Somebody went and woke the sleeping dragon.
I’m very weird about personal expression. I’m a black man (except when I’m pretending to be Asian) with tattoos and piercings. I rant at length on the internet about my (not so standard) views on politics, religion, drugs and sexuality. I wear ridiculously offensive t-shirts and curse like a sailor.
I’m also highly educated. I’ve had a good professional career. My tattoos are easily covered by business clothing. I have about 100 neckties in my closet with maybe two dozen dress shirts.
I grew up on welfare and have never been ashamed of it. But I (and my mother) worked my ass off to get to where I didn’t have to be anymore. I’ve had a great professional career. A couple actually.
But I understand that not everyone can get where I got. 20 years ago I used to go to job interviews and take my earrings out. I wore suits. I was clean shaven all the time. I made sure that my net.persona was relatively (relatively) clean for googling.
I don’t have to do that anymore. Frankly, I earned it. But I’m not at the top of the mountain. I just got to the point where I was happy with where I was. If you don’t want to hire me because I show up to an interview with earrings or you google me and see that I’ve called for the abolishment of marriage, the lowering of the drinking age, the acceptance of teenage promiscuity and the legalization of all narcotics and prostitution or that I wear t-shirts claiming to have fucked your mom and your sister, than so-be-it. I probably shouldn’t be working with you.
But I never recommend that anyone try to be me. Because he’s right. Until you get there you have to play ball. Hell, I even still play ball. I just only play the ball I want to play. But I accept the consequences that come from my actions.
My grandfather used to be find of saying “who ever told you the world was supposed to be fair?” And he was right. The world is a fucked up place. You want to get somewhere in it, then you have to work with in it. Fuck back, godammit!
Anyway. Damn good rant, Stephen.
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