In my newsfeed and my inbox, I get lots of invitations to courses, where I can “unleash my inner badass” or “become a badass whatever”. I’m starting to cringe.
Because in my local park, there are some trees, kindly planted by the local council, which have been broken off… by badasses. Or “people” who think they are badasses. Seriously? You broke a tree? Ooooooohhhh, you’re so tough, I respect you and want to be just like you… (excuse me while I gag, I can’t even type that with a straight face).
In my local animal shelter, there are cats and dogs who are scared of humans, because of… you guessed it… badasses. No further comment. I’ve been in cars with people driving and they see a cat (or dog, or possum) crossing the road so instead of slowing or braking, they hit the accelerator and “aim” for the animal. Who, surprisingly enough, is terrified and runs faster. When you call them on this behaviour, you get the standard line: “lighten up, can’t you take a joke? I wasn’t really going to.” Yeah? If that was a little old lady or a kid, would you have done the same thing?
In the newsfeed this morning: cats outside the window at early o’clock, yowling. Yes, I agree, it’s annoying, but “joking” responses of “get a water pistol filled with turpentine and shoot ’em up the wazoo”? Yeah, you’re a badass all right. I’m so impressed with your toughness… and SO glad your kids are learning from you how to be a compassionate, caring member of this society.
My (now ex) husband used to do the “lighten up, can’t you take a joke?” line every time he’d said something vicious or rude. Same with the bullies at school. “It was just a joke” seems to excuse everything, hey? Really? I’ve got some jokes I bet you wouldn’t find funny. Because they’re not, they’re nastiness and cruelty wrapped up in a quip that can be delivered with punch and timing and that nasty part in your brain might even laugh at it, but then your “hang on, that’s not funny” forebrain will kick in… and you’ll call me on it. But it’s okay, because it was just a joke, and some people need to lighten up and laugh a bit more, right?
So, no, I’ve seen the results of “badasses”, and I have absolutely NO desire to be any part of that.
Falling Thought Leaves 