Out of Normal: Bad Mojo....

June 05, 2003

Bad Mojo....

There must be some serious Bad Mojo floating around in the ethereal plane this week. In my scanning of my favorite blogs, I am sensing a big dose of negativity. Anyone reading my blog would inevitably find the same thing at the moment. I think that the early summer blahs are getting to everyone in one way or another. I personally find fall very invigorating, and am looking forward to it arriving.

Another thing that has become apparent to me, as it should have long ago, is that changing ones geographical location only helps out in certain instances. My personal demons are going to follow me wherever I go. I know for a fact that part of my problem is that there are no like minded individuals in this area, and that I live in the most redneck part of the world. By redneck, I am not referring to just the people who have dead cars parked in their lawn, but attitudes in general. Bloomington-Normal is full of rednecks that live in $300,000.00 homes. They wear Versace and drive BMW's. I suppose that many of them even listen to NPR. Most of them would find it appaling to refer to an African-American, a Hispanic, or an Asian by a racial slur, but have no problem doing the same thing with a person of Arab decent. Grrrrrr.

It amazes me that with two major universities here that attitudes are so cro-mag. This is the primary reason that I want to split this area. If I ever have a family, I want to raise my children in an atmosphere of tolerance and understanding combined with a less materialistic view of life. The quote that it takes a village to raise a child rings so true, yet for different reasons that one might expect. When the "Village" raises the child, he or she is exposed to everyone from the street sweepers to the bourgeois. Everyone is familiar and everyone is family.

Your thoughts?

Posted by Broch at June 5, 2003 01:49 PM

Comments

Finally! This sounds much more like the Broch that I know. Good 2 C U R finding your true self once again. U have the most wonderful and sweet spirit of anyone I know. Keep that sweet spirit alive and hopefully our paths will cross again.

Posted by: Andi at June 5, 2003 04:01 PM

Tolerance and understanding imply love, don't you think? Love-peace-rainbows-unicorns-warmFuzzies. Broch, your blog is so spot-on with what I'm feeling. My small town of Ashland, Oregon absolutely fosters the sort of values you mention. While we DO have the posh Versace types, you're more likely to find Birkenstocks and pierced nipples than $700 pumps and implants. That's not to say that a silicone babe can't hold a spiritually informed conversation, but there is a certain set of awarenesses or values that seem to accompany the towns we live in. For example, the majority of the people I know shop at the co-op and the farmer's market and give birth to their children naturally (um, don't know about THAT one, I must confess), yet they also frequent the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, which our town is known for, and appreciate culture, tolerance and compassion. There are rednecks here, that's for darn sure. But probably not many RICH rednecks. Anyway, thanks for your wonderful post.

Posted by: Random Liberal Girl at June 5, 2003 04:30 PM

Hey Carla Beth! How Ironic! I went to school in Ashland Ohio. I could so handle the Birkenstock/CO-OP/Farmers Market lifestyle! Oregon is surely Gods country, and one of the most beautiful places in the US. Oregon and Washington are two of the places that I would more than likely consider moving to. Washington State that is..... Anywho, thanks for dropping by again!

Posted by: Broch at June 5, 2003 04:56 PM

I love Ashland, OR, and Portland, OR (which is where I live), though I must caution you that the remainder of Oregon, while lovely, is probably not going to be what you're looking for- outside of these two locations, Oregon has a lot of suburban used-car-dealership sprawl and gun racks on 4x4s. My only significant issue with Ashland, OR is its extreme distance away from any major city (maybe you wouldn't mind?). My uncle-in-law, who is originally from Kenya, has some interesting ideas about the village-to-raise-a-child-concept... he says that if you know everyone in your town (or neighborhood), that it fosters greater respect for society and strengthens morality (in a general sense, not any specific ideology) because you can't get away with stuff because you're anonymous. And I certainly agree that you want the people around you to jive at least loosely with your ideology, especially if you have a family. You don't want some jerk oozing thier prejudices on your kids!

Posted by: Kim at June 5, 2003 05:25 PM

early summer blahs? you've got to be kidding. that's just new-age crap someone told you existed to placate their own fears and failures. don't buy into it. redneck? you have no idea of redneck there in bloomington. you come to indy and i'll show you rednecks...both kinds. tolerance and understanding are an overblown waste of your time as well. just teach your kids responsibility (for themselves and their actions) and there will be no need for bogus labels and categories. it doesn't take a village to raise a child, and shouldn't. it takes a single parent that loves their child enough to do the right things, not the easy, be my friend, things. i don't discount the need for the child to be a member of the community, but the community doesn't raise them, as the community can't be responsible for fucking it up nor can they take any credit if the child turns out as an upstanding member of the community. it's all about responsibility.

Posted by: nose at June 6, 2003 09:12 AM

Ok Nose, you got me. My bad.

Posted by: Broch at June 6, 2003 04:22 PM

yeah, i knew i smelled bullshit. sometimes i even belive some of the crap i hear, but every once in a while you have to stop and smell the roses...and take that spare time to ask yourself what really is true and what just sounds good.

Posted by: nose at June 6, 2003 06:25 PM

You'd have to choose a place with a lot of culture and diversity, which is often conducive to tolerance and understanding. It also starts from the home. :)

Posted by: April at June 6, 2003 09:45 PM

Hello, do any of you know of coop housing or communities in Ashland or Portland?

Posted by: Jacqueline at August 13, 2003 11:19 PM

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Bad Mojo....

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