I like Weird

How often do we listen to people who judge others? Most days, most weeks, most months? When one chooses to focus on the judgmental amongst us, the list of superiors grows within hours. You are warned about experimentation with this exercise: It soon becomes apparent there are high and low moral judges in every avenue of life.

One has to be careful with those who say ‘I have not spoken to X – so I cannot comment’ or ‘It is not for me to comment’. Because make no mistake, these types do have an opinion: but are restrained from voicing their viewpoint. To my mind, this personality type is often manipulative. Be careful, no one can be all things to man (or woman), and those without opinion outwardly desire to be seen to be fair or open-minded. It seems better to form an alliance with someone who has a view: than one who stands on the fence. Many know to their cost they have invested time with someone who is, in fact: a manipulator.

The Scale:

The Judgemental at one end of the scale and the No-Commitment type at the other influence our thinking. Watch them well and learn how not to become affected by their ways. If the opinionated hit you with a ‘fact’ smile and later research the opinion. If the ‘stand on the fence’ dismisses a question with ‘I don’t have an opinion’ – then know they do and handle them with fireproof gloves. Incidentally, if one reads or watches the news with care, one learns to see the ‘two ends of the influence spectrum’ in action. No use wasting time trying to work out the ‘why’s or how’s’ – the knowing is enough to strengthen confidence and willpower.

Another way of considering the ‘ways’ of people’s personalities and attitudes is worthy of thought. It is one I have enjoyed for many years: it is uncomplicated and like sitting on a nice boat going with the river’s flow. I meet unknown and known friends along the riverbank: enjoying the encounters: but I keep moving.

My preference is to enjoy the ‘weird and obscure’ company of anyone who does not conform to social standards. The distorter, romancer, lazy, deceiver, over the top believer, dogmatic, weak, inappropriate, boastful, afraid, conspiracy theorist, manic, ex-convict, addict, alcoholic, maniac, over the top kind, unkind, or anyone who cannot cope with life or its twists: and therefore compensates in weird behaviour.

Being in their presence is like going to another planet: named planet Paradox. You see, the inhabitants know the reality of their surroundings with such clarity they compensate by distorting their lives and history to any extreme. Their life history is induced distortion (addiction) or fantasy (daydreaming), or total deletion of anything seen as wrong. They live an accomplished life by living an extraordinary parallel life from an armchair positioned dead centre in their imaginations mindscape. 

Be careful not to argue against their creative mind or prevent their creativity’s free flow: in fact, encourage them to continue with their escapism. You see, to oppose them, you lose a friendship greater than most. They are faithful and beautiful friends who beneficially expand a creative mind. Anyone who prefers the world of high-brow option or non-commitment will live a mundane existence: one of being judgmental and striving to find stature and purpose are of no use to the being who desire to LIVE!

Purpose and stature?

Even the words are mediocre, basic: purpose and stature are the forces of society’s desire to be within an illusional normal. Following the simple path of socially accepted precept and never straying far from its perceived safety is just life: nothing more: nothing less. A life of exploration and chance surrounded by eccentric people is one of living. Walking into the woods full of demons and witches and elves pushes the boundaries. It may be keeping the explorer poor in pocket: but she’ll never be deficient in mind. I’ll return to this idea in a moment.

Why not be content in a place created by one’s true beliefs, no matter how extreme? It is where we know ourselves. The desire to return to childhood has nothing to do with finding out why life is poor: It is everything to do with finding out how to make life better.

When a child plays with toys: they are in pure fantasy. Talking to imaginary friends: fighting their foes: sometimes losing, sometimes winning the battle; building the Lego house and happily knocking it down to create a new and better mansion next time. Many envy the child: watching them play while memories take them back to their play days: why does the thought of childhood playtime evoke a special happiness? And the crazy, weird and strange are most often happy and sometimes have childlike behaviour.

Story and Playtime:

I continue to play with toys. And one of my best moments in life was discovering Jung played with toys and encouraged creative imagination most days of his life. His Red Book is another aspect of digging deep into symbolic imagination. Mind: Creativity: Art: Play: Understanding of weird people = Jung’s work.

Story Telling:

Making up stories for eight-year-old Alice is a pleasure: she is always the protagonist. Only yesterday, she was abducted by a Goblin to be eaten at a Goblin Kings Coronation. Her two best dolls become invisible and follow the wicked Goblin to a dark and sinister kingdom. Where trees are the souls of kidnapped children and skeleton dogs and cats, roam the streets. The Goblins have eaten the flesh of these animals, but they are cursed to live as bones. The invisible dolls save the day, and the Goblins are turned to glass which is shattered, melted down and moulded into a magic mirror. And anyone who looks into the mirror will see their faults!

Fictional Influence? 

We are surrounded by influential imagination, fantasy and creativity. At this time (2021) how many people are mentioning the word ‘Orwellian’ or referring to the date 1984? Is it possible the millions who have read the book and/or know the film have manifest the ways governments are now treating the populous they are supposed to serve? And are the populations acclimatised to establishment slavery by the influence of films such as Clockwork Orange: Aachi & Ssipak: Brazil: Children of Men: Dark City: Fahrenheit 451: All harbour dark and sinister considerations of the future.

Celebrity Adoration:

Millions see Bowie as a genius! And yet one should consider that his stories are most often mad! Life on Mars. Kooks. Space Oddity, Laughing Gnome. Are they not songs of pure imagination? And he reinvented himself every five years. (like children at play) Was he extraordinary? Eccentric? No! A genius who transformed fantasy into fame and immense fortune.

Yes! We’ll pay handsomely for escapism: but few will venture far from the illusion they think is normality. Delving into escapism is ok if there is an umbilical back to ‘the real world’, but becoming a hermit or nomad is considered too great a chance to take. This is why: there are only a few famous artists (writers, actors, performers, painters). There needs to be evidence the artist is on the other side of a crevasse few would chance to cross: before a real claim to fame is established.

Limited Imagination:

I love the obscure and weird friend and associate. This is not to write there is no pleasure in working with those who live an apparent balanced life. Although, with age. I have paid the entry cost into a carefree life. Another sixty years is not available, so I can write as I feel and without censor. I once told an artist about a sea journey. Later the artist told a friend my story was tall. The fact is, the recollection is accurate and verifiable. When learning the artist’s doubt, I realised the artist had a limited imagination: the sea story was beyond the artists imagination. I write of this because it is evidence of why the ability to see beyond one’s boundaries is how real progress is made.

You see; weird friends: Strange encounters: Escapism are the exercises which extend our creative boundary…

My one hour of free-flowing writing is over. Without editing or review: Thanks for reading and giving me a few moments of your precious life.

Ian Timothy