Breaking Rules

I like it.  Positive message

I love the questions. I actually bookmarked and shared them a while back, then when I was revisiting favorite bookmarks was inspired to jot down my ideas around this topic. Glad to hear you liked it. Good to see you ’round here Hope all is well!

I love the questions. I actually bookmarked and shared them a while back, then when I was revisiting favorite bookmarks was inspired to jot down my ideas around this topic. Glad to hear you liked it. Good to see you ’round here Hope all is well!

I love the questions. I actually bookmarked and shared them a while back, then when I was revisiting favorite bookmarks was inspired to jot down my ideas around this topic. Glad to hear you liked it. Good to see you ’round here Hope all is well!

I love the questions. I actually bookmarked and shared them a while back, then when I was revisiting favorite bookmarks was inspired to jot down my ideas around this topic. Glad to hear you liked it. Good to see you ’round here Hope all is well!

I love the questions. I actually bookmarked and shared them a while back, then when I was revisiting favorite bookmarks was inspired to jot down my ideas around this topic. Glad to hear you liked it. Good to see you ’round here Hope all is well!

Thank you! Just simple, but wanted to share.

Thank you! Just simple, but wanted to share.

Thank you! Just simple, but wanted to share.

Thank you! Just simple, but wanted to share.

Great reminder- and great post! I like this line from the Avett Brothers “Be loud, let your colors show”. It always reminds me that it’s ok to live outside the rules a little bit.

This is interesting. I personally believe people have a love affair with the concept of breaking rules. I don’t perceive the world as Rules vs Non-rules the way it seems other people do. Like I’m having a hard time trying to figure out which rules – either real or imagined – that people would be attempting to break.

A lot of people talk about the 9-5, corporate america type existence which I honestly think boils down to race and class more so than some universal and American ideal. Joining a corporate job didn’t even register on my radar when I graduated, especially since I was (and still am) more interested in working in the Arts (like on a film set, in a studio, etc). In fact, it wasn’t until I started blogging that I realized how much people hate working in offices! 

Additionally, I didn’t grow up with many (if any) rules and restrictions. My mother and father never restricted my freedom, or my choices. I could’ve done anything I wanted – but I ended up choosing not to. So when people mention rules and how they’re everywhere and how we should break specific societal tactic agreements, I think “What rules? What agreements?” As I learn more about social justice and oppression, I certainly agree with an end to social policing: slut shaming, telling women and men how to dress or act and especially challenging popular conceptions about race, sexuality, gender and whatnot. 

But I honestly don’t think that’s what these – mostly white, (upper) middle class – bloggers/persons mean when they say “rules”. They’re speaking of mostly abstract, personal development-type rules. I would love it if the next time someone brings up breaking rules, they could give concrete examples of what rules to break, whose rules are they, why do you even WANT to break the rules? What does breaking the rules accomplish and what do you hope to gain? 

It seems, in a way, almost irresponsible to tell people “Go out and break the rules” without giving any sort of guideline on what those rules are, and how they manifest and function. Or even, HOW to break the rules and the ethics involved in both rule breaking and the compliance of specific rules. And the results of either anarchy or submission. And how do we find a balance between “breaking” and “accepting”? Does this balance exist? Can we achieve it? And if not – why not? 

I want to see THAT kind of post.  

I think, in terms of institutions, there are general rules that people abide by – like no underage drinking in the dorms, no running in the halls, clothing regulations in middle and high school. Rules I think that are meant to keep everyone safe and based off of some state and federal laws in some cases. But, generally, I suppose I was very compliant – which might be why I never paid much attention to rules because I wasn’t interested in breaking them. Or, I didn’t feel that the rules went against some kind of internal engineering I may or may not have had. 

When I mention issues of race/class/etc I’m mentioning how our backgrounds and living in an oppressive atmosphere shapes our observations. Very few white bloggers, for example, talk about race issues – if at all. This is because, while many white people are aware of race relations, racism doesn’t directly effect them. So when it comes to rule breaking, this effects the types of rules a person perceives to simply exist, but it personally effects them. Your race doesn’t change, no matter what part of the world you live in, and does effect how you perceive the world. I’ve been told that my choices are different, and my options are different because of the color of my skin. This isn’t something that a white person has experienced – or at least on a large enough scale for non-white people to be aware of it. 

I bring this up because as long as we continue to live in this world, race won’t stop being important and it won’t stop impacting our mentality about things. I also am wary of this idea of breaking social justice down to “rules”. Being part of an oppressed and marginalized member of society is more than just “rules” that are in place. While many people like to think of the survivors of those who violated these “rules” we can’t forget the hundreds of people who died in order for these “rules” to be broken. Which, again, is why I bring up issues of race/class/etc because it’s important to realize where one’s visions ends. There’s a blind spot when discussing how intimately our race/gender/etc effects our perceptions. 

And, if we’re discussing social justice, I also know that it’s not about feelings, as it pertains to the quote. To accurately fight and understand how microaggressions function, or how systemic oppression manifests, we have to educate ourselves. It’s not enough to simply feel that some things are bad, we have to educate ourselves on the how, the what, and the whys. Plus, I think personal choices – like Bill Gates – are different when compared to societal discrimination. 

My general opinion about the road less traveled is that if you’re really the first person to do something, others will probably hate you. For me, I’m always so wary of people who call themselves individuals or anything like that because to truly be different normally makes you a social pariah. Though it seems many people in Gen Y are supportive of new ways of doing things – I’m still very, very skeptical. :/ Also – I don’t intend to ever make you feel bad for your perspectives or ideas about the world. Even though we’re a different race, my perspective about the world isn’t right (or wrong), it’s just another way of looking at the world based on my experiences as an x, y, and z type of person. Particularly since I am no social justice expert, and still have a lot to learn about the world and it’s ideas myself!  :o 

WOO. So tired. I love chatting with you Grace! :]