Day 15 : Being Chill

I noticed something today. I'd gotten way too laid back than I used to be. I do not get angry at stuff anymore. I cannot remember the last time that I was actually angry at anyone or anything. And that is a huge departure from the way I used to treat every minor offence that used to happen in life. If anything or especially anyone in life gave the slightest cause for friction, I would be up in arms in a matter of seconds.

I was extremely reactionary to everything in life, and that used to reflect with the sort of friends I used to have back then. Guys I used to hang out in my latter days of school, were exactly the sort of people if you saw on the street, would quickly avert your eyes and look the other way. No one liked to be on the receiving end of their teenage rebellion.

This went on for quite a while. I guess I had a bit of it still when I got into high school and college, but this was usually the kind of aggression you'd throw about you when you're provoked. And even then there was always something that would stop me from throwing my fist around. It probably was due to my size, I have always been among the big guys in any group of people I've been in. so clearly any sort of shoving from my side would bruise the other party involved. So I'd conditioned myself early on to avoid doing that. But damn, I do miss shoving somebody around though.

I really don't know what's changed. For most other changes in life, I guess I can state an actual point in time where something or someone helped decide the change. Be it family, or friendship or money. There is always that one incident that shaped or destroyed my outlook on things. But for the loss of this once ever-present aggression I have no answer.

Anger used to be whole lot of fun though. Being able to be the loudest guy in the room did have its advantages. You can practically win any argument. Being right in a debate is second to being the loudest one. 

But now, in this watered down persona that I seemed to have taken up, getting your idea through into the other person's thick skull does take a lot of effort. And damn, is it tedious. There are times when you would just like to that guy's shoulders in your hands and shake him around until the idea you're trying to explain actually filters down into his brain. But heck, no you cannot do that, you are being the non-violent kind remember? You just will have to bite down on your frustration and have another go at it. Get the dumbass to actually comprehend what you are trying to say instead of trying to scare it into him.

Well you can always imagine tearing his limb apart one by one while you are explaining the stuff to him. I am sure that would still count as being mellow. You are only trying to calm yourself by imagining it. Of course that's allowed. Right?

Day 40 : If Murder Was Legal

It must be a strange job to stand upon stage in front of hundreds of people and make jokes at them and insult them. No, strike that. It must be awesome!

I mean come on, who wouldn't want a job where you can just stand in front of people and poke fun at their expense, just plain insulting. Once you are on stage you can be as crude, racist or sexist as you like. And there is not really much anyone can do about it. People will even pay you for being able to be insulted. Sure, coming up with new materials every tour must be a lot of work, but I'd bet big bucks that the comedians get a kick out of the freedom to speak their mind being on the stage gives to them.

And some of them are real good at it too - George Carlin, Richard Pryor, Robin Williams, Eddie Murphy, Martin Lawrence, Joan Rivers, Kevin Hart. Some of these guys’ jokes are so good that you see it repeated in so many stages and copied at so many other comedians, you still end up laughing your butts off.

Off late I have been watching a lot of Louis C K. I think right now he is the smartest of comedians out there. He doesn't do the crazy antics of Dane Cook nor does he have to do the imitations like Jim Carrey. His sort of comedy is just figuring out the oddity in day to day life of ordinary people. And by the end of most of his jokes you say to yourself, "hey that’s exactly what I was thinking the other day!"

Today, I came upon this little clip - Louis C K - "If murder was legal"

Damn good logic from the guy. Yes a bit too out there, but come on who could say they haven't thought about it even once in their lives. We all yell out "I am going to kill you" at people all the time. Sure we might not mean to carry it out, but then given the chance are you sure you wouldn't?

Suppose, some time into the future, some genius Supreme Court judge rules that murder is no more a crime worth of capital punishment. Suppose all you get for murdering someone is a fine of 50 bucks and community service for 40 hours. Something in the lines of a person gets for littering. Do you think you would be so averse to laying hands on someone? After all, if we are even going by the news channels and media, it sure does seem to me that we human beings are a real violent species and we simply cannot resist this animal urge to resolve conflict by just words. We are just too hungry for the blood of a foe.

It was just target practice!

We are naturally violent creatures. Every time we are into a heated situation we have our fist clenched, heart pumping, and adrenaline soaring and ready to smack something. It is the only fact that if caught we'd face dire consequences that we don't really go through with it. Gun sales would've been off the charts. And the world would've been a much less populated place otherwise.

"You stole my sandwich?" BAM!

"You hate my shoes?" BAM!

"You made out with my wife?" BAM!

"You made out with my best friend?" BAM!

"You said this jean makes me look fat?" BAM!

"You said Christopher Nolan sucks?" BAM!

I mean we would be just murdering off people just to get accepted by the people around us. Now when in high school you have to be a big sports guy or a genius to be recognized by the guys. In this particular future the path of imitation would be littered with dead bodies.

In the end of the joke, Louis did go on to say he got carried away to the dark end. I guess I did as well. See, told ya, we all are a bunch of nut cases just not yet discovered by the authorities. And I guess it just the little things like The Law that is actually keeping just us all away from them straight jackets.

Today, I think I will have to stop reading them dark novels and pick up something cheerful for a change. Harry Potter where art thou?