10 Absurd Things I Journaled About Last Year

In my journal, I often rant about life annoyances and societal absurdities. Some are recognized problems in society, others are based on my idiosyncrasies, and a few are downright nitpicky.

Here are 10 repeated, not necessarily representative observations I found while reviewing past journals:

1. Human kindness patterns. Wakes display the epitome of human kindness. You’d never yell at someone for cutting you in the sympathy line… and it’s unlikely anyone would cut you in the first place. But take those same people, put them in cars with their identifies anonymous, and they’ll risk each other’s lives to get where they’re going thirty-five seconds earlier.

In between those poles are other situations: When people don’t get out of the way of people using wheelchairs and other mobility devices or parents pushing strollers. Although this is perhaps out of ignorance, with less intent than the driving example, it’s still weird that it doesn’t just occur to people.

2. The fact that blue is a “boy” color and pink and purple are “girl” colors. We’re seriously going to divvy up the visible spectrum to different genders? How dumb.

3. Same thing with lengths of hair. Society considers men with long hair as rebuttable hippies and women with short hair as rebuttable lesbians.

arbitrary | ˈärbəˌtrerē |

adjective

based on random choice or personal whim, rather than any reason or system: his mealtimes were entirely arbitrary.

4. Ties. Less a societal defect and more just a funny weird thing. A piece of fabric wrapped around your neck that hangs loose in front of you. At least shirts and pants provide cover and warmth.

5. And high heels — maybe my experience is limited but I’ve never seen someone say, “Oh, I love wearing these.”

6. The fact that it is — or at least was — acceptable for people to throw cigarette butts on the ground. I don’t recall it ever being acceptable for anything else to be thrown on the ground, except maybe apple cores and other things that degrade naturally.

7. A few months ago, there was an article in the New York Times detailing how federal officials are pretty sure there are aliens visiting us. A few hours later, everyone had stopped talking about it.

8. It’s strange if you see a psychologist or psychiatrist… and strange if you don’t see a medical doctor. Physical health is more outwardly obvious but mental health is of equal importance, isn’t it?

9. Most people don’t meditate. Some even think it’s weird. The world is constant noise and interruption. Peace and quiet is rare… and amazing. So is sitting. You just combine two things that you probably love to do anyways. And it clarifies your thoughts and focuses your attention. It’s a sharpener for one of your most important knives.

10. We go to school for years and years but curricula rarely include emotional intelligence, self-awareness, or mental models, each critical to our wellbeing and general efficacy.