Oh the humanity!

Still getting used to LJ, which seems a little absurd by now. Part of the reason is because I’ve never been one to continually post rants or stories, unless in a visual format. I was once a writer, way before the Bad Times. But it just doesn’t come to me like it used to, so I don’t normally try. (I blame the doctors.) Hell the only reason I decided to try writing a fanfic was because Vaeru pushed me to.

I thought that maybe my LJ would be a fun place to post extra stuff involving Contra, but I think maybe just a little babbling would be ok as well. For me anyway.

When I started Contra Mundum, it was originally because I just wanted to see a story wherein the Autobots never showed up to Earth to save humanity from the Decepticons, or at least showed up very, very late. It has since warped into a psychological study of how humans (on an individual level as well as a grander scale) would cope in such a situation. I would definitely say I’ve chosen a more optimistic and positive approach, and I would certainly hope that in a dire situation we would set our differences aside in the name of survival. But eh, I seriously doubt it. Humans are notorious for focusing on the irrelevant.

As I wrote more and more for Contra, I found myself just observing people around me whenever I was out and about. (Which, unfortunately, is not enough.) I see a lot of signs in humanity that offers a possibility that we could unite in the face of a common foe. But then again, I go to school in a small southern town full of college students. Of course everyone is laid back and friendly.

So instead, I switched gears and just began seeing what characteristics we all have that on some level, do bring us together. We all possess as much the capacity for compassion as much as we do for destruction, although it tends to vary across the board. I think perhaps one of the more frightening conversations I’ve had was with a friend, who downright told me she believed compassion was reserved for God.

While these things vary, depending on multiple factor like upbringing/nature vs. nurture/etc, there is one simple thing that unites us all as a species: our complete stupidity. Now, when I say this, I don’t mean out ignorance or anything like that. Oh no, I mean the stupid little things everyone does almost every day of their lives regardless of the intellect or educational background. Those brief moments when our brains just abandon us, and leave us awkwardly standing there with wide, blank eyes.

Such as: tripping over nothing, giggling at someone else’s misfortune, forgetting something important, farting in line at the bank, making up the most outlandish excuse that makes very little sense to weasel out of trouble, etc. I love those things, I love witnessing them, and I love everyone’s reaction. Almost everyone’s got a goofy smile on their face, because they’ve done the same thing or something similar. And of course you got a few pricks that stick up their nose and act like they’ve never done such a thing. But they have, probably more than anyone. So even more people laugh. And for a moment, everyone forgets that they’re different.

What’s really funny is the rate in which all these things occur and how often they are the same things. Everyone’s got a story where they tripped over nothing or blurted something bizarre at the absolute worst time. From royalty to hobo. The stories I love to hear are ones involving Really Bad Ideas. I have a few myself; the inability to mature does that to a person.

And really, what’s more fun than sitting around with a group of people and exchanging these stories? Everyone laughs in good nature (or at least they should) and it’s almost comforting to know, “Wow, I’m not the only person here who’s an idiot”. So share with me your stupid stories, and I’ll share mine. ‘Cause I got some good ones.