Today, I find myself feeling curiously thankful to my parents, despite their private imperfections, if for no other reason than the fact that their constant conflict ended up teaching me how to feel and express honest human emotions.
For sadly, where I live today, most of the people often appear to be so beaten down by the incredibly strict, overtly controlling Confucian society long inherited from their ancestors, that under normal circumstances, they are almost completely unable to articulate most of the good (or beneficially bad) honest, straightforward emotions that I grew up taking completely for granted.
Well, that is, unless they happen to be falling down, stupid drunk. Yes, without strong drink they rely on pumped up displays of pride and vanity, with only the attendant but really rather pathetic "death stare," to protect them from those who they perceive would do harm. Yet, I sincerely doubt that any of those mostly mute defenses helps any of them to express or relieve most of their emotionally pent up anxieties, fears, needs and genuine human wants.
And I shouldn't have to remind anyone of what tends to happen when lack of sobriety leaves a person exposed to all sorts of societal depravities. Rape. Unplanned and unwanted pregnancies. Cruel, vile, truly thoughtless words and deeds uttered when inebriated. Car accidents. Familial abuse. And even death - whether behind the wheel of a modern speeding bullet, or from choking on ones own vomit.
Oh... I guess I left out the "fun" part, didn't I? Funny, puking has never held much delight for yours truly, I'm afraid, so I guess I shall just have to continue to miss all the "fun."
So, learn how to express your true feelings, and be eternally grateful to those who teach you how, with intent or not, to articulate your needs and wants in this life. For as far as we know, there are no do overs, and we get only one chance before the shell of our earthly form returns to the welcoming dust.
Fascinating, that it took a Chinese guy (who was also 1/4 German) to finally, after thousands of years of emotional repression, to finally break the mold, to finally rise above the fray, to teach everyone, regardless of race, color, creed, sex or anything else, to tell the whole world that we must all, whenever possible, practice the simple, eloquent and beautiful art of HONEST SELF EXPRESSION.
For sadly, where I live today, most of the people often appear to be so beaten down by the incredibly strict, overtly controlling Confucian society long inherited from their ancestors, that under normal circumstances, they are almost completely unable to articulate most of the good (or beneficially bad) honest, straightforward emotions that I grew up taking completely for granted.
Well, that is, unless they happen to be falling down, stupid drunk. Yes, without strong drink they rely on pumped up displays of pride and vanity, with only the attendant but really rather pathetic "death stare," to protect them from those who they perceive would do harm. Yet, I sincerely doubt that any of those mostly mute defenses helps any of them to express or relieve most of their emotionally pent up anxieties, fears, needs and genuine human wants.
And I shouldn't have to remind anyone of what tends to happen when lack of sobriety leaves a person exposed to all sorts of societal depravities. Rape. Unplanned and unwanted pregnancies. Cruel, vile, truly thoughtless words and deeds uttered when inebriated. Car accidents. Familial abuse. And even death - whether behind the wheel of a modern speeding bullet, or from choking on ones own vomit.
Oh... I guess I left out the "fun" part, didn't I? Funny, puking has never held much delight for yours truly, I'm afraid, so I guess I shall just have to continue to miss all the "fun."
So, learn how to express your true feelings, and be eternally grateful to those who teach you how, with intent or not, to articulate your needs and wants in this life. For as far as we know, there are no do overs, and we get only one chance before the shell of our earthly form returns to the welcoming dust.
Fascinating, that it took a Chinese guy (who was also 1/4 German) to finally, after thousands of years of emotional repression, to finally break the mold, to finally rise above the fray, to teach everyone, regardless of race, color, creed, sex or anything else, to tell the whole world that we must all, whenever possible, practice the simple, eloquent and beautiful art of HONEST SELF EXPRESSION.
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