If you have no idea what happened, or what Duck Dynasty is, it's basically a show on A&E that features the lives of some crazy hillbillies who own a successful business that makes products for duck hunters. Phil Robertson, who is very right-winged, made a video which denounced anti-gays. Well… if you're some high-profile reality star with the media all over you, why in your right mind would you express your views over a controversial and sensitive topic where the rest of the world can see it? Of course you are entitled to your opinion, but saying something like that when you're representing a major company would make all parties look bad. He also picked a bad time to make this announcement because there are many pro-gay movements and laws coming about, especially legalizing gay marriage. Also being in the spotlight can make you highly susceptible to any form of attention.
Is it totally unfair that he got suspended? Of course it is. He unfortunately wasn't aware of the repercussions of his actions. Because he is on a TV channel, he is representing them. His actions were a poor representation of A&E and any company wants to look out for themselves without getting a bad business rep. I'm sure because of how popular he is and with strong viewer protest, he will be brought back in the somewhat near future. For now, I think he needs to learn his lesson about not putting others down for the entire world to see and keep his negative opinions to himself!
Saturday, December 21, 2013
The Road to Being Different: Non-Conformism
So what is it like being different? What is this "hipster" trend everyone speaks of? What is individualism. This post describes it all through the eyes of me, someone who has experienced all of this first hand. Enjoy!
I am gaining soulful knowledge as I tremble down this precious path. It is one that few are willing to open their eyes to… when they do, they will never turn back!
Being "different" doesn't always mean that you possess lesser of a physical or mental capacity than others. It just means that your interest, fashion sense, the way you conduct yourself, etc. is not within any sort of spectrum. You are not popular, nor are you a loser. In a sense, you are an outcast to society. In retrospect, you're just one who decided to turn the world into a coloring book and color outside the lines and with colors that don't match the picture.
Unfortunately, these types of people are highly susceptible to being bullied. Going through pain does, however, make you a stronger person. Being bullied and told that "you're weird" may cause people to end up wanting to fit a mold and lose sight of who they really are. Individualism is severely declining because everyone wants to look like "it" instead of "you". There is one way people are aiming to look and they are running in that direction. Variations of "it" end up forming cliques, groups, sororities, etc. If you don't fit, you're either shunned, made fun of, or both. It stinks, but you need to have a lot of will and motivation to hold onto your true identity and to feel comfortable flaunting it.
If you are strong enough to tolerate the constant criticism, you end up becoming the definition of a genuine person. You will be a magnet and people will be attracted to the likes of you. When people see a red apple in a box of green apples, they realize it doesn't belong, but those who are curious to try will be pleasantly surprised. Unfortunately, staying true to yourself is easier said than done. It is very difficult to stay strong, especially when what should be your primary support system is doing the opposite.
Something that always helps is having friends and/or family who stand behind you despite your ways. You don't want to conform to the norm. To you, there is no such thing as normal. You are you and always you. In all honesty, the things that I have admitted to doing that are the most "out there" types of activities, such as "larping", have all gotten a lot more positive reception than I thought. A lady that sits behind me at work thought it was one of the coolest things she's ever heard. If you don't let fear consume you, your individuality will prevail and you will be an inspiration to others. No, not those "perfect" people who everyone claims to be inspired by… those people who are like Snow White and clean with all the cute animals by their side. No, not that type of person. I mean someone who is willing to consistently stand up for what they believe in and present their brand to the rest of the world with pride. These people deserve the most respect because of the hardships they endure throughout their lives. Those of the types of people who inspire me… those who bring zest and meaning to life and introduce it to me. They should be admired more than someone who is perfect because they are missing out on a part of life that they should be exposed to.
I'm sure you're wondering about hipsters, right? If I were to define hipsters, I would coin them as being conformists about being anti-conformist. Hipsters claim to be ones to challenge society every day, but really, they just ended up forming their own little society that function as that type of anti-conformists, instead of being your own person who is free of ANY label. I tried listening to so called "hipster" music, and I couldn't do it… then again, I like more upbeat/poppy style music (NOT pop, but music that is fast and will make you happy or empowered when you listen to it). If hipsters are conformists to being non-conformist, then what does it mean to be truly nonconformist?
