I have to vent.

This is probably not the appropriate forum, and this is probably not the appropriate message to post on the internet for all to see.

But I seriously, every day it seems, have to repress negative emotions ranging from simple distaste to utter disgust with friends, family, coworkers, or strangers.

Some of you must share these same observations, at least sometimes.

My father communicates to me on one level, and that is forwarding me right-wing fan mail, aka Obama hate mail - mixed with praise Jesus hogwash. If I make any reply, it is ignored. No matter how detailed, or vague and short, I am intellectually brushed off his shoulder as if I was dirt. As if, my opinion, since I am a 24 year old atheist "know-it-all", isn't worth discussing - but his xenophobic, compartmentalized one is.

As another case, take my friend from work. Not to be mean, but, he's 31 and a couple of years ago got his GED, has a 19 year old girlfriend, whom he is having a baby with near their one year anniversary (they've already moved in together). This guy thinks that, A) A baby is no big deal, and uses no contraceptives and B) He will buy a house next year...

Where do I work? Mr. Jim's Pizza. I deliver pizza, and get paid minimum wage. This guy makes less money than me, and spends it constantly going out to eat, buying movies, etc. With all that background you must have some opinion of him, and half the time I say something to try to plant seeds in his head, or spark discussion, I am also scoffed at as if I am weird, or take things too seriously and need to "chill out."

Now, on the opposite side of the spectrum, you have my two "close" friends, who are my age, who went to school with me, and who both make more money than me. Similar to work friend, and my father, the only thing they can discuss is television. I don't watch it. With anybody I know, when I attempt to talk about things I think about (philosophical, political, historical, whichever) it is "boring" to all of them. What drives me, makes me read till 5 in the morning or later, boooooooores everybody else. What bores me, TV, consumerism, abercrombie and white rim sunglasses, shallow pleasures, is all that drives them.

I need some outlet for discussion, because I talk to myself way too often, and I suppose that is why I love this forum...but...is it healthy to have to rely on this grey combination of electronics for intellectual socializing?

And do any of you have friends or family to which you can relate with mine? Thanks for readin'!

Well I try to watch myself to make sure I don't commit any of the same "crimes" that a zealot might. I do try to relate things to my friend from work, and being friends with him as helped me to better understand "people" and forced me to hold my tongue. He will say some of the most off the wall racist things, or talk about a particular political topic (rarely - very rarely) and he will be so off the mark, IMHO, that I just let it slide.

I want my friends to ask questions, but I fear my questioning drives them towards hatred of questioning. As in the case of my close friend, and girlfriend, who are or were full time students, they no longer learn because they never learned to on their own or without some grade based objective. I do not venture into territories I know will peak no interest, but I have managed (once, recently even) to get my work friend to ask me about my thoughts on retirement...and I was able to bring up social security obligations, baby boomers, wall street, but only in quick snips - otherwise he zones out.

Rarely, I have achieved similar conversations with my close friends; the occasions where they actually are engaged in conversation for five minutes. Most of the time, though, the conversation is about girls this or that, television, cars, sports, whatever that happens in mass media that doesn't matter in reality is discussed. That is normal.

What I want to do, and try to do, and not just preach to a choir on philosophy forum where I know people are smart already, is to introduce learning to those who abstain from it now - the people who get sucked into TV and BS because of it's 30 seconds of sensory stimulation and ease of boredom.

Does that put me on a moral high horse? I hope not. I don't think these people are "idiots" and they all have decent motivations.

It may help to understand in the case of my closest friend, I have known him 20 years, and his parents immigrated from Jordan, and are Palestinian. He has been to Jordan several times, is a Muslim, graduated #4 or so in our class, perfect grades, good job, yadda yadda...

You would think we might have more discussions about our culture, his parents, the clash of the two, resources that we count on from his part of the world, etc...guess not...

