Friday, October 02, 2009

Why should freaks have all the fun?

I just finished reading the Freak Revolution Manifesto. Worth reading for all, and it raises the question:

Why should freaks have all the fun?

The authors are self described as "a poly bisexual lesbian kinky pagan transgender unschooler gamer geek and a lesbian poly unschooler geeky edgewalker witch." I know some of those words, but can only guess on the meanings of several.

They go on to preach a message of connection rather than control, rejecting dominant paradigms and living the life you want, not the one you are told to live. All great stuff, except that I'm not a freak.

I am a mono heterosexual straight-laced Christian male engineer. I have no interest in a raw lifestyle, an open marriage, or neopaganism. At the same time, the dominant paradigms of modern America don't do much for me, either.

Fortunately, challenging the dominant paradigm is possible for even non-freaks. All it takes is a little thought. Think about what you drive. Think about how your kids are being educated. Think about what you eat. Sometimes that thinking leads to a revolution. Sometimes not. The important thing is that you (we) are thinking, challenging, and not doing things only because "that's they way they're done."

So be a freak. Or not. Just as long as you think.

2 comments:

Cathy said...

My first thought was, "Thank you Mary and Bob for raising a mono heterosexual straight-laced Christian boy".

My second thought was "Preach on, brother!"

Never accept "that's the way it's always been done". Blaze your own trail, a thoughtful trail. It IS more fun that way.

Pace said...

Right on! Your point is exactly why we shifted our message from the Freak Revolution to the Connection Revolution. Because challenging the dominant paradigm isn't just for freaks.

Although I would argue that challenging the dominant paradigm certainly sets you apart from the status quo, which is its own kind of freakiness. (:

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