EDITOR'S NOTE: This is NOT a religious post. The title is a figure of speech I recently heard for the first time and found hilarious.
I was having a phone conversation with an old friend a few weeks ago. Somehow, we got on the topic of High School and how she knew I was an Aspie even back in those days. When I asked her why, she explained it by describing what I was like in the most obvious way: Ridiculously intelligent and (almost completely) socially inept. Sounds about right...
I challenged the assumption that I was quite socially inept in those days. I did have many friends and I'm still in touch with many of them to this day. She countered that by reminding me of how incredibly opinionated I was (and still am) by saying 'You could have pissed off the Pope!' As someone who doesn't care much for many of the Vatican's policies, I find that kind of expression to be hilarious.
Even more hilarious (to me, at least) is that she's quite right. I know all too well how some of my opinions can piss people off. I've even done it on purpose a few times as a way to test the loyalty of certain individuals.
For example, calling out the so-called friends that kept trying to push me towards dating people I don't find attractive. They think they are helping me by trying to force fatties and psychos on me but, that doesn't help at all. They are socially marginalized for good reasons. I was socially marginalized for bullshit reasons, namely NT's being confused and scared of someone that was different from them. Besides, dating is supposed to help you find a spouse. Why would I date/marry someone that doesn't turn my proverbial crank? None of you would, unless you were a desperate fool. And how well does that work out for you, heh? That may be one of the reasons why so many marriages end in divorce these days. And the saddest part of this example is that I've had to do it TWICE now, once in 2008 on MySpace and again this past summer on this blog. I guess some people are just born stupid and Born to Lose.
Anyway, I'm not quite so forceful in expressing my opinions anymore. I've since learned that was impolite. I've met at least two NT's who don't get that in the last few years but, I certainly have learned that valuable life lesson.
One of them was a former First Sergeant of mine. I went to his office with my Platoon Sergeant to explain the Asperger's Syndrome to him. I was getting the impression that he didn't like me very much and I didn't want him to get the wrong idea. That turned out to be a waste of time. His mind was made up long before I walked through the door. All that meeting did was convince me that the Army was no place for me any longer. So much for that whole 'encourage and inspire' thing that NCO's are supposed to do...
The second was a girl that an Army buddy was dating at the time and now, she's his wife. Why exactly he decided to get married again, I don't know. I never did understand that relationship well. Anyway, this person turned me off with her opinions by somehow NOT realizing that it's impolite to start political conversations with people who DON'T want to hear them. Accusing me of this 'White Privilege' crap didn't help her, either. White or not, I worked for everything I have in this life. NOTHING was handed to me on a platter. I paid for my own college education with student loans and Army service. (And I'm still paying off the last of those loans too.) I'm paying for the house that I own with both 3 years worth of personal savings and renting it out to strangers. How was ANY of that a 'privilege' of the fact that I was born White? Fucking bleeding-heart Liberals and their closeted racism... I swear those people don't have the good sense that Christ gave to the Jackass they use for a party symbol. Hmmm, maybe I still have a way to go before I become less opinionated and more polite? :P
So, what should we learn from all of this, kids? Simple. You are free to express your opinions but, other people are free NOT to listen to you. Trying to force your opinions on them makes you look and sound like an Asshole. Don't be that guy.
Now that I'm done with this particular rant, I'm off to eat pizza and print out a few box labels for some loose SEGA Genesis cartridges. :)
- Lord Publius
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