Are We One?
Last week Glastonbury, the biggest festival in the UK, took place. This week everyone has now got back to larger supplies of running water and is busy posting about how "we are one". Foolishly, I thought "we" referred to "people living in the UK" rather than "people who went to Glastonbury". If it's referring to the latter, well, I wasn't there but fair enough - glad you enjoyed yourselves.
If it's referring to the former, I know we should be focusing on uniting rather than dividing the country; I'm usually one of the first people trying to build a grand coalition and decrying infighting. But no - I don't feel like we are one. Getting to Glastonbury isn't easy for a multitude of reasons - ticket availability, ticket pricing (seriously, for the price of a ticket and booking fee I could spend a week in Germany not getting rained on), actually getting there, additional expenses...I feel more than a little patronised being told by someone who has enough time and disposable income to go to the UK's biggest festival that we are all one.
It reminds me of an attitude which is rare but which I've seen before: that by partying you're somehow doing something altruistic. After all, if you're having that much fun everyone else must be too, right?
And they say I have no theory of mind...
...Look, you're allowed to do selfish things every once in a while. Honestly, as long as you're not hurting anyone I don't see what you do as any of my business. So have obnoxiously loud parties and get high - if you like that, good for you! But your obnoxiously loud parties are not altruistic and that's still okay. Pretending that they are is irritating as shit.
So go out. Have fun. Do something for you. But also remember that other people have vastly different experiences of the world and don't necessarily appreciate being condescended to.
If it's referring to the former, I know we should be focusing on uniting rather than dividing the country; I'm usually one of the first people trying to build a grand coalition and decrying infighting. But no - I don't feel like we are one. Getting to Glastonbury isn't easy for a multitude of reasons - ticket availability, ticket pricing (seriously, for the price of a ticket and booking fee I could spend a week in Germany not getting rained on), actually getting there, additional expenses...I feel more than a little patronised being told by someone who has enough time and disposable income to go to the UK's biggest festival that we are all one.
It reminds me of an attitude which is rare but which I've seen before: that by partying you're somehow doing something altruistic. After all, if you're having that much fun everyone else must be too, right?
And they say I have no theory of mind...
...Look, you're allowed to do selfish things every once in a while. Honestly, as long as you're not hurting anyone I don't see what you do as any of my business. So have obnoxiously loud parties and get high - if you like that, good for you! But your obnoxiously loud parties are not altruistic and that's still okay. Pretending that they are is irritating as shit.
So go out. Have fun. Do something for you. But also remember that other people have vastly different experiences of the world and don't necessarily appreciate being condescended to.
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