“People” in the singular, I’ve found, aren’t too bad. “People” as a group, however, constantly amaze me with the depths of ridiculousness they achieve. As a small example, there’s the snow scares every year here. This is Georgia; if we even get any snow in a year, it’s perhaps an inch and it lasts at most a couple of days. No, there are no snowplows; but the roads don’t become truly impassible. However, if the weathermen even hint that there might be snow in the forecast, the entire population if the state goes absolutely batshit. Everyone stocks up on batteries, generators (maybe not so crazy, given ice-storm outages), food for a month- there won’t be a loaf of bread or gallon of milk to be found. After Katrina when news reporters began talking about the lessened flow of gasoline from the Gulf, people lined up to fill up their cars with gas. Well, if there wasn’t a shortage before, there is now.

Then there’s the opinions- often very vehement- that just leave me scratching my head. The insistance that communism is a good idea, for instance- despite the fact that there hasn’t ever been a true communist state in history; because humans just aren’t mature enough to make it work. Anarchy is another one… sure, preach anarchy all you want; but unless you’re the biggest badass on the block, expect to have your shit taken from you by the person who is- and there’s always someone else bigger than you. I recently visited a website that espoused the idea that all prisons were unnecessary and evil. Sure, I can agree from a philosophical standpoint; taking away someone’s freedom is bad… but do they offer any solution? Any alternative showing what to do with those who have broken from society and, in fact, harmed it? No, of course not. Therefore, everyone associated with prisons-guards, cops, judges, politicians- is evil, stupid, and reprehensable. Except the prisoners themselves, of course; oh no, they’re saints, worthy of worship. My suggestion is: save all us taxpayers some money and take these poor, misguided souls into your own homes. You rehabilitate them. You feed them. But don’t be surprised when you get bit, and they shrug and say “You knew I was a snake when you picked me up”. But can you tell the people that created this website that? No, of course not. They’ve already made up their mind, and nothing you or I can say to them will ever change that.

A certain black-hearted part of me secretly wishes for the collapse of civilization; an abrupt transition to that anarchy for which ill-formed youths long, that would shatter the dearly held illusions so much of society labors under. When the biggest agenda for your day is simple survival, a whole lot of bullshit gets thrown out the window. Scrounging in a dumpster for food tends simplify your outlook.

Well. What a nice, upbeat outlook for the day I have. Just call me grumpy.