To be a genuine non-conformist, you must establish your own distinct style/fashion sense, have your own set of mannerisms, and have a set of interests/hobbies that is outside of the norm. For example, I am a young adult female who has liked anime since age 10, works in a male-dominated field as a web developer, did band for as long as I could remember, was one of the founders of my high school’s video game/DDR club, writes spoken word poetry, likes contact sports/martial arts, and doesn’t care if I go walking outside wearing purple pants, leopard leggings, a giant hair bow, or brightly colored eyeshadow. Today, I even went to work wearing a scarf with piano keys on it (I work in a business casual office, but it was “jeans” day today). Yeah, I have of course had people tell me that what I’m wearing looks “weird”, but I don’t let that stop me from walking out the door. It’s not like I’m wearing puke-colored clothes or something. Probably one of the most painful things I received happened about 3.5 years ago where a couple people (all were friends, same incident) sent me facebook messages that in great detail, told me that I was a worthless, fat whale. How do you keep going after such negative feedback?
In order to successfully travel down the road to being different, it may take years to realize your true identity. Of course, this is the road less traveled and who in their right mind would want to go down that route? You may end up denying it, resenting it, or enter a state of disbelief and think to yourself “I can’t believe I’m doing this”. You basically end up in an argument with your mind wondering why you are where you are. That mindset must go away, but it definitely takes time for that to happen. Struggling to accept yourself is a major human fallacy in itself. Make sure you have a support system of close friends or family that will always understand you and be there for you. There will always be positive feedback in your favor. A good example of that is when I tell people on my team at work that I do "some crazy medieval foam sword fighting thing" and start telling them all the lingo. They were all amused and thought it was the coolest thing in the entire world. You can't always assume people are going to think negatively of everything you say and do. You have to believe in your power, your overall sense of self, and everything you stand for. As long as you stand behind yourself confidently, others will follow like a magnet attracting metal.
In order to successfully survive the road to being different, you must be able to accept much negative criticism and reception. Haters exist everywhere. Ignore them. They mean nothing to you or anyone in your circle of whatever size. As long as you are you and you are happy, that's what's most important. Be careful not to go too overboard with this concept, otherwise people will see you as weird, fake, or creepy. You need to stay within a certain degree of means to avoid deliberately setting yourself up for ridicule. For example, if you walked outside in just your underwear, people would laugh at you. If you walked outside in regular clothes and a Tony the Tiger shirt, people would be like "woah, that's so awesome!" You must not be indecisive and know where you want to go. You must never stop when you run into an obstacle or people purposely try to bring you down. Everything is easier said than done, but you need to always make sure you uphold your values with pride. Start from there and keep going!
What does it mean to go down the road less traveled? It doesn’t mean you're not a “regular person” and it doesn't mean you're at all screwed up in the head. With me, I have a job in my field of study, live on my own with a friend, I actually have friends, and I am college educated. Being different is NOT a rebellion, a cry for help, or a mental illness. It just means to engage in activities people are less likely to engage in, dressing in ways no one would ever expect to see, thinking the way no one else does, and being what no one's ever seen before. People will warm up to it. It's the emergence of a new trend only you possess. It's you feeling comfortable being you. Those who survive feel a sense of pride and possess an unsurmountable amount of wisdom for everything they have to put up with. Everyone is in this world for a reason. For some, it's to show that different is beautiful… it really is! Different is not broken, less worthy, or unnatural. It is the boldness of individuality. Let's show the world how amazing different is by you just being you!
I am gaining soulful knowledge as I tremble down this precious path. It is one that few are willing to open their eyes to… when they do, they will never turn back!
Being "different" doesn't always mean that you possess lesser of a physical or mental capacity than others. It just means that your interest, fashion sense, the way you conduct yourself, etc. is not within any sort of spectrum. You are not popular, nor are you a loser. In a sense, you are an outcast to society. In retrospect, you're just one who decided to turn the world into a coloring book and color outside the lines and with colors that don't match the picture.
Unfortunately, these types of people are highly susceptible to being bullied. Going through pain does, however, make you a stronger person. Being bullied and told that "you're weird" may cause people to end up wanting to fit a mold and lose sight of who they really are. Individualism is severely declining because everyone wants to look like "it" instead of "you". There is one way people are aiming to look and they are running in that direction. Variations of "it" end up forming cliques, groups, sororities, etc. If you don't fit, you're either shunned, made fun of, or both. It stinks, but you need to have a lot of will and motivation to hold onto your true identity and to feel comfortable flaunting it.
If you are strong enough to tolerate the constant criticism, you end up becoming the definition of a genuine person. You will be a magnet and people will be attracted to the likes of you. When people see a red apple in a box of green apples, they realize it doesn't belong, but those who are curious to try will be pleasantly surprised. Unfortunately, staying true to yourself is easier said than done. It is very difficult to stay strong, especially when what should be your primary support system is doing the opposite.
