On Eccentricity
Posted on Saturday, 4 March 2017
ON ECCENTRICITY
By Apolinario Villalobos
The dictionary defines eccentric as unusual
or abnormal behavior or character which for me is wrong. Just because a person
keeps to himself and rather read than attend parties is being eccentric, or
sprinkling pasta with fish sauce is eccentric, etc. The problem with the scientists
kuno, who study the mind and personality is that they rely on questionable
“standards”. On the other hand, the dictionary publishers pick these
information up, just like the way they pick up street words and expressions
from all over the world to expand their publication for more money. That is why
even the simple symbol of the heart has become a synonym of the word “love”. Although,
supposedly intelligent guys are using groups as basis to qualify and justify
their findings, I would like to think still, that they have gone beyond what
should be a fair judgment, especially on aspects that involve human behavior.
An example on this is the case of “special people “ who were viewed during the
Medieval Period as lunatics, and epilepsy as a “devil’s disease”. Scientists
kuno still go on with this malpractice of unfairly identifying people based on
their discerned characters.
I am bringing this out because several
times I have been dubbed as eccentric, because:
·
I dip green mango and singkamas
(jicama) in vinegar
·
I dip table banana in soy sauce
·
I melt at least two pieces of “Snow
Bear” menthol candy in my mug of coffee
·
I enhance my pasta sauce with
bagoong (fish sauce)
·
I prefer to eat the burnt portion
of steamed rice
·
I hate parties and formal
dinners
·
I prefer sidewalk food stalls
than restaurants
·
Etc.
In this regard, I would like to call those
who do not understand my ways as “ignorants”….they who do not even know or
refuse to understand that unpolished rice is nutritious than the polished white
rice; that the chemically-washed “refined” sugar in all its whiteness glory is
one of the causes of cancer; having meat in diet 7 days a week without even a
single sprig of green vegetable can result to colon cancer; uncontrolled
partying could be a sign of insecurity masked with ear to ear grin; burnt rice
can alleviate stomach acidity; vinegar reduces acidity in green mango, add
flavor to the bland taste of jicama, and the soy sauce can enhance the potassium
in banana; etc.
It is unfair for a person who deviates from
the ways of others, to earn an eccentric reference. The word’s connotation as
being “abnormal” is already unfair. The accusers on the other hand, are the abnormals,
because they are not supposed to be judgmental. By being judgmental, they
unknowingly try to reflect on others their (accusers) own kind of bad personality
and that is not being kind…a normal person is supposed to be kind to his fellow
man.
For me, the following are just some of the
eccentrics:
·
Corrupt government officials
·
Aging Roman Catholic bishops
who do not give a damn to the future of the youth of the land
·
Graduates of universities who
use their learned expertise in exploiting others
·
Drug lords who do not know that
what they do is “slow murder”
·
Drug addicts who rape innocent
children, and even their own mother and sister
·
Etc.
My question now is, have the few mentioned
above ever been called eccentric by the supposedly bright journalists as such,
for their obviously abnormal behavior?....my answer is a big NO!
Discussion