One of my friends recently joined a secret society which got me thinking about the concept of secret societies altogether. Well that and watching the DaVinci code this evening and being confronted by the scumbagtologists on Main street the other day. I am so scared of the blond one. He scares me like Malachai from Children of the Corn.

To me anything that must remain a group secret and is not a matter of security is unreasonably suspect in nature. Especially when the secret is not a shared secret about some incidence experienced by all the members of the group but rather a secret which is in essence purchased from a group new members. If anything is truthworthy or morally upstanding it should be able sustain transparency and yet still survive. Secret beliefs lead to things like old boys networks and the Scientologists, or in worse forms Jones Town.

I am especially not a fan of anything where you donate money to gain stature and access to additional secret beliefs, regardless of the method of payment.

When I was debating about this with some friends they said Christian churches are like this because of tithing, etc. I actually think there are two major differences that separate the main stream christian churches and secret societies like the scientologists.

1. There are not levels of being christian in the main stream churches at least. You either believe in Jesus or not. There is no Jesus level 38 ultra super master.

2. The bible is not a secret. Its free to see and it is generally the full belief set of the religion. You don't have to pay for it by chapter and there are not secrets beliefs that you have to swear to not tell other people for fear they won't buy the book.

3. I find it hard to believe that say the episcopalians would turn anyone away for being poor. I can't say the same for the scientologists.
Paying for secrets is such an easy way to manipulate people.

This is in reference to (e:metalpeter,46343)

I think stereotypes evolved from the human need for the compartmentalization of sensory input. I am not saying the power structures that be don't take advantage of their subject's stereotypes in order to "control, police, and maintain systems of power." I just don't think they are created solely as a means for that.

As an example, I have steroetypes about types of food I like and don't like, which in turn affects the food choices I make and what I am willing to try. These are based soley on personal experience and no one is forcing those on me.

Now I now a flavor stereotype is worlds apart from a social stereotype but my point i sthat personal experince can also lead to sterotype creation and that not all stereotypes are pushed on an individual from outside influences. I am not saying the media doesn't reinforce social steroetypes or play a huge role in their proliferation, I just doubt they would not exist - even in the absense of the media or power structures.

Ridiculous Abstract Example
Okay, this is so contrived but lets say I was a blue person and all of a sudden I ended up in purple person territory and I was the first blue person to ever have contact with purple people. Furthermore, lets say that everytime I see a purple person they give me a hug and some food. After a few encounters I would assume that purple people are friendly. This is a stereotype but it was not necessarily informed by the social structure at hand or by any media, rather by personal interaction.

I realize that we don't ever really exist in a vacuum, however, I am often willing to let cultural stereotypes go in favor of ones from personal experience - or at least to give personal experience a chance before believeing in stereotypes of others.

Getting Real
Let's use a real example from my personal stereotype portfolio. Poor, inner-city black people begging for money in and around Allentown and the Elmwood Village. There is defiantely a prevalent social stereotype for these people that favors avoiding them. When I first started visiting the city I was so friendly with that group - I refused to believe in the stereotype because I didn't have that experience myself. I thought all the people telling me to avoid them were stuck up. You can ask anyone I am friends with, I was a sucker for the street person sad story.

I always gave them all money and I genuinely felt bad for them. Over time, living in the city, I have learned through personal expereince that it is in my better interest to avoid contact with all of them. I have been both physically and verbally harassed and had my house robbed by them. The robber actually asked me for $.50 to get to medina to see his "pregnant girlfriend" like 10 minutes before he robbed my house two years ago. Then this year he robbed at least two of my neighbors houses. Next time that guy asks me for money on the street I am going to have a hard time not punching him in the face.

At this point when I see a poorer looking black person approaching me on Allen, I completely avoid them. This would easily expand to white people if I had a bad experience with them. One time I even pretended to only speak german, during which the guy followed me for like 4 blocks continually harassing me - eventually I just ran. So ya, some people who are truly down and out are no longer going to get my charity, but I on the other hand am upping my personal safety by avoiding that group as a whole.

Does anyone else have personal steroeotypes they would like to share?

I just scored this real mica, real bamboo, real metal lamp shade for
$2.49 at the Salvation Army.

I didn't find a costume though. After years of wearing a nearly
salvation army exclusive wardrobe, I find myself totally grossed out
by the idea of trying dirty used clothes on. I think finding so much
cat hair really did it.

So I am down to Caesar with toga or Adam with a giant leaf from the
front yard sewn to some fabric. Or maybe something else, who knows.

They wern't pregnant after all so it is okay to post this now.

me:
are you preggers?

them:
im gonna take a test tomorrow to make sure
but i think not
I've had my period
and havent done it in way long
and on the pill
its the christ child!!!!!!
ok gotta go
drink wine
and kill the christ baby

I guess i always depended on my brother (e:mike) for my pharmaceutical needs.

I wrote him this letter on 02/06/1997 when I was living in Flensburg Germany. Apparently, I have always been a whiny bitch about my health. Even in the years I thought I was the healthiest, lol. Poor (e:mike), how did you deal with me?

Mike,
I like opti-free better because it is alaso a rinse. I realize I am also out of neosporin. Thanks. The bracelet maker is somewhere in the attic but it is not in my boxes because it went up there long before I left. Like in the 9th grade. I got it when I was in middle school. When should I go to Italy? Jenny thinks perhaps the 21 feb to the 6th of march. I can stay longer. Tomorrow night is a big party and I have to woork the bar between 2-3 am and 4-5am. That is going to be impossible seeings as I don't even know how to serve drinks in engligh during the middle of the afternoon when I am not tired.

I have some sort of fungal foot infection. I really, however, don't think it is atheletees foot. When I went to the pharmacy he tried to sell me expensive spray. But it is the same thing as the spray I have from Vix. I think it is cheaper to go to the doctor. Do you go to a foot doctor or general practicioner for this? If it does not get better soon I am just going to go to the hospital. My knee is swollen now and it hurts to go up and down steps. I have the name of a doctor but I have to find his phonenumer and I can't find it in the phoenbook. This is all so tragic. I also want to go to the dentist because my teeth need to be cleaned so bad that they are rotting out of my head. I think what happend is that I jept on putting everything off till it all has to be done now Just thought you coul duse a little compaling to make this email as authentic as me being there.

VEGAN

First of all, I have no idea why I asked all of these medical questions of my brother. Especially considering he was 14 in 1997. Maybe he knew he had a pharmacy future. I think if he ever applies to pharmacy school, he should take this letter with him as proof that he has been "working in the field" since age 14, lol.

The fungal infection never killed me. In fact it was some sort of food allergy/reaction according to the doctor. It was not fungal but rather consisted of red spots on my feet and then later hands. It went away after I stopped eating pistachios. I used to eat like 10 million of them but frankly I think it was something else. It will always be a mystery because it never happend again. At least not yet.

On another note, I seriously cannot believe that I signed ever letter/email with the name VEGAN. Now I was totally commited to being vegan for about 5-6 years but I can't believe I used it as my name, or worse that it was all signed in capital letters. Thank god I never had enough money for the giant VEGAN tatoo across my back.