What’s a perspective you have that most others wouldn’t understand?

[bigpauly]

[NathanDavis]

well... that would be something that not everyone experiences first hand, which is to have lived among cartels and truly living within this environment and the many situations that surround it

you see things on the news, you hear from others, you see movies... and you experience other types and forms of crime, or war

but I would not go as far as to say that other people cannot understand it... is just that not everyone has to live with it, and more importantly get used to it...

for example, more than one time I've been out and about and I happen to be talking with someone on the phone then I say "wait a minute please, there's a gun battle"... and the person goes like what? so I'm like "yeah, listen..." and they can hear the gun fire going crazy, sometimes with grenades, but... the moment that I know I'm safe enough I just go on with my life and then say "ok, you were saying?" while the other person is like "wtf was that Nathan!!, are you alright?"

it's a bit strange to then explain that yeah... it's fine, I'm used to it so it's safe enough now give me the rest of the details on that recipe for lava cake... lol

[bigpauly]

Wow that is really crazy

[dustybiker]

Have you ever thought about moving?

[NathanDavis]

@dustybiker yes... but is not easy

one would think that once you leave, you can sleep in peace... however, others are still there and many you care about are still going through that and then you can't sleep at all

if I were looking only after myself and nobody else... I would have left long time ago, but that's not the case

and I know it sounds weird but you do get used to it... and learn to focus on the positive things, which are still there

[dustybiker]

Understandable.

[HighlyVolatile]

I had to live in a total of four different countries during my formative years while learning to speak three different languages. I also had to be the new kid in school six times while permanently saying goodbye to my former friends each time and struggling to understand the new school, new culture, new language, new slang, new senses of fashion.

I started to become very good at adapting to new social environments and cultures. I seem to be what some call a social chameleon now.

Yet it does take its toll on a child's sense of identity to have such a repeatedly jarring childhood. I often try to look in the metaphorical mirror and now only see the blurriest of reflections. Am I Japanese (born and raised)? American (spent the bulk of my teen and early adult years)? Jock (I started as a jock)? Nerd (I ended with a nerdy profession)? All of them? None of them? Am I polite (ideas of politeness vary between cultures)? Rude?

All of them? None of them?

I'm also constantly questioning what is right and wrong with my thoughts shifting between languages and translating in between in muddled ways. I've become the ultimate of skeptics questioning just about everything repeatedly.

I find many people have a difficult time relating to me here. I don't mind too much; I'll try to adapt to them. They don't have to adapt to me. I've become great at adapting!

[HighlyVolatile]

Am I tall (I am in some countries)? Am I short (I am in others)? You know, the list goes on and on. I struggle to establish any sense of identity or belonging with anything. Even my race and ethnicity are a blur as I'm biracial/mixed.

I don't mean to come off like I think I'm special. It's more like I'm the constant outsider now wherever I go. I've learned to adapt, but I'll never blend in. It's my ultimate struggle in life is trying to figure out who I really am.

[dustybiker]

I moved bine times in my early years and went yo 12 different schools in all. I get that. Not fun.

[dustybiker]

*9 times

[HighlyVolatile]

@dustybiker That's tough! Do you struggle with identity in a similar way? I noticed you also grew up with boys.

[dustybiker]

The boys was a choice based on the way the girls behaved. They played games. The boys made more sense, they just were who they were.
School language, found like yourself, was difficult. I came from England. And though a lot of the terms were similar, they weren’t. It wouldn’t have ended the world or made it difficult to allow me to believe what I had already been taught.
But my first teachers took it upon themselves to say what I knew was wrong. Not true. Just not current for present country. I realize the difference now obviously, but the damage subconsciously was done.

I can appreciate how much harder it must have been for you with four new languages.

[HighlyVolatile]

@dustybiker Was it from British English to American? I started by learning British English and got lots of marks off in my writing originally when I went to the US for high school (ex: "colour" as opposed to "color"). It confused me a lot since I was sure it was correct, only to discover American English has all those subtle differences.

One of the toughest things I struggle with is the finer nuance of morality and subtle but nontrivial differences in ideas of right and wrong behavior.

[dustybiker]

Yes. And spot on with the differences.
Felt the same with your last, but then reached a point I let it go. Really are bigger things to worry about and too many good things I’d rather be doing with that time.

[dustybiker]

A lot of people assume I’m like most other woman. I’m not. I grew up around boys, by choice. It means nothing about sexuality, just life choice to be happier, personally. That heavily influenced me to grow up to exist quite happily outside both boxes. I will throw a styrofoam peanut into each them once in a while though.

[bigpauly]

Awesome how you do what you like

[dustybiker]

Thank you.😎
This makes me sound like a loner, so not either. Still have the same childhood blues in my life.

[bigpauly]

Just living a full life is what is sounds like to me

[dustybiker]

Yes. Always that.

[bigpauly]

That’s why you rock 😎

[dustybiker]

My wild side does hold a nice beat.

[bigpauly]

I’d buy the album

[dustybiker]

😁 My dream day would be to take a huge motorbike trip with all of my friends. Convince them all to learn how to ride and experience just how great a feeling it is. That would be sharing my album.

[bigpauly]

That does sound like a blast

[MCheetah]

That being mediocre ("average") literally objectively makes you a useless, meaningless, worthless, disposable human being and that any human being that values their life or existence should NEVER be content with being objectively worthless and replaceable.

I strive everyday to be someone who positively contributes to society and I can't comprehend how ANYONE can be content being a disposable worthless human who thinks their mere existence is enough to make them special among a species of 8 billion (most of whom are complete idiots who contribute nothing greater to society at large).

In short, I detest "averageness" and mediocrity among humans and strive to be greater than that everyday, knowing most humans are content being objectively valueless to their species.

Thank you for asking this.