Every Mind Boggles

Today I wanted to talk about a few things that boggle my mind.

Thing One

The Land of Painted Caves was released last week. I’ve been reading and rereading this series for over 15 years and am looking forward to it finally being wrapped up.

What originally drew me into the story was its exploration of the tension between personal autonomy and belonging to a community. Being part of a group requires certain compromises over time. Some are mild, others utterly life-changing.

I wonder, though, if someone born and raised in a collectivistic society would struggle with this the way those of us who live in individualistic cultures do at times? My best guess: no.

It’s impossible to think about this without applying my cultural conditioning or values to it, though. I can’t imagine what it would be like to spend an entire lifetime believing that the common good or the needs of the group were always more important than what I wanted or needed.

(This does not mean that I think there’s anything wrong with collectivist societies. It’s simply so far removed from how I grew up that my brain struggles to understand the how and why of what they value most.)

Thing Two

If one wants to make wisecracks about his or her own disability, rape, impending death or how he or she narrowly escaped the latest natural disaster I’ll still fail to see the humour in it but won’t be offended.

Making fun of other people’s suffering, though, is the fastest way to enrage me (especially when object of the “joke” is someone vulnerable.)

Thing Three

Ostensibly serious news organizations that report on what celebrities are wearing, eating, saying or doing.

Respond

What boggles your mind?

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0 Responses to Every Mind Boggles

  1. Agreed on Thing Three! I had never really been exposed to them until we got a roommate who watched TMZ which is on right after the kids go down for a nap and I’m eating my lunch with means I also end up watching TMZ. I’ve tried to wrap my head around the concept but couldn’t so I gave up.

  2. I boggle my own mind. I’m a walking contradiction.

    Also ditto on Thing Three. I’m not sure how it can be called serious news when the biggest headline is whether Lindsey Lohan is going to jail for stealing a necklace. Aren’t there more pressing issues to report?

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