Being right.

On occasion, I am faced with an opposing force who seems bent on being right, in their premise about me or something I am doing. All energy from that person focuses on the case to be right, and very little attention is paid to hearing another perspective.

This is truly one of my bug-a-boos. It’s a spiritual quandary that is rarely solved. More often than not, I defend against this perceived attack and I do not net very few favorable results. Defense appears to be no better than offense. After all, who on earth actually believes they started it, which seems to be of prime importance when fighting?

I feel this way on a global level as well. I just rode on a plane with a fellow comic who shared his views on how the U.S.A. stands in the world. It got to the point where he was about to tell me “This is America, love it or leave it!” If he got any more intense, I was about to say, “This is an airplane, calm down or you’ll get us both arrested.”

Whenever I question the logic or paradigm of our government, media or authorities, this America being the moral and ethical high ground is the copout way of saying “I don’t like what you are saying and I have no logical comeback besides threatening you.”

Is this what it’s come to? We can’t have exchanges that can provoke change without the possibility of hostile action?

If one is shut down, how are we supposed to grow or change? If no one is listening, how can we hear the voice or reason?

Personally, I have found much happiness through challenging my own belief system. Along the way I have had to find space within myself for introspection, evaluation and humble pie. I don’t always like it, but the real fulfillment comes when a risk is taken and being right is thrown away. I feel good when I apologize or forgo the assignment of blame. I enjoy the laugh of when I call myself on crap that keeps me justified rather than further along.

If I merely accepted whatever I was being fed, be it from the media, government or our family; then how in the world could I create comedy? There is nothing funny about what they are peddling – a lemming-like existence that asks no questions and follows them over any cliff they choose.

Comedy is born out of the freedom to poke, prod and peak under all the covers of anyone and everyone, including one’s self.

To laugh, we must first laugh at ourselves, and if we do not stray from the path of righteousness we cannot find the space for the humility it takes to see human beings being human. If we pretend to be perfect and clear with all of our actions, it will result in dishonesty and a wall of protection that is built upon the lie we are living.

Returning to the seat mate/comic I was in disagreement with, it surprised me to hear of an artist taking the position of a man on a quest to stay the same. His stance was clear that we should all follow the agenda of the folks who have been in charge for 300 years – rich white guys.

His biggest issue in the presidential election was the raising of taxes, seemingly forgetting to empathize with folks who might not be white, rich or entitled. I wanted to raise something else besides taxes- awareness. Awareness that there are people of all backgrounds who want to live on this planet and be seen as a unique person, not a label or statistic.

To me, the thinking that all who question our ethics or agenda are counterculturist rebels contradicts all we comics represent.

Broken down, when we laugh, it usually stems from something relatable. We chuckle at some sort of truth being told of some shared experience, thought or desire the humorist is relaying. We respond and our souls react with a particular emotion to the common chord being struck. It’s no different than being frightened by a movie or moved to tears by a book. An artist brings out our emotional responses through universal truths. Human conditions we can identify with propel us to joy, sadness or fear.

So, why do people (like this comic) try to put people in compartments and toss them and their views aside? He should be looking for ways we are in common, not finding traits that separate! And audience needs to UNIFY as one large laugh, not be divided into the ones who agree with certain agendas and have no room for compromise or change. To really experience life, our minds must be unencumbered by the clutter of being right and rationalized, but free to take it all in. We are human beings co creating the fun, not being told how to think or feel. The real freedom we need to find is in ourselves, not in another country.

Of course, freedom has a price. Twenty bucks cover to the comedy club…