olá people,
in 1989 i was 10 years old. the president of the united states was george h.w. bush. i was too young to vote and i didn't understand what politics even meant and if i had i probably would've leaned more right than left (hard to believe, i know, but i was a kid with zero thoughts for myself and mostly repeated the republican/religious drivel that i heard.) but this i knew—i hated the president.
you know why? he hated broccoli. and i looooooved broccoli. still do.
good riddance, i say. more for me.
but this week, after 35 years of unwavering devotion to broccoli, even i had to acknowledge that it smells like farts (at least, the steamed version does).
and it got me thinking. about things we love that others hate…
lets make a list.
title: things i looooove that others hate and i could possible understand why they feel that way but i refuse to acknowledge any empathy with their position and feign ignorance and feel outraged:
broccoli. loved by me/hated by george h.w. bush (and others like him) because of his horrible tastebuds…and perhaps the slightly off putting smell.
library books. loved by me/hated by the soulless who don't like to read, germophobes who don't want a book touched by hundreds, and the fascists who don't like ideas or words. this is not a good example bc i am obviously right and they are obviously wrong.
kalamata olives. loved by me/hated by legions who think olives taste like bitter sweaty socks…which oddly may be why i love them. i can understand but i still make olive haters (like my husband) wrong.
cross fit. this is a reverse example. i despise cross fit. even though i've never done it. even though one of my favorite people does it all the damn time. even though it makes no difference in my life (except for the 4 cross fit places within a 5 minute walking distance from me. as a result, i am constantly dodging the panting people on the sidewalks as they run back and forth. oh, and there's that damn bell ringing every round or whatever they do when they grunt and hop and pull). if i forced myself i could understand why people like it…or at least not give a shit.
my point being…maybe i could be less judgmental, less righteous, more tolerant. i love things that people don't. they love things that i don't. that's okay, right? do we all have to agree all the time about everything?
the problem is that i prefer when people agree with me. it feels better. like a warm and fuzzy blanket. when people don't agree with me it is very inconvenient. especially when i can't put olives in the dish. it would be better with olives!
now that i think about it, life would also be better… without jd vance/peter thiel/x. and with reproductive rights guaranteed. and with term limits on the gross supreme court. and with loads of gun regulations. and with universal health care!
is this a political statement? a plea to be nicer to one another and have more compassion for those you don't agree with?
that wasn't my intention. i don't even really believe that niceness exists. i just know i like broccoli a lot and refuse to vote for someone who doesn't.
do with that what you will.
good luck today with whatever you need luck with.
m
I feel you about liking broccoli. It is one of the few veggies my kids will eat, so it is on weekly or bi-weekly rotation in our household. But not liking Crossfit... :( And niceness doesn't exist? For reals?