It's Weird Being Weird

[gentle_dissident]

I've experienced some pretty bizarre treatment for being an atheist, but I've always felt isolated for the rest of my personality as well. My tastes, hobbies, behaviors, and world views have always been different from the majority. It's so extreme, that when I find someone who shares a fraction of my outlook, I'm still a freak to them. I'm an outcast among outcasts, but those S&M, motorbiking, drinking hoodlums are all I have for friendship. Do you feel like a mutant too?

[pr126]

Not at all. Why is this even an issue?
Do you run around screaming there is no god? Do you accost people for their beliefs?

I have been an atheist all my life (72) and so far no one cared enough to comment.
There again, I don't live in the USA.

[drunkenshoe]

I don't think he is talking about just being an atheist. But he is not weird to me either.

[drunkenshoe]

I've experienced some pretty bizarre treatment for being an atheist, but I've always felt isolated for the rest of my personality as well. My tastes, hobbies, behaviors, and world views have always been different from the majority. It's so extreme, that when I find someone who shares a fraction of my outlook, I'm still a freak to them. I'm an outcast among outcasts, but those S&M, motorbiking, drinking hoodlums are all I have for friendship. Do you feel like a mutant too?

I have lived in a muslim country all my life. I have been a nonbeliever all my life. Everyone who knew/knows me knows this about me, it never turned out to be a problem in the community I live in or the job I had most of my life. (I should probably stop being that open considering the last several years in the country) I am a female. I have never lived a traditional life. I never got married or had kids which was a conscious decision, I consider the best I made. I have lived with a bf for some time. It's pretty out of the norm here, even before the religious party come to power. Am I weird to people in my culture? Oh yeah, much more than wierd. But somehow this never affected my relationships, may be because I never looked down on them or treat anyone badly. I care about people sincerely. Esp. if I befriended them. It doesn't really matter who or what they are.

People's reactions to me generally is 'yeah but it's different with you' or 'it is easy for you to say'. Acceptence. Some sort of weird immunity. I am told a few times that the consistency and integrity of my actions. I can't see any in theirs as the usual lot goes, so I have no idea what's meant with that.

Mainstream people are weirder than all of us if you ask me. At least where I live. I am 'fine' to them, because they 'accepted' me as a different individual, because I have always been like this whatever that means. Although they strongly dislike people like me on principle -people they don't know, they like me because they know me. Pffft.  Also because of my family too I guess. See, if my family -esp father here- thought I was a 'bad seed' an rejected me...etc they would reject me too. Well it is a stupid, shitty culture  I live in.

[Baruch]

I've experienced some pretty bizarre treatment for being an atheist, but I've always felt isolated for the rest of my personality as well. My tastes, hobbies, behaviors, and world views have always been different from the majority. It's so extreme, that when I find someone who shares a fraction of my outlook, I'm still a freak to them. I'm an outcast among outcasts, but those S&M, motorbiking, drinking hoodlums are all I have for friendship. Do you feel like a mutant too?

Yes ... and being unique in many ways ... I embrace.  I am mostly conformist publicly, but being different is a way for me to be an individual.  I can tolerate ostracism, because nobody knows me well.  The Internet is the only way to meet anyone who has even a fraction of my likes (obviously coworkers share the work situation and family share the family situation).  But if you have no family or no work ... you are really isolated.  The interaction with coworkers and family are not fully satisfying, but then I am realistic about it.  My marriage wasn't and my parenting isn't fully satisfying either, and they are the most important things I have ever done.

[Mike Cl]

Yeah, I've always felt weird.  And alone, but not in a lonely way, if that makes sense.  I felt like I was a group of one.  As a child that was quite troubling and I became (probably always was) not just the wallflower, but a bouquet of wallflowers.  I did not really have much faith that I could ever measure up the average person.  And that was weird, for both my parents were mostly A type personalities, in that they seemed easy and natural in groups and were strokers and achievers.  Yet they did not put me down or make fun of me or belittle me--in a very quiet way, they were supportive.  So, I have no idea where my weirdness comes from.  I have found in my early adulthood that my group of one really was made up of me, myself and I--and that I liked each and every one.  That discovery and realization saved me.  I like myself.  I don't care if you like me or not.  I can be with the three of us for hours, days, weeks and probably years and enjoy myself.  I don't dislike people--I like them.  I find them interesting.  And I am the equal of most anybody as a total person, but I have no problem acknowledging where people are superior to me in various areas and ways.  I am not jealous of their abilities, and am satisfied with mine.  I could easily be a hermit with the social outlets of the computer, TV, radio, books and pets--pets are important to me and I love having my furry children around me--I never tire of them; and they include cats and dogs.  In fact, the biggest hole in my life right now is the lack of a cat in my life.  Anyway, gentle, I too am weird.  And I have always felt that way.  But now I embrace that weirdness.

[Draconic Aiur]

I've experienced some pretty bizarre treatment for being an atheist, but I've always felt isolated for the rest of my personality as well. My tastes, hobbies, behaviors, and world views have always been different from the majority. It's so extreme, that when I find someone who shares a fraction of my outlook, I'm still a freak to them. I'm an outcast among outcasts, but those S&M, motorbiking, drinking hoodlums are all I have for friendship. Do you feel like a mutant too?

