Sometimes people say things in the boldness of a forum that they wouldn't say in real life. Often, people hide behind their computers and make complete *insert appropriate plural noun* of themselves because they are too closed-minded to realize that - strange or not - things that are small potatoes to some can be serious motivation to others.
I know this was made generally to everyone, but speaking for myself, I say what's on my mind here exactly as I do in real life.
I don't see any logic in acting any differently online as I would in real life. However in real life I don't go around trying to know things about people's personal lives..... but when online if someone tosses out their personal information like what's been done here in this thread, they leave themselves open to other people's opinions on their personal life, merely because they posted it.
If you don't like negative comments about what you do in your personal life, don't make your personal life public.
I have many hobbies and interests that, if I tossed them out for review by the masses, might leave me labeled as eccentric. I don't answer to the masses, and don't have a problem taking a stand for the things that I take interest in, even if some people don't - and possibly won't ever - really "get it."
If we were all in a room together, and some folks were giving one person grief over a personal choice to wear a certain style of clothing in public as a reflection of fandom, I would tell those people to back down on the grounds of being out of order.
Why are they out of order?
They're asking questions and speaking their mind to something that person publically made the topic of discussion and thus should be freely open to voice their opinions on that discussion, even if you don't like it.
If you feel they're out of order, then maybe that person shouldn't have made it into a topic of discussion in the first place. You can't blame people for their honest responses you basically asked for.
As I said in an earlier post, I personally would hesitate to wear a ST outfit in public. Reitterating something else I said however, I personally wouldn't wear a sports outfit in public either. That doesn't mean that there is something wrong with the masses of folks who dress up to support their sports team, or wear the number of their favorite player to work every day. There isn't any one rule that everyone has to follow.
I agree, and as I said before, people can do and wear whatever they want so long as it doesn't affect other people's lives in any negative manner.... but that doesn't mean I'm going to pamper my opinion to support that person. In other words, people can do whatever that want in their lives, but whatever they do in their lives doesn't mean I'll agree with what they do.
Wear what you want, and if your team is Star Trek, wear that. Naturally, you will run into people who don't like the team you are rooting for, or think that you are wierd for being obssessive about it. That is on them, either to make a big deal out of it, or just move on.
Cmdr Sho, you made this thread - partly because you want to share your experiences as a Star Trek fan - but secondly because you want some validation for an activity which is important to you, but which (unfortunately) you feel somewhat insecure about and people sometimes give you grief over.
It is a strange feeling when you find something that helps you focus, or gives you strength, and that something - an object, symbol, or a fantasy like Star Trek - becomes important enough for you to choose occasional scorn for as opposed to giving up. I can guarantee you, it would be much worse for you to give up you vision than for you to shrug off the opposition. Folks who have a problem with you "as is" are never worth sacrificing a portion of your unique identity for (because of their lack of imagination.)
I don't think it has to do with "Lack of Imagination"..... maybe a lack of understanding, but not imagination.
JustKate mentioned something similar before, if you want people to understand what you like and what you believe in.... talk to them about it.... I see no need to act like a giant billboard walking down the street to achieve this.... but to each their own.
I've gotten a number of people into Star Trek over the years, including my wife, by just talking to them about it and showing a few episodes I figured they'd like. Many of them figured it was a nerd show and was just about ships going around shooting each other like Star Wars.... and eventually I got them to see that it's more about the characters and the situations they're put into, more then just flashy eye candy effects.
We live in a world of peer pressure. It isn't just "smoking in the boys room" type peer pressure; it is subtle social pressures that make us feel guilt for doing things differently. It is the feeling you get when you are driving 62 MPH in a 60 MPH freeway zone and people are crowding you from behind and zipping around you at 70. Your gut says that you should speed up and break the law with the masses; but logic says that you should just ignore them.
In some places here in Canada, where the max speed limit on highways is only 100kph, the cars drive usually around 140-150kph and if you keep to the speed limit and not stay with the flow of traffic, the cops will pull you over and fine you for obstructing traffic. I know this from driving through Quebec and Ontario a few years back.
Just some useless information
But isn't wearing a uniform and pimping out what you like to everybody around you peer pressure as well?
What are you going to do? In the end, you have to learn to be - rule #1 - comfortable with yourself, always.
By being different - even labeled as wierd or eccentric - you can actually take the first step toward being a good leader. The easy thing to do is to blend in and do nothing that attracts attention. The right thing to do is to stand out and let your unique perspective bring a completely new dimension to the environment in which you are.
Cheers.
A lot of people get assassinated that way
I've always been the one labeled as the odd ball, nerd, loser kid in school.... I was always different, I stood out (being 6'6" that's not hard to do) and I while I kept much to my ways of living regardless of what other's think, I feel it's best to have a balance between the two extremes you used above.
I mean if you're way out there compared to the rest of society and just want to do your own thing..... how are you going to be a "leader" when nobody relates to you?
If you want to be a leader, you have to be original, you have to be creative, you have to set things in motion your own way..... But you have to do it in a way that will relate and attract other people to your ways...... bring them in slowly so to speak.
Everything is a balance, even the trivial things.
