clevermanka (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
clevermanka) wrote2008-10-21 09:09 am
clevermanka) wrote2008-10-21 09:09 am
Entry tags:
Free expression
Yesterday I had a brief exchange with someone on someone else's LJ that made me think about our tendency to think for other people. OK, and I needed to rant about it a little bit.
It's becoming sadly commonplace for others to legislate (or shame) adults into behaviors that are believed to be "for their own good." Smoking bans, helmet laws, the "war" on drugs...and those are just the big legal issues. The list goes on to include even the most petty things like those ridiculous black blinders that our local Dillon's grocery store puts over the cover of Cosmopolitan.
We need to protect people from themselves and their worst base instincts, right? Adults shouldn't be allowed to decide what is and isn't appropriate activity. And if something is legal (in most counties), like, oh, say...a woman taking her clothes off for money...well, that woman should be made to feel bad for doing it, right? And if another woman has the audacity to say that her friend should have the right to take her clothes off for money, that woman should be shown the error of her ways, right? Goodness knows she shouldn't have a right to her own opinion, much less the right to do what she wants to with her body. She should most certainly be told that oppression is wrong (and directed to a helpful Wikipedia article in case she's uncertain about a definition of oppression).
Many years ago, I read a book called Ain't Nobody's Business If You Do. It helped form my opinions on some major issues that I'd sort of waffled about. It also formed my opinion that everyone has a right to their opinion (even if I disagree with it--which I often do). In the exchange I mentioned at the beginning of the post, I preemptively said "it's likely that our opinions differ." Instead of a "Yeah, we totally disagree on this one. I think..." response, it was implied that I'm wrong! wrong! wrong! and aren't I ashamed of myself for supporting oppression? Well...why? It's not like I'm advocating drowning puppies, here. I just said I think it's OK for a woman to take off her clothes for cash. I'm not telling other people to be ashamed of their beliefs (unless you're one of those people who believe ketchup is an appropriate seasoning for steak, in which case you should be totally, totally ashamed).
Now, I'm a fairly liberal gal with fairly liberal views--and I use the term "liberal" in the non-political-party sense here. It never fails to amuse/frustrate me that many people who call themselves liberal (meaning Democrat) want to control my actions and castigate my opinions--usually because I'm being too liberal.
A long time ago, my mother (who is anti-abortion) shared with me her opinion on why abortion should not be made illegal: "You can't legislate morality." But people continue to try. And when something isn't illegal (yet), it's common to call in the morality police. It might be legal do something, but you should feel really bad about doing it!
This is terribly rambly, I know, and I do apologize for that--the style, if not the content. I needed to vent about it, but I don't have a lot of time to go back and edit this. If there's confusion, I hope it can get cleared up in the comments.
As a side note: Here's the Feminists for Free Expression website. Until yesterday afternoon, there were only two people on all of LJ who listed Feminists for Free Expression as an LJ interest. I was one of them.
It's becoming sadly commonplace for others to legislate (or shame) adults into behaviors that are believed to be "for their own good." Smoking bans, helmet laws, the "war" on drugs...and those are just the big legal issues. The list goes on to include even the most petty things like those ridiculous black blinders that our local Dillon's grocery store puts over the cover of Cosmopolitan.
We need to protect people from themselves and their worst base instincts, right? Adults shouldn't be allowed to decide what is and isn't appropriate activity. And if something is legal (in most counties), like, oh, say...a woman taking her clothes off for money...well, that woman should be made to feel bad for doing it, right? And if another woman has the audacity to say that her friend should have the right to take her clothes off for money, that woman should be shown the error of her ways, right? Goodness knows she shouldn't have a right to her own opinion, much less the right to do what she wants to with her body. She should most certainly be told that oppression is wrong (and directed to a helpful Wikipedia article in case she's uncertain about a definition of oppression).
