Swinging Both Ways

Nope. I haven't just come out as Bisexual, so sorry to disappoint. The title actually refers to my inability to side with any one tribe or ideology. It refers to my love of disagreement, my desire to get down and dirty with difficult subjects. Whilst I never go out of my way to offend I appreciate that sometimes it might happen. I'm not sorry. If people had the courage to disagree more, and did it from a place of mutual respect then as a society we'd be so much further down the road. But no, we seem to prefer name calling, dividing ourselves into tribes and isolating ourselves from opinions that cause us discomfort. How are you expecting to learn anything if you take that approach? Doesn't that make you little better than the canary that remains in the cage when the door is open, too afraid the cats might get you? Newsflash, you can fly little bird. The cats cannot get you when you are soaring. And you can always return to your cage at the end of day. But why would you want to? There's so much to experience, to question, to soak in. I'm a wiser person because I have, for many years now, actually gone to uncomfortable places. I'm the better informed for it. So to those of you who struggle to step out of your comfort zone, expect to be taken apart when you come up against somebody with real knowledge. There's always somebody out there smarter, quicker, more capable. But here's the thing, you can still do you. You don't have to change, but it's probably best that you're open to new experience. And don't get too comfortable or obsessed by the need to be popular because she's a fickle mistress. It's like the slightly obsessive partner who's always judging everything you do, which is to say that its a battle you could never win and probably not one worth fighting. It's entirely possible to be unique and true to who you are without having to protect what you already have. So get out there, be open to conflict of the good kind. The kind which leaves you with an expanded mind, a wider lens, a richer suite of possibilities. You can have your cake whilst also taking a bite from everybody else's.