Wednesday 12 January 2011

Mistaken identity

People who know a little bit about me tend to stereotype me as a way-out left-wing rebel who's totally against conventional attitudes and happy to indulge all sorts of wacky lifestyles and beliefs.

In which case they've got me all wrong. Yes, I'm relaxed about a lot of unusual behaviour that most people tut-tut about, but in other ways I'm quite a hard-liner with a strong sense of moral righteousness.

I'm not the least bit bothered by homosexuality, cross-dressing, nude beaches, blasphemy, atheism, legalising drugs, equality for women, the right to abortion, euthanasia, asylum-seekers or vegetarians.

On the other hand I'm firmly opposed to most plastic surgery (unnecessary and dangerous), all prostitution (most prostitutes have post traumatic stress disorder), binge-drinking (unhealthy and anti-social), yobbery and vandalism (frightening and intimidating), rape (whatever the bogus and self-serving excuse), and quasi-anorexic models (who encourage eating disorders).

I won't turn a blind eye to behaviour that's seriously destructive to individuals or the rest of society. I think we should all condemn it forcefully and persistently. I'm not a well-meaning libertarian who thinks people should be free to do whatever they like without outside interference. If we're convinced something is genuinely wrong, we should have the courage of our convictions and say so.

I'm absolutely not one of those clichéd long-haired hippies who spends all day smoking dope and saying everything is cool, indifferent to whatever misogyny or dogma or selfishness or emotional violence is going on under his nose. We can't solve the world's problems by wishing everyone peace and love, we have to get our hands dirty and tackle vested interests that rely on people's woolly indulgence.

Yes, one part of me is a left-wing rebel, but the other part is a no-nonsense maiden aunt. So please leave your stereotypes at the door.

22 comments:

  1. I sometimes wonder if you're Jeremy Vine in disguise.
    I like Jeremy Vine, btw... even when he's being deliberately provocative.
    Sx

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  2. Scarlet - Jeremy Vine, now there's a thought. Persistent questioning, determined to get to the bottom of something? Yes, that rings a bell.

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  3. Nick you're one out of the box, unique and we love you that way. Haha your capture is "Menvent" You go girl!

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  4. Baino - I sometimes wonder if my peculiarities are just too much for others to handle. Glad to know they're not. Men vent indeed.

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  5. Stuff stereotypes. I'm totally in favour of legalising drugs but would make Wilful Ignorance a criminal offence. And swearing.

    Erm and I also have a lot of personal issues with Jeremy Vine.

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  6. I'd like to outlaw text speak. What does that make me? A curmudgeon?

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  7. I couldn't find anything to disagree with what you've said.

    Right on man!

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  8. Macy - Making wilful ignorance a crime isn't a bad idea. I don't mind the odd burst of swearing though, it's a good outlet for anger.

    Myra - Yes, let's outlaw textspeak as well. Ur v sensble.

    Roses - Goodness, my soulmate! Perhaps I'm the Mr Right you've been looking for?

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  9. That all seems about right to me, nick.

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  10. That was interesting, I lined up 100% with you on the for and against lists. (With the possible except of legalizng drugs - I've got mixed feelings on that after years of running an Alcohol and Drug Abuse program. Not against, just mixed.)

    Ooh! Word verification is "bless"!

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  11. Liz - Very interesting how many of you have similar opinions! So I'm not just ideologically confused....

    Suburbia - Thanks!

    Secret Agent - Goodness, how compatible we all are! I'd be interested in your take on drugs, given your experience at the coalface.

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  12. Ramana - Oh come now, you couldn't possibly be stranger than me!

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  13. Right on, to most of this. Except plastic surgery. Think burns victims. (And I don't mean Robbie Burns victims, though having said that....)

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  14. Val - That's why I said most plastic surgery. There are of course many people who need plastic surgery for quite valid reasons. Burns victims as you say. Also people with cleft palates or mastectomies or serious disfigurements.

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  15. I have become less opposed to plastic surgery since stumbling upon a nude beach.

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  16. Eryl - Brilliant. Quote of the week. If not the month....

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  17. As one of your long term devotees, Nick, I would have guessed all of the above, including the maiden aunty bit, though that is misogynistic in itself, n'est pas?
    How many maiden aunties do you actually know intimately? H'm?

    Be that as it may, it is said that we expose all in our writings and I so believe that.

    I should be more careful.....:D

    XO
    WWW

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  18. W3 - Yes, I suppose the term maiden aunt is still used as an insult in some circles, but personally I'm very positive about them, having known a few no-nonsense maiden aunts myself. Very inspiring and refreshing they were!

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  19. Nick, having had the golden opportunity of meeting the real you, I like you just as you are!

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  20. Grannymar - Gee thanks!

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