While waiting for a friend to pick me up from the library...

[missroserose]

...I find myself pondering something. Why is it that I come off as a brainiac to other people? I certainly don't consider myself smarter than most other people, though I do admit that I believe I use my brains more than most people do. But earlier I was discussing something with one of my coworkers, and she commented, "You've thought a lot about this, haven't you?"

Which is really what makes me wonder. I mean, doesn't everyone think about things in at least some detail? Or at least notice patterns and connections, even if they don't mention them to others? In the above example I was discussing "Gone With The Wind"; specifically, the reason it is considered such a classic even though it has a relatively fluffy storyline. Hasn't anyone else thought about this? Or thought to compare Margaret Mitchell's classic to Mark Twain's work? I mean, I know this isn't the sort of thing most people talk about, but don't they even think about stuff like that?

It seems that the world would be a rather boring place if one never noticed things like that. And yet, I find myself wondering if most people don't. I'm reminded of a scene from the book "Black Boy", where the main character has written a story about his youth, and his friends are all mystified as to why he'd want to do such a thing if it wasn't for a class. I've often come across the same thing - I'll ask somebody if I can read them something I've written and they'll ask me what class it's for. I mean, do we have to have a reason for everything we do? Is the world truly as predictable as the behaviorists seemed to think, with all our behaviors determined by either genetics or environment? Does anyone else write just for the sake of writing, or notice patterns just because they're there to be noticed? (I know people climb mountains just because they're there to be climbed - I *have* seen Star Trek V. =)

I also wonder if my entries are becoming more and more incoherent as time goes on...well. So long as I understand them, I suppose it's all good. Someone mentioned that I write a better blog than most, and I think that might be why - simply because I write for myself rather than other people. Though if they wish to read and can glean anything of use from my ramblings, so much the better...

@->--Rose

Comments

[errant-variable.livejournal.com]

You come off as a brainiac because you spend time thinking about things that few others would even think about thinking about, if that makes sense... you know my personal opinions on your thought processes already. ;) You just dont expend your energy on things like clothes, etc so much as you could, and you have to find other places to put it.

For me, as for a select few others, I doubt they are becoming incoherent so much as abstract. Your just one of the few who is both willing and able to put that type of thought before the world.

[eventhewaves.livejournal.com]

I once read a story built around the idea that most people are just... shells, walking zombies unwilling or just incapable of suddenly stopping and wondering about some fundamental aspect of life. I was going to offer a quote from it here as a companion to your "brainiac" notion, but -- lo and damnation -- I can't seem to dig it up anywhere. Which sucks, especially since it said just about everything that I have to say about that kind of thing. =) I'm also tired enough that I thought it best to stick to somebody else's words on the subject.

But so far as it goes, I don't think you've written anything here that'd qualify as incoherent or incomprehensible, myself... Maybe that's just the result of having spent too many long hours asking the same kinds of questions myself, though. *Shrug.* This always makes for an interesting read; I'll say that much.

Anyway, take care, and I'll probably talk to you tomorrow/later today sometime.

--Brian