One friend I had/have, whom I would call an intellectual "equal," is also on/off as yours are. Right now I haven't spoken to him in a year or so, but we would have the most detailed conversations.

He recommended I ditch all my friends, too, as they were "dumb." But, I see potential in everyone I know. Everyone has the potential to learn, IMHO. But, some say, I am a glutton for punishment. Perhaps I am too easily exploited with idealistic aspirations .

Well I try to watch myself to make sure I don't commit any of the same "crimes" that a zealot might. I do try to relate things to my friend from work, and being friends with him as helped me to better understand "people" and forced me to hold my tongue. He will say some of the most off the wall racist things, or talk about a particular political topic (rarely - very rarely) and he will be so off the mark, IMHO, that I just let it slide.

I want my friends to ask questions, but I fear my questioning drives them towards hatred of questioning. As in the case of my close friend, and girlfriend, who are or were full time students, they no longer learn because they never learned to on their own or without some grade based objective. I do not venture into territories I know will peak no interest, but I have managed (once, recently even) to get my work friend to ask me about my thoughts on retirement...and I was able to bring up social security obligations, baby boomers, wall street, but only in quick snips - otherwise he zones out.

Rarely, I have achieved similar conversations with my close friends; the occasions where they actually are engaged in conversation for five minutes. Most of the time, though, the conversation is about girls this or that, television, cars, sports, whatever that happens in mass media that doesn't matter in reality is discussed. That is normal.

What I want to do, and try to do, and not just preach to a choir on philosophy forum where I know people are smart already, is to introduce learning to those who abstain from it now - the people who get sucked into TV and BS because of it's 30 seconds of sensory stimulation and ease of boredom.

Does that put me on a moral high horse? I hope not. I don't think these people are "idiots" and they all have decent motivations.

It may help to understand in the case of my closest friend, I have known him 20 years, and his parents immigrated from Jordan, and are Palestinian. He has been to Jordan several times, is a Muslim, graduated #4 or so in our class, perfect grades, good job, yadda yadda...

You would think we might have more discussions about our culture, his parents', the clash of the two, resources that we count on from his part of the world, etc...guess not...

... My father communicates to me on one level, and that is forwarding me right-wing fan mail, aka Obama hate mail - mixed with praise Jesus hogwash.

... he's 31 and a couple of years ago got his GED, has a 19 year old girlfriend, whom he is having a baby with near their one year anniversary (they've already moved in together). This guy thinks that, A) A baby is no big deal, and uses no contraceptives and B) He will buy a house next year...

... the only thing they can discuss is television. I don't watch it. With anybody I know, when I attempt to talk about things I think about (philosophical, political, historical, whichever) it is "boring" to all of them. What drives me, makes me read till 5 in the morning or later, boooooooores everybody else. What bores me, TV, consumerism, abercrombie and white rim sunglasses, shallow pleasures, is all that drives them.

And when I say subtle, its more as though you are working the issue through with him rather than just blatantly telling him this or that is wrong, or even more letting it slide. Thinking about it, people in general have a propensity to feel as though they are contributing to something, whatever that something may be. They want to be a part of the solution. But when it comes to blunt lecturing or correction, you get a substantially negative reaction.

LOL! It sounds like I'm waiting with bated anticipation for any sort of philosophically oriented bone to be thrown my way.

As to your closest friend, I would think if anything, he would want to keep a low profile on his origins, religious identity, etc. Not because he wants to stay low, but to avoid forms of exoticism and so on. If I were him, I would like to be known more as John Smith your friend than John Smith, your fellow friend who is Muslim. But honestly, I don't know anything about your relationship with your friend, that's just a superficial take on it.

Do you think all criticisms like this are some subconsciously derived projection mr. Sun?

I need some outlet for discussion, because I talk to myself way too often, and I suppose that is why I love this forum...but...is it healthy to have to rely on this grey combination of electronics for intellectual socializing?

And do any of you have friends or family to which you can relate with mine? Thanks for readin'!