Sunday with Foucault

Lately I've been getting a lot of comments about how much I've changed.  When I inquire as to what the speaker means, he will inevitably refer to how my Facebook posts or blog topics have changed in the last year.  Which is fine and dandy and observant to notice -- but the comments seem to be made from the perspective that this is some sort of grand change in my philosophy.  I was a bit perplexed at first, because in my world a change in Facebook posting pattern doesn't really mean much.  Then I realized that the people who remarked on the change were folks who'd only known me a year or so.  To them, the me they saw when we met was an Immutable Me that had always been;  therefore, a change, to them, would indeed reflect something deeper. 

Well let me tell you folks, it doesn't. 

I'm still stark raving angry about Tea Baggers, still pissed off at the Dems for not having any balls, still sick of the likes of Sarah Palin.  It's just time to stop making that my number one focus -- for now.  Seriously, if that's all I posted about, this blog would be a pretty boring read, don't you think?

Here's the secret: life is not a spectrum, wherein you occupy a single point at a single time.  For some of us, it's a pendulum, and we can swing from feeling extroverted and intense to introspective and pensive.  (Oo, I just had a great image of a pendulum intersecting a point on a spectrum.....but it's too complex to explain here).  I am simply feeling more thoughtful these days and prefer to indulge my inner philosophizing than outer ranting about the obvious sins of the Baggers. 

I suspect that if you bother to read this blog, you experience the same thing from time to time.  No one is unidimensional;  it's just a matter of how much we express our various facets.  Most people, I suspect, keep much of it under wraps for one reason or another.  A vast ocean of people aren't even self aware enough to recognize this in themselves.  Many people know exactly what I'm talking about, but keep it private.  Me, I've learned to put it all out there.  I'm tired of facades and trying to fit in. 

What continually surprises me, though, is the notion that people are, in fact, unidimensional.  Now, I realize that I may be more multifaceted than the average bear, but I refuse to believe that I am unique.  I know for a fact that I am not (again, you dear reader!).  I suppose the penchant for single-categorization harkens back to some primal "us and them" mentality -- but come on people.  We are capable of more subtlety than that.  Some of us can, in fact, hold opposing ideas in our minds simultaneously.  Categorization and lableing is fine and handy when it comes to politics and other discussions -- but we should not extend it to labeling ourselves as a whole.  Each of us deserves better than that, to have all our various aspects recognized and valued. 

So, for those of you who miss the fiery, revolutionary, anti-Tea Bagger GeekChick, fear not -- she is still here.  She is just resting while Philosophizing GeekChick takes over.  Besides, I'm sick of hearing about the elections anyway -- aren't you?  ; )