Something that always helps is having friends and/or family who stand behind you despite your ways. You don't want to conform to the norm. To you, there is no such thing as normal. You are you and always you. In all honesty, the things that I have admitted to doing that are the most "out there" types of activities, such as "larping", have all gotten a lot more positive reception than I thought. A lady that sits behind me at work thought it was one of the coolest things she's ever heard. If you don't let fear consume you, your individuality will prevail and you will be an inspiration to others. No, not those "perfect" people who everyone claims to be inspired by… those people who are like Snow White and clean with all the cute animals by their side. No, not that type of person. I mean someone who is willing to consistently stand up for what they believe in and present their brand to the rest of the world with pride. These people deserve the most respect because of the hardships they endure throughout their lives. Those of the types of people who inspire me… those who bring zest and meaning to life and introduce it to me. They should be admired more than someone who is perfect because they are missing out on a part of life that they should be exposed to.
I'm sure you're wondering about hipsters, right? If I were to define hipsters, I would coin them as being conformists about being anti-conformist. Hipsters claim to be ones to challenge society every day, but really, they just ended up forming their own little society that function as that type of anti-conformists, instead of being your own person who is free of ANY label. I tried listening to so called "hipster" music, and I couldn't do it… then again, I like more upbeat/poppy style music (NOT pop, but music that is fast and will make you happy or empowered when you listen to it). If hipsters are conformists to being non-conformist, then what does it mean to be truly nonconformist?
To be a genuine non-conformist, you must establish your own distinct style/fashion sense, have your own set of mannerisms, and have a set of interests/hobbies that is outside of the norm. For example, I am a young adult female who has liked anime since age 10, works in a male-dominated field as a web developer, did band for as long as I could remember, was one of the founders of my high school’s video game/DDR club, writes spoken word poetry, likes contact sports/martial arts, and doesn’t care if I go walking outside wearing purple pants, leopard leggings, a giant hair bow, or brightly colored eyeshadow. Today, I even went to work wearing a scarf with piano keys on it (I work in a business casual office, but it was “jeans” day today). Yeah, I have of course had people tell me that what I’m wearing looks “weird”, but I don’t let that stop me from walking out the door. It’s not like I’m wearing puke-colored clothes or something. Probably one of the most painful things I received happened about 3.5 years ago where a couple people (all were friends, same incident) sent me facebook messages that in great detail, told me that I was a worthless, fat whale. How do you keep going after such negative feedback?
In order to successfully travel down the road to being different, it may take years to realize your true identity. Of course, this is the road less traveled and who in their right mind would want to go down that route? You may end up denying it, resenting it, or enter a state of disbelief and think to yourself “I can’t believe I’m doing this”. You basically end up in an argument with your mind wondering why you are where you are. That mindset must go away, but it definitely takes time for that to happen. Struggling to accept yourself is a major human fallacy in itself. Make sure you have a support system of close friends or family that will always understand you and be there for you. There will always be positive feedback in your favor. A good example of that is when I tell people on my team at work that I do "some crazy medieval foam sword fighting thing" and start telling them all the lingo. They were all amused and thought it was the coolest thing in the entire world. You can't always assume people are going to think negatively of everything you say and do. You have to believe in your power, your overall sense of self, and everything you stand for. As long as you stand behind yourself confidently, others will follow like a magnet attracting metal.
In order to successfully survive the road to being different, you must be able to accept much negative criticism and reception. Haters exist everywhere. Ignore them. They mean nothing to you or anyone in your circle of whatever size. As long as you are you and you are happy, that's what's most important. Be careful not to go too overboard with this concept, otherwise people will see you as weird, fake, or creepy. You need to stay within a certain degree of means to avoid deliberately setting yourself up for ridicule. For example, if you walked outside in just your underwear, people would laugh at you. If you walked outside in regular clothes and a Tony the Tiger shirt, people would be like "woah, that's so awesome!" You must not be indecisive and know where you want to go. You must never stop when you run into an obstacle or people purposely try to bring you down. Everything is easier said than done, but you need to always make sure you uphold your values with pride. Start from there and keep going!
