"Dumb and... Well, Dumber"

by Mastiff

If you notice the overuse of the word "dumb" in this article, you will simply have to grin and bear it. Hopefully, after all this time you'll still grin, and while "bearing it" might be a tall order, I ask your patience.

Over the last four or five years, I've certainly done some dumb things. First, I moved out west, which in itself is quite wonderful. I have lived in many places, travelled muchly, and believe this present location is one of the most beautiful of all. However, I damned sure did some dumb things along the way.

First, I came out for a particular job. I should have been wary of all it entailed. Oh sure, it started out easily enough, but it very soon became clear that it was actually multiple jobs. I'd already quit writing articles for the Voice, and logging onto IRC, but unless I wanted to give up such leisure activities as taking a dump or showering, I simply had no time left. Don't get me wrong, I love my job. But as things get busier, I tend to smell worse and worse.

So, you might ask, "How did you get to the new place?" Well, that involves the second category of dumb, as I drove. I drove twice, in fact. I had good reason, or so it seemed at the time. The first trip was a solo effort, and since there was a state on the "unvisited" list in the middle, the route chosen was through Nebraska. For folks who haven't crossed the Cornhusker State lengthwise, drive across the most desolate part of your state to get an idea of how dumb it is to do this. In fact, drive back and forth about sixty-three times... then you'll get the idea. The next trip was to have some time off with the family. Just think Chevy Chase and the image of the trip will form in your mind. Then add a cantankerous house cat, a wild baby squirrel, and a big houseplant
Yep... dumb.

The highlight of the trip, from the dubious slant of this article, came in Arizona. I had the outstanding idea of setting up a picture of myself, perched high upon the ledge of a gorgeous rock formation. Climbing up for the photo shoot was easy as a red silk in a paga tavern. And WHAT a picture! To this day, it is in the album... along with the next shot - of my quizzical expression as I considered how in the hell I was going to get back down. Oh, look! Sand!... a soft landing, and hey, it only looks like a long drop, right?

Wrong. Dumb on both counts. It WAS a long drop, the "soft sand" was hardscrabble, and I had an ankle swollen up like a balloon. So, my slave (who is now my Free Companion... call that dumb at your own risk)... had to drive the next 500 miles to Las Vegas. Live and learn? Probably not.

So, we made it. Of course, the one bedroom apartment I'd been staying in wouldn't fit all of us, so the next move was to buy a house. But, for those of you who have been to a "doggle" at my place... or places... you'll remember that I'd just purchased an old fixer. I still had the other house I'd bought in the Midwest, too. At the time we reached the West Coast, one was under contract, the other looked like an easy sell... so... time to go ahead and grab that old beauty right on the river, right? Dumb... three mortgages, three insurance policies, and three tax bills to pay for... you guessed it, almost *three* years.

I could go on, because examples abound, but I need to get on to "dumber". As I mentioned previously, I dropped off most webboards, IRC, and quit meeting anyone new. Is that dumb? No, not really. Time away can be good, and I've always kept up with my particular group, brothers and friends. Meeting new Gorean people, however, was nearly non-existent. Is that the "dumber" of which I speak? No... it isn't.

My particular "dumber" came about well before I took my hiatus. There are many Gorean men and women out there I have never met, or with whom I have barely spoken, due to the assinine labels placed on individuals by someone who had influence. Were some of the labels accurate? Certainly. The lamers, gamers, HNGs, and worse... the predators... are out there. Are there times when you need to place trust in friends, brothers, and people in your chosen group? Of course... but, if you can also check things out yourself, I recommend it.

As Goreans, we tend to have strong opinions on various subjects, but our core values should run along basically the same lines. Heated discussions and debates occur, as they should, but as long as the main principles are shared, let's just quit with the labels.

Finally, and most importantly, let us - as a whole or within our various groups - never again do the dumbest thing of all: raising up an individual to such a status that he can brand a person or a group of people, with no questions being asked. I implore you all not to do this, because I can speak from experience... the experience of blindly accepting the "stamp of disapproval" placed by another, without ever making the effort to come to a conclusion of my own.

That, my readers, isn't just dumb... it's... well, dumber.

I wish you well,

Mastiff