Life As Performance Art 168

Ah....Snowflake Nation. Apply for your citizenship now. Seriously, we live in a culture of such politically correct delicacy that sometimes it makes my stomach heave. But I am not going to tell everyone that they have to stop being so piss-delicate just to satisfy my own sensitivity, or to keep me from getting so upset that I have to throw up because, really, I don't care. I am not going to get upset. I won't have panic attacks, and I'm certainly not going to threaten to kill myself, just because someone else is saying or expressing something that I don't like. I might tell them what I think, or maybe I will try to listen carefully to be sure that I am not overreacting and misjudging, and perhaps that they might have a thing or two to teach me that I am needing to learn or accept. I have also experienced panic attacks, and suicidal ideation. I have never tried to use my sense of trauma as a bargaining chip for getting my own way. (I'll hold my breath till my face turns blue if you don't give me everything that I want, the way I want, when I want!) Be as delicate, precious, and neurasthenic as you like. Just don't expect me to buy into your nonsense. We live in a culture of offence and small wonder that. No one really wants to make room for a difference of opinion. And the emotional blackmail! For example, when my supervisor informed me yesterday that it was someone in the meeting who felt disturbed by my behaviour two months ago (drawing during the meeting, opening the blinds to let in some sunlight, and politely asking the person next to me to move their paperwork so I could have some room at the table), I wasn't in the least bit surprised. We have some new people there and I am almost sure that one of them is a control freak spy for central office, so, no, I'm not at all surprised. Annoyed, yes, because I am really embarrassed at the way that some mental health survivors will use their diagnosis as a pass for emotionally blackmailing those around them into doing their due diligence to not offend or upset them. I have seen this happen and I have been tempted myself on occasion to play this particular ace, but I think of this as morally reprehensible behaviour. What ever happened to taking personal responsibility for one's own reactions and behaviour? I mean, before the right wing had hijacked and appropriated this very strong and very important value of human ethic and morality? On the other hand, am I any better for demanding my own way? I just had a verbal altercation with a rather difficult tenant in the laundry room. She was mad at me for sitting on the folding counter for the last two minutes my clothes were in the dryer. I told her to mind her own business. She continued carping at me, made a personal remark and I replied, what part of shut up do you not understand? So, my neighbour, who monopolizes the laundry room and seems to think it's her personal property, and I will not be on speaking terms for a while, but I will still be polite to her and I will not complain because there is nothing to complain about. She might report me to management, but I am not particularly worried about that, as they could probably use a good laugh today. There is nothing wrong with accommodating others. There is also nothing wrong with calling them out for blackmail. Neither is there anything wrong with being kind, a lot that is right with being kind. So, that is my takeaway, on today. Be kind. Even if I want to gag.