth to change. If you put on an act to look good for the rest of the world, you're going feel it. Deep down you'll know something is not right, and people can sense that. You'll come off looking false and insecure.

The important thing is to know who you are. Once you know that, you can learn to work around your issues. But don't deny them. That just makes you defensive, and you'll send off all kinds of weird vibes. Most assholes have something to hide.

In short...relax, man. And don't be so anxious to make fun of someone because they're different from you...you've got no room to talk!

If people say things that make you feel bad, take a step back the situation and have a good look at them...what a freak, huh? You're gonna let that punk bring you down?

Screw that noise.

------------------
"Somebody shoot me while I'm happy!" -Fats Waller

quote:

---

Originally posted by Mr. K:
If you put on act to look good for the rest of the world, you're going feel it. Deep down you'll know something is not right, and people can sense that. You'll come off looking false and insecure.

---

Anyways, K, that was beautiful. Keep 'em coming.

------------------
--EYNH
"To be forgotten is worse than death." --Freya Crescent

------------------
The Disneyland geeks claim that Walt is cryogenically frozen in an electromagnetic tomb under DL, which is used to power the whole park, taking advantage of extreme velocity at which Walt is spinning in his grave.

And to add to the first fact of life, there's been this tag I keep on seeing, saying "Mean People Suck". I think it is more than mean people that suck. I think all people suck.

And my psychiatrist told me to stray from negativity as much as I could. So much for that.

quote:

---

Originally posted by Mr. K:
. . .they have odd sexual fetishes, they live in a dream world...you can bet the farm that there is something wrong with them.

---

*Gets all defencive* Hey! There is nothing wrong with having odd sexual fetishes or living in a dream world! I am highly offended!
No, I'm just kidding, I know I'm fucked up just like everyone else. Seriously though, that was wonderful! I sometimes forget that and worry about how fucked up I am, It's good to be reminded that everyone else is screwed up too. So, for that, you get a free huggle from Noxeon!
*The strange, evilly cute made up Pokémon called Noxeon runs up and attacks Mr. K with huggles!*

PS Sorry for mentioning sex again, I really need to stop that, sorry guys!

A better Q would be, Whats is Normal???
Public Opinion?

Mick_Hale: "Mean People Suck"

I used to have one of those on my old car...except that I cut the first word off it.

The funny thing is, someone with a terrific sense of humor (either that or a really scary person) wrote "I love you!" on the sticker one day. I laughed my ass off right there in the parking lot.

What better way to disarm a bitter message?!? Hysterical.

And the story had a happy ending, too, because the ink washed off.

10K: I tend to hold to the belief that everyone is normal...

Well, "normal" and "average" aren't the same thing. The average human is a total mess.

When I say "normal", I mean the popular definition of "normal". Those people in movies and on teevee who don't seem to have any major problems. You'll note that all these normal people are fictional...

By the way, I want to stress that just because everyone is fucked up is no excuse for acting like an asshole and thinking "well, this is just how I am". If you're an asshole, you've got deeper problems, and you should probably be looking into those to see what the real cause of your behavior is.

The main point I was making, which I think most of you got, is that you shouldn't beat yourself up for being different. Don't be so concerned about having quirks. That's what makes you interesting.

Remember that "normal" people don't change the world. Anyone who exceeds at what they do is a freak.

As George Bernard Shaw said: "The reasonable man adapts himself to the world; the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore all progress depends on the unreasonable man."

Or, in a more down-to-earth way of speaking, remember what my sociology teacher/coach told us when he got ripped at our prom...he said, pointing to the "popular" people, "See those guys over there...in 10 years those empty-headed guys are going to be completely boring, with their cookie-cutter lives... It's not going to get much better for them than this. But you guys...you guys are going to be the interesting ones, the ones worth talking to once you make your way in the world."

He was a cool guy. One has to guess that he wasn't Prom King.

Anyway, you have to figure that less than 1% of the world's population is really doing something meaningful for society. The rest of the world is just punching the clock, saving up for a Lexus, waiting to die.

Embrace your oddities, and never be ashamed of doing what you like.

------------------
"Somebody shoot me while I'm happy!" -Fats Waller

Good stuff, K. I actually read this before anyone'd replied, and I couldn't think of anything to say, so I thought, "I'll come back later, when I can think of something to say". So I've come back later. I can't think of anything to say.

But I applaud your post. I think I already knew all this, but needed some confirmation that it wasn't just me being weird that was making me have some weird opinion. If you catch my meaning. ^_^

Thanks, K.

------------------
The Disneyland geeks claim that Walt is cryogenically frozen in an electromagnetic tomb under DL, which is used to power the whole park, taking advantage of extreme velocity at which Walt is spinning in his grave.

"Sometimes, being insane in an insane world is being sane." - Atma's local radio station

Seriously, tho. Good stuff. Most of it I already know, as does Biffster, and some of the people who are pretty damn secure with being called a Pokemon Nerd, or whatever.

Keep 'em up.

quote:

---

Originally posted by Atma:
Like usual, Mr. K is right. There's no such thing as normal. ALL humans (and nonhumans like me) are weird too.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by StarCaliber:
Most of it I already know, as does Biffster, and some of the people who are pretty damn secure with being called a Pokemon Nerd, or whatever.

---

I think it's great, and I look forward to the next ones. As for what SC said, I think I know at least half of what you're going to tell us, I learned it ever since I stopped sitting quiet in a corner, hiding my interests and not questioning what others did. After I started doing those things, my life turned better. Much better. Sure, I'm hated by the "cool" ones (read: the people with no self confidence who drinks, smokes, and talk crap of their "best friend" when she's/he's not around to make themselves look good, plus they hate people like me because they find it threatening that I am not afraid to tell people about my childish hobbies (read my profile and you'll see what I mean). Oh well, that was a long explanation.) but I don't like them anyway so why bother?

Keep 'em coming!

I have two forms myself, a unigryph, and a anime style half cat, half human.

Did you just say "ÜberPymp" ?

------------------
"Hey Kid, take my advice you don't want to step into a big pile of shit."
-Limp Bizkit, My Generation

This reminds me of this thing I got in an E-mail( I printed it out and hung it up on my wall..heh.. ) and it says..

"I've learned that you shouldn't compare yourself to others - they are more fucked up than you think". It has all sortsa nifty little sayings. My favorite is:

"I've learned to say "Fuck'em if they can't take a joke" in six languages". Heh. Funny stuff.

------------------
"Or they're just big into kinky..." - Noddy, on people who have sex on park benches

quote:

---

Originally posted by Jenova:
Mmhmm....I have many forms....my favourites being a harpy, a human, and a Raichu >:P

---

A harpy? Thats not very flattering...

------------------
The Disneyland geeks claim that Walt is cryogenically frozen in an electromagnetic tomb under DL, which is used to power the whole park, taking advantage of extreme velocity at which Walt is spinning in his grave.

Heh.

funny

Its nice to know that there are people more pathetic than yourself, makes you feel good to know you your not a total screw up.

Oh, Mr.K, where the hell is number 2?

quote:

---

Originally posted by Jumpman16:
Don't apologize.

Ever.

---

That should be number two or something

quote:

---

Originally posted by Zerot:
:casts reverser:

Oh, Mr.K, where the hell is number 2?

---

I'd like to know that as well.

------------------
"I remember you.
You're cool."
-Psybro, talking about me.

quote:

---

Originally posted by Mr. K:
...I figured most of you would just figure I'm a grumpy old man, yelling at the kids to stay off his lawn...

---

heh heh, I cant wait to be one of those.

Anyway, Really good work, K. I really like your perspective and agree.

------------------
"Do you think it flew up here?"