I have come to a conclusion ... and maybe others have come to it a long time ago, but I just came to it tonite. I have come to realize that as I get more and more into the media field .... I find myself understanding more and more about people, their lives, what they experience, how they perceive things, etc ...it has made me an amateur anthropologist. For those who don't know, an anthropologist is someone who studies cultures. The goal isn't to change these cultures but to understand them ... at least that's my goal.

Dealing with mostly people from this country (the US), I don't get to see or hear about things that go on in other countries a lot ... but I am finding out more and more that they aren't much different. What is different, though, is what people will openly admit to and what is "supposed" to be kept secret. People do awful (IMO) things to their kids in other countries ... they do them here, too, just in different ways and in ways that are "acceptable". What's acceptable where varies wildly.

I think that part of my being misunderstood is because I have always been this way ... having an opinion but by and large keeping my judgements to myself (opinions become judgements when they are voiced in such a way as to promote change). Most of the time, when asked for my opinion, I state it in such a way (at least I try) that I convey that this is my opinion (and perhaps my opinion alone) and that they are free to say, do and think what they like even if they disagree with me. I often add "just my 2 cents" or "your mileage may vary" as a disclaimer against a person thinking that I'm trying to tell them what they should or shouldn't do.

I'm not perfect and I'll never claim to be perfect ... what I am, though, is one who strives for perfection ... or at least whatever my perception of perfection is in a particular situation. Most people, it seems, don't understand this as they are happy with mediocrity. Oh well.