Personhood

 

In previous writing I said that no one wishes to be who they are. For instance, I sorely wished that I was taller, stronger, and smarter. What happens in life is grudging acceptance of life on life's terms, or we rebel by demanding equal dignity, or think ourselves better than others, put a lot of effort into grooming and imagine that personhood is negotiable. I worked with good actors who were amazingly talented in transforming themselves into fictional characters, but Laurence Olivier, Helen Mirren, and Peter Sellers were legendary chameleons in an exclusive class by themselves. They paid a heavy price for it. Bill Cosby had a big range of transpersonal film acting ability that was shocking and unpopular, got squelched by TV producers and advertisers to play a harmless, amusing nice guy.

 

Most people squelch their range to please parents, employers, spouses, kids. Diplomats are nearly devoid of personality. Politicians and corporate CEOs are coached and polished, say carefully chosen words that they did not write. Consultants design their clothes and hairstyles. I don't want to discuss bubbly smiley evangelists like Joel Ostein or Barack Obama. The worst of the worst are clever men who play dumb: Jerry Lewis, Charlie Chaplin, Moe Howard, Bob Hope, Johnny Carson, used car dealer Cal Worthington in a ten gallon hat. Women have a right to play dumb but it ends in sorrow.

 

Ascendancy of brazen LGBTQ is no different than soaring public debt and sky high P/E ratios, the make believe romance of lipstick on a pig, Liberace smiling in sequins and diamonds to disguise a crap lounge act. Bullshit pantomime and running gags don't make anyone prettier, more talented, or happier.

 

I have a modest talent, but it's honest, unrehearsed. Not pretending to be straight like Rock Hudson or faking intellectual depth like Joe Biden reading from a teleprompter. I'm old and weary, couldn't play games if I wanted to. I don't blame younger people for being deceived by clever liars and seductive fantasies. Be advised that A is A, a thing is itself, reality is real. The greatest actors suffered horribly, vomited backstage, drank heavily, and took pills to kill the pain of loneliness. Don't do it. If you were born a boy, be a boy and aspire to manhood, free of fake stage make-up and bangles.

 

All things noble are as difficult as they are rare. (Spinoza)