So get this. I'm walking down the street, iPod earphones in my ears, returning to work after lunch. I cross a street at a four-way stop and keep walking. A guy in a car approaches the four-way stop which is now behind me. He turns right and as he's driving away he yells, "You look like a fucking faggot in that shirt!"
Because I'm listening to an Out There Radio podcast on my iPod, I don't register the comment for a couple of seconds. When I realize what he's yelled and that he's clearly referring to me (because there isn't anyone else around), I turn in time to catch a quick glimpse of him in his car as he rounds another corner.
Now here's the weird thing. The shirt I'm wearing is a solid, purple Oxford from Express Men's Store and your run-of-the-mill black slacks. My shirt is not the traditional white or blue, but it's not that far out of the realm of your average dress shirt. It's pretty basic. The other weird thing is that I get more than the usual number of comments from women about how good I look when I'm wearing it (which is, in large part, exactly why I wear it).
I told my friend at work about the incident and she thought it was hysterical. She was actually bummed that she hadn't been there to witness it. Nice. :o)
I'm oddly disturbed by the incident, though I've no real reason to be. The guy could only see my back and was clearly simply reacting to the color of my shirt.
I find it so strange that dressing even slightly outside the expected norm can be met with such ferocious hostility.
Here's an interesting blog post I ran across today. It's a fine example of Reality Creation and a crystal clear demonstration of just how plastic "reality" is.
It's also a great example of how behaviors, emotions and cognitions interact. So many folks seem hung up on the idea that there is a one-way interaction between these components of the psyche, the most common belief seeming to be that beliefs (cognitions) drive behavior - change your beliefs, change your behavior.
However, changing behavior can be just as effective for changing beliefs and emotional states, an often overlooked factor in reality creation. Most therapists are well aware that getting a depressed client to exercise can have a dramatic impact on relieving the depression. Fewer non-professional reality creationists seem to be aware of this powerful method for change.
I had the great good fortune to attend a recent book signing hosted for John Dean's latest book, Broken Government. A friend invited me and, on a whim, I accepted, having no real knowledge of John Dean or his work.
I must say, I was quite impressed with what Mr. Dean had to offer in terms of his experience as a Washington D.C. insider, a former Repulican, a reporter on the Watergate scandal and a man vilified by G. Gordon Liddy (Mr. Liddy attempted to defame Mr. Dean's wife by accusing her of being directly involved in the Watergate scandal as a central figure in the form of a down-on-her-luck call girl. The Dean family successfully sued against this accusations).
Mr. Dean has written a trilogy of books, each one aimed at helping the American public understand the virulent strain of conservatism that has overtaken the Republican party and, by extension, co-opted most of the Federal government at this point in history.
Mr. Dean's first book, Worse Than Watergate: The Secret Presidency of George W. Bush, Mr. Dean seeks to explain just what has happened to our government - how the Executive branch has been shifted from the trend toward transparency to become the most secretive administration our nation has ever seen.
In his second book, Conservatives without Conscience, Mr. Dean endeavors to reveal how the Bush administration has managed to rise to and maintain power for as long as it has. The answer lies in the personality type, now very carefully studied and documented by scholarly research, called the Authoritarian personality. This personality is one that seeks black-and-white, dogmatic answers, fears shades of grey, seeks safety in strong, simple leadership and wishes to be led. By playing to this militant mentality, the Bush administration has been able to stir up an incredibly strong, dull-headed, bullying core of unwavering support. Strum the tune of 9/11 or abortion or gay marriage and this core contingent is willing to go to almost any length to protect its clear, safe, idealistic world.
A few weeks ago I began reading all of the books by Carlos Castaneda. So far I've blazed through The Teachings of Dan Juan, A Separate Reality, Journey to Ixtlan and The Second Ring of Power. Currently I'm reading Tales of Power. I have several more to read when I finish that one.
I read several of these books many years ago while I was at college. They had a profound effect on me then. They opened my eyes to the fact that there are many ways to "see" reality. Of course at that time I merely had an intellectual awakening to the possibility of alternate appr0aches to reality.
However, at this time in my life, each book is having a far deeper impact on me. I am now making the effort to go beyond the intellectual realization. Now I am actively engaged in an effort to have direct experiences of alternate reality tunnels (to use a phrase coined (or repeated) by Robert Anton Wilson).
As a teenager I read a book on lucid dreaming. The idea that I could become consciously aware during my dreams fascinated me, but I never made much progress in the minor attempts I made to actually have lucid dreams.
The teaching Don Juan gives Carlos Castaneda across several of the early books regarding "Dreaming" has reawakened my desire to become conscious during my dreams. So as soon my re-reading of the Don Juan books reminded me of the possibility to dream lucidly, I began my efforts to "find my hands" in my dreams.
I’m living in a house with RC and a buddy. My buddy and I are in school. In fact, we are in an accelerated academic program. We are learning about a particular aspect and era of early British history. We are both cocky and believe that we will be able to pass any exam simply by reading the material in the text book and reviewing a map of the area at the time.
Our professor comes to our house to give us an oral exam. We set up around a coffee table in our living room area. My buddy and I sit next to each other on the couch. The professor sits across from us in a chair. He begins to ask us questions about the events we were supposed to have studied. I suddenly realize that I don’t know anywhere near enough about the history to be able to answer the questions our professor is going to ask us. I begin to get anxious. I hedge on the first question as does my buddy.
