July 27, 2004 - 2:23 pm

While it�s true that I feel like I relate to only about 5% of the population as a whole, I honestly don�t feel that I�m the one who�s out of touch. (No, the irony of that last statement is not lost on me.) I think I�m just not EXTREME! enough to be part of my own generation.

Everything today has to be labeled EXTREME! to be worthy of consideration. We have extreme candy, extreme animals, extreme sports, extreme beverages, and extreme SUV�s. On close examination, however, most of these things are not really extreme at all, and I feel sorry for the suckers who think they would actually put down the bong long enough to climb that mountain if they only ate the right flavor Powerbar. EXTREME! is the new middle ground.

One notable EXTREME! trend that leaves me more sick than sorry is the tendency toward extreme political viewpoints, which are really just partisan rhetoric and generally not well supported by facts, experience, or practicality. Open your mind to the other side of the debate and strengthen your own side. Being able to empathize with an opposing viewpoint gives your argument resilience like a tree that bends in the wind rather than snapping due to inflexibility. And don�t rail me for my ability to see more than one facet of a controversial subject. It�s called rational thinking and it�s why we don�t wage holy wars.

My fellow Gen-exers, this is a call for the boring old-fashioned Centralism of our Founding Fathers. Get your dogmatic asses out of your SUV�s that you never take off-road, and start thinking for yourselves instead of letting your tattoos and eyebrow rings, your flag (rebel or other), your gun, your sex, or your political party do all your thinking for you. Go out on a limb: be complex.

It�s okay to be a pro-life environmentalist (that makes sense, doesn�t it?); don�t be ashamed if you are a pro-choice member of the NRA (that makes sense, too, right?); go ahead and proclaim yourself an animal rights activist while wearing your fur coat (if you can pull that off, I�d like to meet you). Whatever. Just think about what you are espousing and whether you�re really coming at it with a clear understanding of both sides of the argument or just being a jerk.

Like the violinist Jasha Heifetz said, �No matter what side of the argument you are on, you always find people on your side that you wish were on the other.�

~Samantha

recommended:
reading -The Constitution of the United States of America
viewing - Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
listening -"Teenage Riot" by Sonic Youth

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