What is real?

Thoughts

In today's postmodern age where we deconstruct and reconstruct the meanings behind the things that our forefathers took for granted as being solid, is there a basement we can reach where deconstruction and reconstruction end?  Is there an ending to the questioning?  Or is questioning the only way to establish what is real?  A lot of my friends are of the idea that each person constructs their own reality.  It is their right and privilege to view the world through whatever lens that makes sense to them at the time they are living.  If this is true, that we all construct what is real, what happens when someone's view of reality severely conflicts with another person's view?  Let's be a little extreme here:  Jeffery Dalmer, at one time in his life, thought it is not only right, but fitting, to rape and then eat young Filipino boys.  My guess is that this view of reality contradicts most other people's view of what is real.  But if you take the argument that each person has a right to feel and think the way they do, then where do we stop?  You can't stop, if you think every person has that right.  Between the two bookmarks of what each person thinks is right and what each person thinks is real, can lie any philosophy ranging from Ghandi's view of nonviolence to Hitler's master race.  The idea that reigns in our culture now, if it feels right, do it, or no one has a right to tell a person what they can or cannot do is alright in theory but not in practice.  How can you live in a world where someone may see your child and decide it's time for a little sodomy and abduction if you follow this way of thinking.  If someone says that pigs can fly, that doesn't they actually can or even that it would be a good idea.  In practicality, and in no offense to any Americans reading this blog, America would not be the country it is today if the forefathers took this view of "I'm okay and you're okay" with the Indians, Mexicans and other people who were here first.  Maybe it would be a better place, but the reality of what you know now would be very different.  Maybe you wouldn't be the most powerful nation on earth.  Let's move to a smaller way of looking at this.  If the state of Texas was founded by people with that mindset, then Texas would not be Texas.  It would not be the Lone Star state.  Its motto woould be that the state is just like any of the others, equally worthy and no different from Kansas or Maine or Kentucky.  But if you know a Texan, you know that's just not true.  Or at least they don't think it's true.  So then, this philosophy of deconstructing and reconstructing seems to be applied to some things and not to others.  It is like being a little bit pregnant.  You either are or you're not.  If reality is a fixed thing, with one central truth, then it has to be that.  Or there is no truth at all.  Tell me what you think if you have any thoughts.


Ponderings

I speak with an accent.  It is not a speech impediment.  It is an accent.  If I was at home, I would be speaking like everyone else.  Let me tell you a true story.  Before I was about to see my first clients, I had a meeting with my supervisor, who shall remain unnamed.  Not because she was a bad supervisor because she's not, but because I have a great deal of respect and honor for her.  But she had to give me some painful truth.  She said, "Adrian, how shall I put this?  Here at the clinic, we see a lot of . . . hicks.  Perhaps we should help you to be more understood by them."  She "suggested" I go to the speech clinic on campus to help me with my accent.  So at this speech clinic, I was filling out their paperwork, and I found out what they were going to do for me was called "accent modification."  It began with a young lady looking down my throat to see if I had any deformities.  Yes, she actually looked down my throat to see if there was anything wrong with the way I spoke.  You can tell I still have some issues with what went on at the speech lab.  But long story short, I now can pronounce my "th" and speak a little slower.  My hick clients have said, "We just love us some Adrian!"  and "I just love the way you talk!"  So maybe it worked out for the best.  But there is a part of me that is still a little bitter.  I mean, if you guys can say "y'all" why can't I say tird (third)??  I mean, you do know that you have an accent, right?  I mean, do you think we'll be talking in heaven that way?  Okay, that was a low blow.  Sorry, I got a little carried away.  So why don't we all appreciate the accents?  Me with my sexy Caribbean accent and you with your time-sensitive "y'all.