“To the intelligent man or woman, life appears infinitely mysterious. But the stupid have an answer for every question.” – Edward Abbey
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That is such a great quote. I met this jerk-off at a party a few weeks ago. He was one of those types that’s just SOOO sophisticated that everything in the world bores him. Nothing is unfamiliar or exciting. He’s a “been there, done that *yawn*” person about everything. The worst part about him was that he had this really condescending attitude towards people like me who tend to get excited about the smallest things, as if I’m some kind of naive fool who’s too easily amused. Sorry, buster. The world is an exciting, mysterious, fantastic place that constantly surprises and moves me. If I live to be 100, I won’t see as much of it or learn enough about it to find it the least bit dull.
The irony is that his attitude is actually pretty damn provincial. Anybody who finds everything *that* familiar is obviously lacking in experience. Nobody on Earth has enough time to find an entire planet and the history of the human race boring.
Ah yes. Those who have contempt for those of us who get “excited over small things”. I experience that so often that I figure it’s just a regular part of who I am. For whatever reason, there are people who find plain old-fashioned “enthusiasm” funny and stupid. They LOVE to take the wind out of your sails.
It happens on this blog too. I’ll scream “yippee” over some dumb thing, and someone, inevitably, comes along to snark about it. It appears to be a kneejerk response. That sort of excitement really really bothers some people. Weird.
I love your wording, too – that the “over it” attitude is so provincial. I totally agree.
I call those people Marvins.
Scott,
If you’re referencing the Marvin I think you are, that’s an insult. Marvin is depressed because he’s got the brain the size of a planet, not because he’s an arrogant, know-it-all jerky-bot!
Marvin claims to have a brain the size of a planet, thus showing himself to be an arrogant, know it all, jerky-bot. I could support with dialogue but my copies are in a box somewhere in my mother’s basement.
Great quote Sheila. I have a confession to make. I am a recovering “been there, done that *yawn*” person. I will tell you from personal experience that the attitude is based in fear. People who live from the perpective of fear, rather than love, will always seem arrogant and “above the fray.” Pity them. (And I mean love in the sense of capital “L” love, like overflowing, pulsing, surging creation type love, not “Luv.”)
By the way, Emily, shouldn’t that be a “jag-off” you met at a party recently?
I often find life mysterious in a bad way. Like everyone around me has some set of instructions that I lack.
Anne … Oh boy. I certainly have a bit of that too.
I was absent on the day that everyone else got the proper instructions.
That’s a great quote. I had a professor who had done in cross-stitch (or one of those sewing hobby dealies–I am not well acquainted with the sewing arts) that quote, and had it hanging on the wall of her office.
She also once told me that she took “easily amused” as a compliment.
I had forgotten the quote, though. Hadn’t thought about it in a couple of years.
Thanks red. Had to write it down and tape it above the computer.
It seems related to the enthusiasm/romantic thing. Other people seem more self-contained to me–and therefore mysterious.
Sheila,
“I was absent on the day that everyone else got the proper instructions.”
I would have thought you would have claimed to have lost the instructions, in the spirit of “The Greatest American Hero.”
This discussion reminds me of the old Who song “Eminence Front”.
Emily … Actually, I honestly don’t think I EVER had the instructions. I never saw the How-to-Live-Life instructions – EVER!
There are a lot of bloggers out there that could benefit from having that quote taped right in the middle of their computer screen…
Barry – you are not kidding. I thought of a couple of them when I came across the quote. Sheesh.
The sun shines
And people forget
The spray flies as the speedboat glides
And people forget, forget they’re hiding
The girls smile
And people forget
The snow packs as the skier tracks
And people forget, forget they’re hiding
Behind an eminence front…