Street Philosophers

 I know I have lapsed in posting something for a touch, but familiarity does breed contempt, or so it's said.  One has to step away in order to be missed.  I have to say that I have enjoyed actually experiencing life again, away from social media and being completely invisible again.  My own observations, are my own and it's really not that important to be heard.  Often, the first jaded impressions are miles away from the truth and are contaminated by opinions that have influenced others.  So how does one have an uncontaminated view of the world?

Today I had a random conversation with an anonymous stranger who said, "I left Facebook for 6 months and I felt so much freedom.  It was like I got my life back."  I didn't ask why she went back on, but considered a key remark, "I was so happy."  We are in an age of self promotion, tweeting, texting, posting and to a lesser extent, even blogging all about the me, myself, and I...the importance of self and obsess over

what seems to be 'important'.  Eleanor Roosevelt is often cited for this quote,   "Great minds discuss ideas, average minds discuss events and small minds discuss people."   Lately, I have been wondering about our world getting so focused on the 'self'.  This 'self-importance' that seems to be all about what we can get, what we can do and who we can have in our lives.   So lately, I have just tuned out the drama of social media of all types and put my ear to the ground.

Sitting out on the street, drinking a libation or two and minding my own business, sort of, with intrusions of conversations that would wander past.  Was Eleanor Roosevelt right or would I hear street philosophers cut through the white noise or garbled thought?

Uptown Minneapolis is a road show of avatars.  You see the flash of fashion plates, the indie goth, the 1980 Yuppies, Sid and Nancy punkers, Illustrated men and women, your transitional people, trangenders, fettish people, bikers, desperate housewives, afraid of dying mid-life crisis guy with daughter/girlfriend, visiting UK tourists and then there's me.  The native who returns home to see that Uptown Minneapolis is still the same, stuck in the 1980s and somehow is viewed as 'cutting edge'.   This is why we are the inspiration for "Portlandia'.

Uptown is uptight when it comes to being Politically Correct and incredibly sensitive about offending anyone.  You can find the uptight conservative Harley guy with leather and chains that hugs his M-16 at night sitting next to a guy named "Sue" who used to be a gal with black light tattoos and gages and piercings to ward off personal contact from anyone.  The strange and bizarre is glorified with a latte and a vegan lettuce wrap from a sustainable farm to table food truck that is powered by solar energy.

Politics are discussed in hush tones, though it's really no secret that the city is Democratic and the state is Republican.  It's kind of dysfunctional, because there is a kind of 'us vs. them' mentality though no one really knows who is 'us' and who is 'them'.  Like I said, I am invisible here.  I wasn't abroad, or at least when I was in Asia, I tried to be invisible, but was forced to accept the fact that I was going to stick out no matter where I went.  It was a good exercise in self acceptance.  Here, it's too easy to get comfortable with not being 'anything special'.

So as I sat back I listened to the ramblings of others.  A lot of people talked about people in a very, "I'm better than..." sort of way.  It's quite possible that's why reality television has dominated our lives.  We can't believe they are famous and we can't believe we are talking about them and aren't we so much better than them.  We turn our noses up at them and they cash their checks for being our freak show.

When I went abroad, one thing that amazed me was that due to our television industry, I became aware that I shattered the minds of many because of the image of America that is blasted all over the world.  "You're not fat, lazy, uneducated, chasing money or (insert favorite stereo-type here of a white middle-aged former military woman,  who is divorced with hispanic last name and graying hair)."  When we bust up an image that is assigned due to our lack of time (we aren't going to know everyone in the world).  We profile people each and every day and we often rely on the views of others to give us a snapshot of how it is.

We only get the backside of the world, the Cliff notes version of our existence is not about knowing the world at all, but trying to survive in this world by playing a game to collect as much monopoly money to pay for our place at the table.  Kind of crazy, isn't it?

So, in my small minded way, I have discussed people, events, ideas and myself, because the world is composed of all of it.  I am not justifying anything.   I am not defending our condition.  I am not even saying that Eleanor Roosevelt is wrong or right.  We are human and we discuss what we see, what we don't see and what we would like to see.  We are still little children that are learning the difference between our wants and needs.  We die and a new generation goes through it all again and so on it continues until one day we get it.  Hopefully the stuff we don't need doesn't get passed on to future generations and the ideas we do need makes it into the future.  Perhaps that is what Eleanor Roosevelt meant for us to glean from this remark, however, she never said this quote.  It's one of our great myths.  The earliest citation is quoted as an unknown sage.  Whenever there is an 'unknown sage' or street philosopher, it's a reminder that wisdom or common sense doesn't need an author, it just needs to be practiced.

So whatever is written about, places, ideas, people, good food or art...it's all related.

Licensed to be foreign

There are benefits to being the outsider. The foreigner that has come and observed, taking my little notebook with me along the way to actually see the way things are displayed and realize that as with any culture it is never all you see. You don't have to understand the language to understand the people. Some of the things you see displayed, such as people of the same gender holding hands as a display of friendship. People touch each other here to communicate their friendship and when someone asks to befriend you, it is often pondered with great thought by most people. I have found that is extraordinarily touching that coming from a society that is, for lack of a better word...are racially bigoted.

I haven't really thought of it in that way. Not seriously, but there is a lot of truth in it. Partially, not many foreigners reside on a permanent basis in South Korea. Foreigners are usually viewed as just passing through, so there is no 'real issue'...that is unless one decides to marry a Korean. There are many viewpoints about this, as unique as all of the races are in the world. There are views that is it more difficult for men than women, because a marriage of a foreign woman promises certain shame from their family.

Yet, I have to say that I have been amused with some of the perceptions I have run across. I have seen a child gesture towards a black person with wide eyes, and whisper, "African", as if in awe with a tinge of fear. My reaction to this was realizing this was a direct reflection of how sheltered Korea really is from the rest of the world. And, it has been by design. When you look at trade with Korea, you do see the air of protectionism in this country. You can by foreign made goods, but you will be paying top dollar. Koreans buy Korean goods, but they do let some foreign trade in.

As I have watched more cameras in the neighborhoods go up, I have often wondered about this peaceful country. Loud, boisterous behavior is frowned upon, save the children being children. However, there is a bit of the 'Stepford Wives' mentality I have seen routinely displayed. A group think, vice the individual voice, is viewed as safe. Where the dreams of many are to become the company man. A friend of mine was overjoyed with the ambitions of her fiancee to become an employee for one of Korea's largest companies. She was beaming with pride and was honestly surprised when I just nodded my head. I wanted to be happy for her, but it was sad. I saw a life with the typical treadmill. Not everyone wants the same thing. I am very aware of that. For me, I would start shopping for a funeral plot. I couldn't even fake a smile.

I had more regard for a young bar owner I met. He created a little place that took him seven years to get going. He made it with his imagination and passion for music. A devotion for the love of 'The Beatles', which in these times, makes him a bit dangerous for the typical box of Korean culture. The music is his life, his passion, and in a way...this little bar is his way of being an individual. There are no black suits, neckties, and cubicles. Velvet chairs, a stocked bar and Penny Lane plays. For those of us who are used to seeing the image of the social outsider, it's nothing new. However, there is something special when you find places like this in a place where everyone is striving to belong. Too afraid to an individual. Being the individual is like a fantasy to most people here. I heard the real story of how much courage it took to raise his head above the crowd. To create a place that didn't focus on a market segment, but focused solely on his passion.

Yet, when I see images that celebrate the individual genius...in a world where everyone wants to belong...I cheer. Maybe it is because they have had the courage to live the life they really dream...and not live the life of someone else's dream.

Just some notes from my notebook...foreign girl...signing out.