What does it mean to go down the road less traveled? It doesn’t mean you're not a “regular person” and it doesn't mean you're at all screwed up in the head. With me, I have a job in my field of study, live on my own with a friend, I actually have friends, and I am college educated. Being different is NOT a rebellion, a cry for help, or a mental illness. It just means to engage in activities people are less likely to engage in, dressing in ways no one would ever expect to see, thinking the way no one else does, and being what no one's ever seen before. People will warm up to it. It's the emergence of a new trend only you possess. It's you feeling comfortable being you. Those who survive feel a sense of pride and possess an unsurmountable amount of wisdom for everything they have to put up with. Everyone is in this world for a reason. For some, it's to show that different is beautiful… it really is! Different is not broken, less worthy, or unnatural. It is the boldness of individuality. Let's show the world how amazing different is by you just being you!
Passion
A short little poem on how I describe what passion is and means. Enjoy! For more awesomeness, check out www.facebook.com/RebsMcduxler
The flame that can never be extinguished
Exclaims in the pure darkness
That drive never dies,
Passion never ceases,
And pride never dries,
As you take flight
And soar into the present infinity
The flame that can never be extinguished
Exclaims in the pure darkness
That drive never dies,
Passion never ceases,
And pride never dries,
As you take flight
And soar into the present infinity
Refresh
When you have that feeling you want to start over in life and find yourself in the world with your view for an ideal mindset, this is how I'd describe it. Enjoy! Find more awesomeness on facebook: www.facebook.com/RebsMcduxler
Out with the old
In with the new
Life is changing
Time is blazing
Don't be hanging...
Around
Waiting around
Struggling to pound...
Never feeling found
Until you come around...
Realization
Comes to town
To make you not frown
And show you that you're no clown...
Get rid of the bad
Bring in the good
You want gold
Not coal
It will make you cold
Blow your mind into a state of utter consciousness...
Be aware of your surroundings
Know the inner workings of yourself
Let go of what you need to
Make sense of the world
Shine like a crazy cloud
Trudge strongly through tireless trenches
To annihilate negativity,
Be surrounded by your team,
And achieve the ultimate sense of living!
Out with the old
In with the new
Life is changing
Time is blazing
Don't be hanging...
Around
Waiting around
Struggling to pound...
Never feeling found
Until you come around...
Realization
Comes to town
To make you not frown
And show you that you're no clown...
Get rid of the bad
Bring in the good
You want gold
Not coal
It will make you cold
Blow your mind into a state of utter consciousness...
Be aware of your surroundings
Know the inner workings of yourself
Let go of what you need to
Make sense of the world
Shine like a crazy cloud
Trudge strongly through tireless trenches
To annihilate negativity,
Be surrounded by your team,
And achieve the ultimate sense of living!
Sunday, December 8, 2013
RIP Paul Walker: Why Are Celebrity Deaths Glorified So Much?
Paul Walker was definitely a legendary actor and what happened to him is a tragedy (and quite scary). My thoughts and prayers are with his family, friends, and fans of course. On November 30, 2013, tragedy struck with a man who was in the wrong place at the wrong time...
But here's my question. Why is he SO much more important than anyone else who died. He's receiving more recognition than military personnel and Nelson Mandela. Yes, I will give him credit for his movies being pretty good, but come on, people die every second. Come on, I hadn't even HEARD of this person until my facebook was spammed with people posting "omg, RIP Paul Walker... blah blah blah..." There are children starving in Africa and probably dying every few minutes, and instead, the oh so lovely media likes to focus their attention on someone who entertains us. Is an actor dying really "that" noteworthy besides just notifying the public that he's dead, being honored, and having a funeral? He's just another person too...
Spread the word if you agree. We need to stop glorifying celebrity deaths so much and focus on what really matters, like making the world a better place, ending homelessness, not screwing veterans over, helping third world countries evolve and have fresh drinking water, and other business like that. Celebrities are no better than humans and society needs to stop displaying them as superior. People are people. Let's just move on already and continue to think about the future! We can't change the past, he isn't coming back, and we will continue to live our lives without him!
But here's my question. Why is he SO much more important than anyone else who died. He's receiving more recognition than military personnel and Nelson Mandela. Yes, I will give him credit for his movies being pretty good, but come on, people die every second. Come on, I hadn't even HEARD of this person until my facebook was spammed with people posting "omg, RIP Paul Walker... blah blah blah..." There are children starving in Africa and probably dying every few minutes, and instead, the oh so lovely media likes to focus their attention on someone who entertains us. Is an actor dying really "that" noteworthy besides just notifying the public that he's dead, being honored, and having a funeral? He's just another person too...