Many years ago, I read a book called Ain't Nobody's Business If You Do. It helped form my opinions on some major issues that I'd sort of waffled about. It also formed my opinion that everyone has a right to their opinion (even if I disagree with it--which I often do). In the exchange I mentioned at the beginning of the post, I preemptively said "it's likely that our opinions differ." Instead of a "Yeah, we totally disagree on this one. I think..." response, it was implied that I'm wrong! wrong! wrong! and aren't I ashamed of myself for supporting oppression? Well...why? It's not like I'm advocating drowning puppies, here. I just said I think it's OK for a woman to take off her clothes for cash. I'm not telling other people to be ashamed of their beliefs (unless you're one of those people who believe ketchup is an appropriate seasoning for steak, in which case you should be totally, totally ashamed).
Now, I'm a fairly liberal gal with fairly liberal views--and I use the term "liberal" in the non-political-party sense here. It never fails to amuse/frustrate me that many people who call themselves liberal (meaning Democrat) want to control my actions and castigate my opinions--usually because I'm being too liberal.
A long time ago, my mother (who is anti-abortion) shared with me her opinion on why abortion should not be made illegal: "You can't legislate morality." But people continue to try. And when something isn't illegal (yet), it's common to call in the morality police. It might be legal do something, but you should feel really bad about doing it!
This is terribly rambly, I know, and I do apologize for that--the style, if not the content. I needed to vent about it, but I don't have a lot of time to go back and edit this. If there's confusion, I hope it can get cleared up in the comments.
As a side note: Here's the Feminists for Free Expression website. Until yesterday afternoon, there were only two people on all of LJ who listed Feminists for Free Expression as an LJ interest. I was one of them.
no subject
Heh. Da Jbird will occasionally eat ketchup on the side of his steak and dip it. I've gently explained that if one buys decent steak and seasons it appropriately, ketchup isn't needed. But you know, if I have the right to take off my clothes or beat someone for money, I guess he can eat ketchup with his steak.
Just not in public around me ;)
no subject
Or me!
You know, I think a lot of this has to do with the fact that I just don't like ketchup, plus the knowledge that a steak has gotta be pretty poorly cooked/wasted if it needs ketchup and that's just sad-making.
Because you know, a tiny bit of nice, smooth, horseradish dip with roasted beef...that's pretty damn fine.
no subject
If you are silly enough to order a steak at say, Applebee's, which I have been occasionally been known to do, one has to expect it will be a crap cut, which has been infused with beef broth to improve it's flavor profile.
That steak, I'd have no problems putting ketchup on.
However, my proclivity has more to do with having been raised on steak several times a month growing up (my parents would buy sides of beef so we ate beef a lot) and mother would cook everything within an inch of it's life. So I, of course, put ketchup on it, to make it edible (as I was also putting ketchup on the absolutely divine cast iron skillet pan fried potatoes she would always make with it). So at some level, I think its an odd childhood comfort thing for me.
I didn't actually get a rare steak for the first time until my freshman year at KU, when I went to Don's Steakhouse for the first time and my roommate pointed out the possibility to me. I never went back after the first one. If you know me, I like it cold center rare.
But sometimes, I do, still, put ketchup on steak, depending on the circumstances, the cut, the preparation, and perhaps even my mood (although I generally now blend it with A1 when I opt to do that).
But then, I'm a fucking freak who does all sorts of odd and sometimes nasty things.
D.
no subject
no subject
D.
YES! Ketchup is the grossest condiment ever invented.
Who was the weirdo who thought... ooh, let's take rotten tomatoes, add sugar and put it on food? Yuck.
Lea & Perrins is my friend for steak that's not top-quality.
Re: YES! Ketchup is the grossest condiment ever invented.
Re: YES! Ketchup is the grossest condiment ever invented.
Ketchup History
The word ketchup is derived from the Chinese ke-tsiap, a pickled fish sauce. It made its way to Malaysia where it became kechap and ketjap in Indonesia.
Seventeenth century English sailors first discovered the delights of this Chinese condiment and brought it west. Ketchup was first mentioned in print around 1690.
The Chinese version is actually more akin to a soy or Worcestershire sauce. It gradually went through various changes, particularly with the addition of tomatoes in the 1700s. By the nineteenth century, ketchup was also known as tomato soy.
Re: YES! Ketchup is the grossest condiment ever invented.