Looks like I'm on an english bashing streak. Don't expect it to end anytime soon- results for the oral assessment is hovering on the horizon like a gargantuan swarm of locusts. It's coming to get me. It's coming to DEVOUR MY SOUL. I AM BEING VERY DRAMATIC. IN CAPS LOCK TOO.
Expect this post to be rambling and confusing. You see that x in the corner? Press it. It's not too late to turn back.
Sometimes I try to say something very profound, and the only thing that pops out is a cliche. The one that comes to mind right now is 'ignorance is bliss'. So true, so damn true. Yet over-said, cliche. But that's ok- because the only reason it is cliche because many people say it. People see the truth in that statement, short and to the point, a clean summary of the loss of innocence.
The person who came up with a 'cliche saying' is very wise. Sometimes I feel it is a chore, a constant struggle to communicate meaning. Humans are inherently flawed- the voice doesn't make sense, or the ears can't care enough to listen (i meant that metaphorically). So something like 'ignorance is bliss' that is short, to the point, carries meaning successfully- it sticks. It 'gets the point across', to use another cliche. These sayings are tools- specialist, store-bought tools we employ to communicate our ideas. Not custom-made or home-made, but professional, precise copies of blueprints that talented predecessors had discovered. And personally, I admire them for it. It also makes me feel so very young- because I have so much to learn, and so ignorant compared to others. (and don't quote 'ignorance is bliss' back at me. In this case, 'knowledge is power', and here I am using another cliche.). Yes young. You know the feeling you get when you look at this?
Kind of like that. Human history isn't even one millimeter on that scale.
Do tools ever lose their impact? It is also human nature to dismiss, discard tools when they lose their shine. When you overuse tools, they become blunt. (And boy, do humans ever love to overuse stuff. But that would involve me going into another tangent. And this cliche thing is already a tangent). And that's how a benign, nice saying turns into cliche. Take the history of music, something I am unfortunately familiar with. Music in history reflects the public favour at the time- what people like, ie. what is 'in fashion'. Each 'period'- baroque, classical, romantic, etc. came about because of the people's boredom with the previous period. I'm sure this is the case for other forms of art. I suppose what I've just spouted in the last 2 paragraphs could be summarised by this- "cliches r actually pretty wise, just sorta overused. so i'm allowed to use it coz i cbb typing up something that means 'ignorance is bliss'. so don't go- argh, she's so cliche. *sticks tongue out*"
Anyway, what I actually meant to say was that ignorance is bliss, so damn the english syllabus. The current unit- conflicting perspectives is pissing me off, not because it's boring and etc, but because the nature of conflicting perspectives makes it so frustrating.
I felt to urge to blog after watching 'media watch' because of
this story. You don't have to watch it, because the frustration hardly came from the show, but more the comments. It's not a particularly fascinating story, certainly not one that interests me (it's about some footy sex scandal involving Matthew Johns, that dude from the Footy Show. I confused him with Andrew Johns at first lol). What IS interesting is the way people react to it. First 'Media Watch' presents the perspectives, in a supposedly neutral way, because Media Watch is the impartial watchdog, blah blah blah. And while it does give voice to both sides- it does condemn Johns and support Four Corners- the show that exposed this event. And then the comments- many of which are as long as this post, minus the cliche tangent, and infinitely more scholarly- many commentators are obviously expert analysts, some have ties to one perspective or the other. (They read the Australian instead of Daily Telegraph, that's for sure).
Some accused Media Watch of being biased, others siding with it. And debate. Oh, how much debate there were. The commentators typed up long, intelligent remarks- all expressing their own opinion while refuting the one above theirs. Some expressed their disgust of the offender, some were skeptical over the girl's apparent distress, some were sympathetic to both parties- the suffering they went through, I quote- "it doesn't matter who is guilty or who is innocent, because both victim and perpetrator - whichever is which - are being punished. Johns has had his name dragged through the mud and his career trashed. The girl has had much the same treatment. One of them deserves it, one of them doesn't. Which one is which, only a very small handful of people really know."
That I most certainly agree with. And surely you are wondering now- what's the point of all this, strangledcod dear? The point is- it's because of the debate- the entire, oh-so-democratic 'let's hear both sides of the argument, and then prove or disprove this and that" attitude that CAUSED the girl to become suicidal.
First the media/four corners and the 'footy show/nine/Johns battled it out over who was in the right. Then Media Watch swoops down onto the carcass in so-called justice- like a vulture (a judgmental vulture, lol), and then the commentators, like worms or something, scavenges the last vestiges, again, in so-called justice, trying to convince each other their opinion is in the right. But what of the carcass? Their privacy, self-respect, self-esteem had been ripped from their bones. As the battle dragged on and on, they were the ones that was hurting more and more. And the public? Anything for good juicy gossip. Even though I haven't watched four corners, nor the news articles, I am just as guilty.
DO YOU KNOW WHY? I f*cking realized this as I was writing that last paragraph, and figured I invested too much time in this to go delete this post. Because I have just expressed my opinion- just like all the commentators on that page, just like Media Watch. I am a hypocrite, of course, and by writing this, I am just prolonging the metaphorical battle. Lol, I'd be a decomposing microbe or something, but since my opinion aren't worth 50c in the grand scheme of things, this doesn't really matter. Teeheehee.
So thus is the corrupting power of 'conflicting perspectives.' Because at the end of it all, feelings are hurt, time is wasted, points are raised and considered, and debated and processed and baked and rinse, repeat. And we have no definitive answer to who was in the right.
'ignorance is bliss' indeed. If this issue was never raised, if no one cared or displayed no interest in it, nothing changes. Life will keep on rolling on, as per usual. But neither parties would be so damn wounded. (Lol, I just realized this also applies to war, opening a new can of worms- yep, another cliche. This is kinda fun.)
So basically? F*ck English. This all boils down to it. Conflicting perspectives is stupid and frustrating, and more trouble that it's worth. And now I'm sulking like a typical teenagers. Because you know what? I do understand what they're trying to teach us- belonging, conflicting perspectives, analyzing text, humanity. They are trying to make us more aware of the world around us, more critical, not just accepting of other opinions, but forming our own. They are teaching us to be less ignorant.
But f*ck that. Ignorance is bliss. I probably would have never feel left out my group if I wasn't made to learn about belonging. I would probably bitch about everyone, making me more interesting to talk to- if not for my attempts to be less judgmental- considering others perspectives. I wouldn't be so damn bitter and cynical (dare i say emo?). I would probably have practised violin for my lesson tomorrow instead of writing this long and pointless piece of shit. And I realize that this is probably what everyone goes through- this adolescent feeling of wanting to stay a child forever. But I wish people would stop sounding so superficial sometimes. It makes me lose respect for them. It also makes me feel quite lonely Because I know in my head that they're intelligent and resourceful and grow up to be happy, successful people. But it still makes me lose respect for them and I really, really don't want to turn into a bitter old lady hating the world and humanity and everyone and I'm feeling I'm going down that path and I dunno what to do.
Edit: And you know what the sad thing is? I wish my posts could be like gchus, or canadians, or heshiyun's, etc, coz they're generally not depressing, nor this boring or long. I mean, I'm a teenager right? Shouldn't I be talking about guys and shopping and complaining about my family or talking about how nice and supportive my friends are? I know what you're gonna say- you're unique, you're yourself, and you shouldn't try to be like someone else, blah blah blah, but it's so damn...annoying..for lack of a better word, to always be the odd one out.
So yeah, wish you pressed that little x now?
