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◄ The Cheapskates, The Scones, The Good China

2008-04-12Ten things I assume you know about me

Tags All Personal

...But That Don't Necessarily Come Up In Conversation. A meme stolen from a someone's blog I was wandering through, slightly repurposed.

- As far as I've noticed, I'm not gay. I do think the human race is basically bisexual by default, assuming a label were required, ever since a particularly bluff and macho acquaintance opined of Brian Molko: "Did you see Never Mind The Buzzcocks last night? That bird from Placebo's pretty fit... don't think much of her tits, though." Take a bow, Darryl. You proved the obvious, which is that people are attracted to people.

- I'm not a vegetarian. I don't particularly like meat, but if necessary hand me a cleaver. I'd quite like a short stint in an abattoir, and I do think kids should be aware of where their food comes from and the conditions under which it's produced. I don't consider life sacred, though in general it's a tenacious and impressive thing.

- Nothing I've experienced yet has brought me to regard religion as more than wishful thinking or fear. We don't want to think we'll cease, and it's nice to think there's some kind of cosmic justice awaiting people we don't like. Wanting or needing to believe stuff doesn't make it true.

- Ancillary to that: supposing for a minute a god exists, I don't think it's likely to be as narrow-minded, judegmental or outright evil as some of those who claim to be its followers. Infinite love, patience, mercy, forgiveness, etc? I could get behind that as a concept; indeed, it's probably a good sign for a civilisation if it imagines gods that are better than it.

- I do like choral music, especially Jerusalem. I also rather admire the dedication of nuns, especially those who actively form part of a community instead of withdrawing from it, which is odd since I'm vehemently opposed to them filling kids' heads with tales of original sin, menstruation being a curse, etc.

- I'm quite dedicated to not reproducing. I don't really get why anyone who's aware of the puking, screaming, sleepless nights and other aspects would. It's probable I could parent, if it came down to it, but I don't want to — or to be responsible for bringing anyone into the world, causing anyone to give birth, etc. A cat is a possibility, although it isn't fair even to have pets and do something such as move to another country either. Dogs are also great... but tend to demand more attention, love with very few conditions, look at you more soulfully and be harder to watch die.

- Other groupings: I'm anti-smoking, anti-anti-smoking campaigners who're assholes about it, anti- people considering a cluster of cells trumps the right of a woman (i.e. an actual person) to determination over her body, thoroughly not keen on racists / homophobes / sexists (including peurile minds who argue 'gay' is unrelated to its main modern meaning — sure, that's very nigger of you, you haven't jewed or womaned that up), think it's too late to reclaim 'feminist' as a positive term, am against an institutional death penalty but pro- assassinating murdering dictators, think allowing guns in circulation is bloody dangerous and a recipe for gun crime but if you get one then I want one too, distrust anyone except myself when it comes to vigilante justice, and think that showing signs of wanting to be a career politician should disbar one from it.

- Left/right political diagrams are a flawed model. Work with people when you're in accordance, argue against them you're not, and try not to take any of it too personally.

- Once I break sufficiently, I'm probably not sticking around. I'm certainly not interesting in being kept alive past the point of it being rewarding in order to salve anyone's conscience. You're welcome to whatever organs are left as long as I'm decapitated first, and if I have any nieces or nephews I'd like to be able to offer them a skull for use as ornamentation. This could be difficult, as British law seems to have all sorts of irrational restrictions on what you can assign you want done with your remains after you've snuffed it, but I'll look into it further...

- I've heard pretty much every argument for or against these opinions. I get along with quite a lot of folk who don't hold them; if you aren't actively trying to harm me or mine, or to legislate in order to control others, we're probably cool. I also strongly recommend people read around to gain exposure to others with opinions contrary to their own, whatever they are. Ongoing self-examination is worthwhile where it doesn't become paralysis, plus you get to understand people better.