I Like Rules, And I Also Don't Like Them

I honestly get the place of rules. I know how it helps to keep us all in check and how it is so consistent in holding up the barriers between sanity and the insanity of human society. 

However, no one knows who makes the rules or sets the benchmark for considering that which is sane and insane. A topic for another day; But I want to hope you get what I am about to say in this column. Read through with an open mind.

The human mind is wild. It is complex. And what it is capable of cannot be fathomed. Even the holy book says, "The heart of man is desperately wicked" maybe that is why we need rules to keep us in check.

To hold up the structures of societal engagements and in the end, we have for ourselves a tolerable society. In recent times, that is being threatened, most especially with the new era of political correctness. So, what do we do?

With political correctness, everyone wants to insert themselves into every conversation. Maybe in a bid to sound unique, or throw out facts blatantly Correct or not. 

Trying to force conversations no matter the context. Rules that previously held up societal values have been attacked based on rigidity, or as some have argued, they are outdated. 

The need for sincere, unfiltered conversations has been trumped. There is always something to pick out of that interview. 

Everyone seems to be on edge, and one cannot understand the place of critical thinking anymore. We are continually breaking down rules and the reason why they were there in the first place is being laid bare. 

 

Due to the champions of expressiveness and full-on confrontation, the boundaries held up by these rules are being blurred out, and all we have in full glare is the full manifestation of all the human mind has to offer.

But all these are not the essence of this post. All of the above are some of the reasons I like rules. Everyone has a right to everything, and I am not about to challenge that. But why do I hate rules?

First! Slowly, the idea of absolute freedom is being taken away from all of us, and it seems as if there is nothing we can do. Maybe there is nothing like total freedom after all. It is more like new rules are being formed every day about how we should act.

Do not talk this way, do not work this way, you know the whole drill. Be careful with what you write, what you say, else you would sooner or later, be in the public eye against your wish. 

Everywhere, and Every time, there is this new scrutiny to how we must act. Are you not tired? I hope you know that unconsciously, your choices are being made for you. 

You are scared of what this person might say, who you might unknowingly step on their toes, so you are playing it all cool. Sometimes being too careful steals satisfaction from you. 

You are the single constant in your life; it is your life, so how would you rather live it? I love outliers. There is always something attractive about an outlier, especially in the positive context now. Something endears me to that person who does not give a damn and wants to live life in the best way possible.  Maybe we should all live.

I love those who have the confidence to go all out there and have the best lives. Because to be candid, many of us have miserable lives, and we want more. 

So why beam an extra light on your life? At times, you might be tempted to set someone straight, maybe because they are not acting according to society's whims, but honestly, who cares? Just rest. 

 

I am not saying you should read this and go slap your boss at the office. You are on your own, as there are workplace rules which are binding if you want to get paid for your efforts. But this is all about life itself. Why are we so bent on telling everyone how to act. 

Sometimes, I want to act like a child; yes, I want to be childish. Can I get that? Other times, I want to sleep all day. So far, I have come through on all my dealings?

Can I not be called lazy? That I am five minutes late to work, does that qualify me as not serious? Maybe, I am getting these all wrong; but I feel we need to stop pressuring ourselves with all the binds we face at every point in our lives. 

That man likes to be with a light-skinned woman. Can he make his choice without us screaming colorism?  Can baby showers still be because they were started in the first place, not because it is about two people trying to force genders on a child about to be born due to societal constructs? A whole lot to talk about.

We all need to live. Nothing more, the rules help us on one side, and they constrict us on another. These are my thoughts, and you are free to have yours too. Can I hear some of them?

 

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