Wi-Fi-tastic
As I write this, I'm lounging in one of Portland's premiere "scene" gathering places: Coffee Time. I hate it here.So, you could ask, why are you there?
The answer? To be around the people. The people who play chess at midnight on a Monday, the people who smoke under hot lamps on the sidewalk while regaling each other with exaggerated stories of past deeds of fancy, and, above all, the people who actually ask the barista, "Do you have any organic milk?" I swear to god, I can't stand these people. The thing is, I don't really get annoyed by them as much as I'm fascinated by them. How do they survive daily perils of modern living such as careers or marriage woes or over-bearing parents?
Apparently, the majority of them are self-sufficient artsy fartsy types who think that everything that was indie yesterday is too mainstream today. Therein lies the one glaring flaw with Coffee Time and all of its brethren: They're part of a culture that has no idea what it is, wants, or aspires to be. This is nothing new when discussing whatever the hell Generation-with-a-letter-after-it we're in now, but having it thrust in front of you appears to only make it more glaring.
It might just be the Portland scene, but the arrogance masked as self-confidence and the outright fear masked as ambition seem to actually inspire me to show them one for. Not all that surprising, is that this seems to be a first date Mecca for a majority of twenty something's. The entire clientele who aren't regulars are all on some sort of "Blind Date" episode on pot. It's actually kind of cute.
I guess this rant has no point. I'm just writing about what I'm seeing and jotting down every immediate emotion that comes to mind as I observe the happenings. Nothing to be taken too seriously.
posted by AmeroKafka @ 11:24 PM
2 Comments:
I know what you mean, man. That town is filled to the brim with "want to do" but you can't find a single ounce of "doing." I had to get out of there.
This sounds like a piece of self-loathing, doesn't it?
"They're part of a culture that has no idea what it is, wants, or aspires to be." AND they're self-sufficient!
Are these really glaring flaws? I can tell you one thing - Those Folks are not going home alone to apartments paid for by daddy to lament what they are. You characterize "self-sufficience" like it is a bad thing.
Arrogange masked as self-confidence?
Outright Feat masked as ambition?
Making these accusations of strangers reveals how you really think of yourself, doesn't it?
Do you really think that everyone who goes to coffee-time is afraid and arrogant?
Do you think YOU are afraid and arrogant, sometimes? Perhaps when you visit places full of people who possess qualities that you might actually (gulp,) like or admire?
How do THEY survive the daily perils of careers or marriage woes or overbearing parents, you ask?
My dear friend; you barely survive these things yourself (replace 'marriage' with 'dating') -
And don't you think it is explicitly arrogant of you to treat these people like exhibits in a zoo ("I'm fascinated by them!") as if you can't relate at all, (in one enormous, grand, circle of hypocrisy-) to _their_ "arrogance" ?
Maybe they survive these "perils of daily life" that you speak of by drinking organic milk (it's amazing the increase in general mood when you think you are actually doing something good for the world...) and by giving their over-bearing parents the write-off. I mean... they are adults, right?
There comes a point in adulthood where you're calling the shots with your parents; not the other way around.
ANYways - I know perhaps I'm being a little harsh. I'm not trying to stick it to you. Honest. I just don't think this line of reasoning is helping you out any. I hope to encourage you to follow a line of reason that will be a little more beneficial for your own health and happiness and will decrease the general amount of bad-vibe life-style-hating that goes on six blocks from my house.
Thank you sincerely
Alicia
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