We live in a society of
standards, from beauty to intellectual capacity to sexual orientation. We always fight for acceptance, or at the very least, tolerance. But
the struggle is always a daunting task, and at times, people succumb in the
middle of the fight. It does not mean, however, that we have to stop fighting.
Someone dear one said that everyday is a constant battle for survival, and the reason for survival is different for each person. In the
process of survival or acceptance, we build walls and hide behind them for seclusion or for fear of our
parents’ reaction or our friends’ rejection. Worse, we hide because of our fear of society’s lack of understanding in general.
But there will always come a
time when we have to destroy the wall, by choice or by circumstances. We have
to accept the fact that we can’t always hide beneath the flurry pink fairy dust,
or the bravado of machismo. We can’t always feign ignorance, and get away with
it, or at least to the people closest to us. Some will always argue that we don’t
own anybody an explanation. Truth be told, we don’t need to explain anything for the vast majority.
But for our parents or our closest friends, the truth is sometimes the only
thing that matters. The veil of secrecy can only hold us for so long, and at a certain
time, it will reach its final stretch.
There in between the legal drama
and physical assault today is the sad fact that no matter how rich you are, how
successful you are, or how powerful you think you are, society will always have
its say on you. It is not always good or flattering. And when it does, you can’t deny the array of offensive slurs or its chilling effects. You can only hope for the best, and possibly co-exist until
both entities have realized that life has to go on.
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| http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Johann_Heinrich_F%C3%BCssli_054.jpg |
The battle for acceptance is an uphill climb. It is an even more arduous struggle if society keeps you in chains. I think we still have a long journey to take: the kind of
journey that involves education towards acceptance and tolerance. And tolerance
includes those people who have different lifestyle or point of views from you.
It’s a journey of a thousand steps, but it has to definitely start somewhere.
But equality has a price. I firmly believe equality, in itself, is a social fallacy. The cultural strata is replete with misconceptions, pitfalls, and false perceptions. Acceptance becomes the more logical, and humane, goal. To be equals requisites a dissolution of deviation and variance, qualities that define our humanity, ergo free will. But the choice of acceptance, not tolerance, implies an acknowledgement of the rich variety that is the human condition.
ReplyDeleteIn relation to this, the choice to be out or discreet remains a very personal one. Both present advantages and disadvantages in terms of social standing, emotional self-preservation, and the management of projected stigmas. However, it is a decision that is as individual, unique, intimate and singular as free will goes.
In the end, one has to choose what works for him. There are no wrong choices. We just have to accept, much as we are seeking social acceptance, that our community has a spectrum akin to the rainbow.
(Of course, this is assuming you belong to a certain preferential slant, so to speak)
:)
Holler, I agree and disagree to some of your points. But, before that, Congrrrratulations! Architect. :)
DeleteThanks. I am but a humble servant of spatial semantics. Now, on to the dialectic! I implore you to expound. :D
DeleteThere will never be an acceptance until the day we stop fighting. There will always be something thrown to us, until we decide to halt the struggle within ourselves.
DeleteI agree with you that one has to choose what works for him. But the choice has to start in realizing that there is a struggle within. Until then, he can't make a choice.
Definitely. The first step in any endeavor is acknowledgement. One has to be, essentially, cognizant of the situation to even begin processing the aspects of it.
DeleteThe sad reality is discord is inherently ingrained in the human experience, being free will is the most elementary of all human rights.
*nosebleed* lols :p
ReplyDeleteNgayong binabasa ko Nate, nag-nosebleed na rin ako. :p
Delete