Musing Mondays is a weekly meme, hosted by A Daily Rhythm,.that asks you to choose one of the following prompts to answer:- I’m currently reading…
- Up next I think I’ll read…
- I bought the following book(s) in the past week…
- I’m super excited to tell you about (book/author/bookish-news)…
- I’m really upset by (book/author/bookish-news)…
- I can’t wait to get a copy of…
- I wish I could read ___, but…
- I blogged about ____ this past week…
"I am the Black Sheep"
I cannot think of when the last my Musing Mondays post was. And my today's Musing Monday is not corresponding to that of Jenn's @ A Daily Rhythm. I'm sorry about that. And I am currently so out-of-date of book blogging activity. But I feel obliged to share recent event I was through, and the personal thought resulted from. Firstly though, I humbly thank Jenn @ A Daily Rhythm who devotedly hosts weekly memes on her blog, which is the place for other bloggers to share. And I also pass my condolence for our brothers and sisters in Paris for the recent tragedy there. Please remember, we only start being the victim of terrorism once we are afraid of the perpetrators.
What I want to share is not particularly themed about books, but the activity of reading in general. If you are not aware yet, I have lived in Indonesia since I was born. I studied International Relations for my four-year bachelor degree. Internally and externally, during this time I learned considerable subjects regarding politics of various countries and social issues and cultures of other international societies. I read literally everything from newspapers, books and internet. I don't like watching soap operas like my parents and siblings did. The only things I see on telly are national and international news portals. My past lecturers forbade students from classes, if they were not prepared by updating themselves with current issues. I didn't find this as academic burdens or responsibility, as this turned out to be my daily habit. I love reading novels, but I do not want to limit myself into fictions. I also met exchanged students from various countries in my campus. I once aimed of becoming a diplomat even though it was short-lived as the government offices in my country are full of nepotism practice.
This habit still continues til now. Thanks for the invention of smart phone, the world is now at my fingertips. I also have the routines of sharing what I got, to my sisters, my parents, and my friends. I love sharing what I learn to people. I want others to have the knowledge I have too, and it is likewise I want them to share their knowledge to me too.
But the hard reality is, sometimes things just don't go that way.
Recently I shared to my fellow blogger that I had arguments with my mother. I was able to defend my own opinion in the debate with her, where she could not. She then said I read too much that I am dared to argue with her...
She blamed the reading activity which I do, like in almost all the time in my day. I still continue reading and as I said, I gain lots of things from reading. Not only reading books, but reading articles, journals, newspapers, magazines, blogs and everything. But I didn't know that this kind of activity is what my parents would oppose. Every other parent that I know, would be discouraged of other activities like illegal drugs-addictions, shoplifting, bullying, physical violence, brawling, etc. from their children. But my parents are apparently afraid if their children have too much knowledge.
I thought that this folly would end at that time. But, no. It has to step to the next things.
I have a cousin who is a transgender. She was born a male, but she feels that she is truly female inside. If it is asked where my stance on this case is, it will be this: even though I am straight, I support and respect whatever decision she wants to take. I am never against LGBTQ people. In my opinion, there is nothing wrong with them. I always try to treat people equally, regardless their race, sex, religion, ethnicity, etc. But apparently my extended family is like the half of the people in the world who are against LGBTQ people. They do not accept my cousin and thus my parents are extremely sensitive to LGBTQ issues.
A few weeks ago, I read in some news that Japanese government has issued same-sex partner certificates. At the night when I read it, my mother called me and I immediately shared that news. And you, my friend, would not believe what my mother said in response. She directly asked me whether I was lesbian or not. Whether I was like the people on the news. I asked her why she thought of me that way? She then said that is because I have never dated or haven't had a boyfriend until now, thus she started to doubt my sexual orientation.
The other case:
As the recent development, I have updated myself with everything about the terrorism in Paris. I read news about the 13 November. I also read things regarding the IS group, how they develop, how they recruit, the former members of IS, and how the mothers of IS members are now coping. When I shared the news to my sister, here is her reaction: "Why are you reading things about IS? You're not thinking of joining them, no?"
And she was not joking when she said that. She was literally having the idea that there was possibility of me joining the militant group...
To say that I was upset to my mother and sister, is an under statement. I was and am still livid. Is this what they think of me all this time?
So the case would be: If I read something about narcotics, I must be a druggie. If I read something about cancer, I must be a cancer patient. If I read something about food recipes, I must be a cook. I f I read something about corruption, I must be a corrupter.
Is that how my family perceive READING ACTIVITY??????
I loathe how people label and stereotype others. I mean, I'm not a naive; I know that in our heads, everyone must have prejudgement toward others. But, DO WE HAVE TO DECLARE THEM ALL THE TIME? If we had to, this world must have been a hell to live. We would not give ourselves to think and examine whether other people were just like what we had judged them as or not. People would say straightly their prejudice and hate would be everywhere.
I know I would not end this case by writing in this blog and letting bloggers read. But I need to write this to other people who are not my family. I need to let it all out of my head for a second. It doesn't mean that I am against and badmouthing my family. I just want to figure out everything's going on. And it's always refreshing to hear and read others' point-of-views.
Thank you to everyone reading this post. Thank you for sparing your time to read my rant. May the force be with you (in respect of the upcoming release of Star Wars: The Force Awakens :P )
All the best,
Eryn