The only weird thing about you is your avatar.

[josephpalazzo]

I've experienced some pretty bizarre treatment for being an atheist, but I've always felt isolated for the rest of my personality as well. My tastes, hobbies, behaviors, and world views have always been different from the majority. It's so extreme, that when I find someone who shares a fraction of my outlook, I'm still a freak to them. I'm an outcast among outcasts, but those S&M, motorbiking, drinking hoodlums are all I have for friendship. Do you feel like a mutant too?

Ha, in 40 years from now, you'll look back and see for what it is: being young, foolish, innocent, gullible, self-centered... So top thinking you're special - yes, thinking that you're weird among the weird helps you to think you're special. Get out of that rot. Just experience whatever you can. You'll get hurt, damaged, and later on, you'll be able to laugh at all those scars. Be merry.

[stromboli]

My personal experience is that people who tend to be more isolated and introspective also tend to be less social and see themselves more as outsiders than not. You are an atheist because you are a critical thinker. Probably smarter than your peers, you see things from a different perspective and it makes you feel different.

Atheists in a mass of religious are automatically weird. Atheists in a world of atheists where everyone is on the same page aren't. Nothing wrong with being different. Your attitude about yourself is what matters. In the long run, as you move through life, you can either accept yourself for what you are and move on or concern yourself and ponder about it, which to me is a time waster. I learned a long time ago to just say fuck it to situations where I was not involved or felt invited and moved on. I've always been that way, seeking to overcome rather than succumb.

I've accomplished things professionally and personally and will always have the mindset of an achiever. I don't have time for people that don't have the same attitude. I've said this many times and it sounds hokey, but the only direction that matters is forward. When you stop to reflect and ponder your differences and your mistakes and start seeing the negatives in your life, your failures and your differences, is when you start to die. I have seen people who gave up on life, and just let themselves die. Fuck that. I plan on living forever and failing that, go out with a bang when the time comes.

Overcome rather than succumb. Ain't that hard. Set yourself to the task and get the fuck busy.

[gentle_dissident]

It's always felt odd to be left out and even plotted against. I'm almost 50, and that stuff still happens. I feel like I'm a normal person surrounded by a different species. I've met loads of people in life through work and travel, and found them all to to be a little distant. People usually connect on a superficial level. They either look at me puzzled and bid me a nice life, or decide that someone like me needs to be deceived. I'm either an oddity or a laugh. I don't really understand most people, but I'm always trying to find common ground.

My mother disowned me a long time ago for me literally not being an upper middle class charlatan. I heard that she's still alive. She's been through a few men's fortunes. She told me that's what she does after she divorced my dad.

My father is dead. He died shoveling snow, as many do. He overworked himself, ate poorly, and smoked horrible menthol generics constantly. He told me he wanted to go see Jesus. He had been an outcast as well. He had to learn to fight because of the constant challenges by his classmates. He ran away from home at 14, and lived and worked at a filling station. My dad's parents were hospice workers, and from what I'm able to dig up, like me. When WWII broke out, he was 16. He managed to enlist as a Marine anyway.

My dad was a secret socialist and conspiracy theorist. He was vocal about equality for blacks, yet thought homosexuals were dangerous criminals. He was loved by his WWII boom town, but found everyone there to be too crazy to associate with. Irony? My dad urged me to conform. He told me to never tell anyone my socialist or atheist views, or the world would make me suffer. He liked to disown me for my atheism and not being a teetotaller. He would come around and take me back after he figured I'd been angry and sad long enough to learn my lessons. He did eventually come around to accepting me as a songwriter and artist. He was a pretty good artist, but never practiced. He feared art is what homosexuals made.

I can deal with being picked on, punched, and taken advantage of for who I am. However, It's weird to still be alone. I have my beautiful girlfriend, who has an anxiety disorder for living a life similar to mine. However, we really just have our weirdness in common. We got tickets to Styx! She'd rather have a ready made palace she can escape the world in. I'd like to build a community that works toward sustaining itself. I'm sure she'd like it after it was under construction. She comes around once she sees my projects in action. The problem is, there is no one to help me with my dreams. I've been running a pretty impressive one man show all my life. Since I was a kid, I've heard, "You did that?" asked in amazement. But really, I can only go so far by myself.

I have considered devoting my life to one manageable project that I could present from my death bed. I'd rather have time to enjoy it. Besides, I really don't enjoy working alone, but I am always alone.

[GSOgymrat]

I'm not really weird, I just have an uncommon personality.

Gentle_dissident I know you feel weird but what I'm understanding is expression of your authentic self has rarely been encouraged or appreciated and you feel disconnected from most of the people around you. There may be things about you that are in fact unusual but I think a lot of people can relate to what you are feeling.

[gentle_dissident]

There may be things about you that are in fact unusual but I think a lot of people can relate to what you are feeling.

I'm glad you checked in, fellow mutant.

Here are some photos of my childhood. I hope these demonstrate me.

Yes, my friends were girls. I still get along best with girls. I'm lucky to finally have a girlfriend who understands that.

[aitm]

You're all a bunch of f****** nuts

[drunkenshoe]

You're all a bunch of f****** nuts

Pfffft, best quality available.

[Munch]

did someone say.. Weirdmageddon?