"Don't Be That Guy"

A lot of times I read someone or listen to someone who writes or talks like they *know* what they are talking about, and if I do not agree with them there will be DIRE consequences. I am so sick of this. Everyone seems to think that *not only* do they know what’s going on, but that if others don’t follow what they say, those others will (a) have intolerable suffering (b) become evil or (c) both. People on opposite sides of an issue say these things. I am tired of having people say that I will descend into an unethical morass of pain if I don’t live my life exactly like they think I ought to — think, act and even feel how they believe I should. Fuck that.
I’m tired of people saying, “But if you don’t dedicate to Buddhism and really concentrate hard on meditating, you will be stuck in samsara and spend your life making everybody miserable.” I’m sick of people saying “If you don’t allow free trade and corporate globalization, the poor people will starve.” I’m sick of other people saying “The poor people will starve if you do allow free trade.” I’m sick of people saying “You’re selfish for valuing individuality” and for saying “You’re a statist authoritarian with ‘priestly morality’ for valuing altruism.” I’m sick of people telling me “One or the other, you can’t just balance things like individualism and altruism.” I’m sick of Brad Warner and I’m sick of the Ohio Working Group on Latin America and I’m sick of “Support Our Troops” bumper stickers and I’m sick of CrimethInc and John Zerzan and I even feel like beating up Thich Nhat Hanh.
AND I AM REALLY, REALLY SICK OF PEOPLE TELLING ME I’M NOT ALLOWED TO BE ANGRY.
I’m sick of the guilt for everthing that I do. I’m sick of feeling like I should be strong, and I’m sick of feeling like I should be weak. I’m sick of feeling like I should be masculine and I’m sick of feeling like I should be feminine. I’m sick of the feeling of “Don’t Be That Guy” (as my friend Will Driscoll said) extending to every “guy” I could possibly be.