Spread the word if you agree. We need to stop glorifying celebrity deaths so much and focus on what really matters, like making the world a better place, ending homelessness, not screwing veterans over, helping third world countries evolve and have fresh drinking water, and other business like that. Celebrities are no better than humans and society needs to stop displaying them as superior. People are people. Let's just move on already and continue to think about the future! We can't change the past, he isn't coming back, and we will continue to live our lives without him!
Thursday, December 5, 2013
Conquer the Chaos
From the queen of non-conformism comes another misadventured Thanksgiving weekend with my family... Being driven into despair, you end up hitting a dead end and need an extra push. Thanks to entrusting in a dear friend, hope is just beneath my skin right now and I'm even more excited for the future than ever! I guess getting whacked in the face full on with a belegarth spear was the introduction to destiny... This is spoken word too!
More of me is on facebook. Like me to see vast amounts of epicness: www.facebook.com/RebsMcDuxler
Survival…
The bare minimum of a victory
Chaos ensues strongly as wind gusts through the subconscious
Digging a hole towards mayhem's graveyard past depression…
Along the sidewalk she goes towards hostility only wanting to escape…
But there's no treasure…
Lost along the way the shot of a bow an arrow aimlessly guides her
Needing more than will to win
Wandering worries gust through the subconscious
Like striking a snapped match
Provoking the monster buried inside softness
Holding back the dreaded waterfall that's as sharp as fire
Because all of her words are ammo for the enemy
While all she wants to do is conquer the chaos…
Getting told time and time again, "YOU SCREWED UP, MAGGOT"
Detrimental to the soul
Being reminded time and time again, "YOU DON'T LIVE HERE ANYMORE"
Makes it feel like "here's the team… and there's the outfield… you scurry along now"
WHY IS EVERYTHING WRONG TO YOU?
DO I EVEN BELONG TO YOU?
YOU MAKE ME LOST…
AT ALL COSTS…
JUST LIKE EXHAUST…
Basically being forced to conform
The negativity resistance runs wild
Feeling like a last resort
And only seeing business and altercations…
She hides away with fear as a shield
To yield her imperfections from shining through
While trying not to swallow poison or step through thin ice…
The one moment where you run into a dead end after delving into every direction
Only to find nothing except blank…
Placed into the lead victim role
Starring as the black sheep
Subject to scrutiny
She leaves the herd and keeps turning back
When all she's told to do is pack
And is always called a quack…
The mystery to help conquer the chaos is unfolding
Because she doesn't want to feel excommunicated from her home
Which is as painful as a steroid that causes an ulcer
While trying to douse the despair…
Then all of a sudden…
The flick
The switch
The click
Never broken and magically mended
And finding the right remedy
To show that perseverance prevails
As she returns to full strength and beyond!
More of me is on facebook. Like me to see vast amounts of epicness: www.facebook.com/RebsMcDuxler
Survival…
The bare minimum of a victory
Chaos ensues strongly as wind gusts through the subconscious
Digging a hole towards mayhem's graveyard past depression…
Along the sidewalk she goes towards hostility only wanting to escape…
But there's no treasure…
Lost along the way the shot of a bow an arrow aimlessly guides her
Needing more than will to win
Wandering worries gust through the subconscious
Like striking a snapped match
Provoking the monster buried inside softness
Holding back the dreaded waterfall that's as sharp as fire
Because all of her words are ammo for the enemy
While all she wants to do is conquer the chaos…
Getting told time and time again, "YOU SCREWED UP, MAGGOT"
Detrimental to the soul
Being reminded time and time again, "YOU DON'T LIVE HERE ANYMORE"
Makes it feel like "here's the team… and there's the outfield… you scurry along now"
WHY IS EVERYTHING WRONG TO YOU?
DO I EVEN BELONG TO YOU?
YOU MAKE ME LOST…
AT ALL COSTS…
JUST LIKE EXHAUST…
Basically being forced to conform
The negativity resistance runs wild
Feeling like a last resort
And only seeing business and altercations…
She hides away with fear as a shield
To yield her imperfections from shining through
While trying not to swallow poison or step through thin ice…
The one moment where you run into a dead end after delving into every direction
Only to find nothing except blank…
Placed into the lead victim role
Starring as the black sheep
Subject to scrutiny
She leaves the herd and keeps turning back
When all she's told to do is pack
And is always called a quack…
The mystery to help conquer the chaos is unfolding
Because she doesn't want to feel excommunicated from her home
Which is as painful as a steroid that causes an ulcer
While trying to douse the despair…
Then all of a sudden…
The flick
The switch
The click
Never broken and magically mended
And finding the right remedy
To show that perseverance prevails
As she returns to full strength and beyond!
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