“And the sign said long haired freaky people need not apply.” (Five Man Electrical Band) The words you just read is the first line of a song written and preformed back in 1970. They are the kind of words that stick in my mind and then pop up every once in a while from out of nowhere. As with many songs from that era, these words demonstrate the turmoil of the time. There was a lot of strife and unrest in America. There was the Viet Nam war. Hippies. The civil rights movement was in full swing. Drugs were playing a more visible roll in our society than ever before. Just about all authority was despised and the “establishment” was the ultimate bad guy. Policemen were “pigs.” The sexual revolution was ramping up. Bras were being burned as a sign of women’s freedom. (As I wrote that sentence another, more recent, song just popped into my head, “A heart don’t forget something like that.” (Tim McGraw)) Etc.etc.etc.
I don’t remember everything that was going on, as I came along toward the end of most of it, having entered high school in 1970. The thing is the words of songs played a huge part in describing the feelings of those involved in the times. Nothing has changed in that regard. Songs, movies, books, and television will always address the issues of the day.
Getting back to the words I began with its amazing to realize that no matter how things have changed, they seem to have stayed the same. I mean look at what those words say. They say that, as a person I have a view of how things are, or should be. They say I have a preconceived idea or prejudice about people, or things, based on their appearance. This discussion fits quiet well in the “it ain’t right but it’s so” category.
I was reminded all over again this morning that things are not always right, but they are still so. The home page for sbc global on Yahoo has a story this morning with this lead-in. “Why taller people earn more money” Here are a few of the things written in the article.
“Taller people are perceived to be more intelligent and powerful,”
“They’re not nicer. They’re not prettier. They’re not anything else. But they’ve sort of gotten a halo in society at this point.”
Being tall may boost self-confidence, helping to make a person more successful and also prompting people to ascribe more status and respect to the tall person, Judge said.
Here is the link to the story if you want to read it for yourself. http://news.yahoo.com/s/livescience/20090711/sc_livescience/tallerpeopleearnmoremoney
I remember another song from the seventies titled, Short People, it was written by Randy Newman, and it was written to show the absurdity of making prejudice judgments.
Short people got no reason
Short people got no reason
Short people got no reason
To live
They got little hands
Little eyes
They walk around
Tellin’ great big lies
They got little noses
And tiny little teeth
They wear platform shoes
On their nasty little feet
Well, I don’t want no short people
Don’t want no short people
Don’t want no short people
`Round here
Short people are just the same
As you and I
(A fool such as I)
All men are brothers
Until the day they die
(It’s a wonderful world)
Short people got nobody
Short people got nobody
Short people got nobody
To love
They got little baby legs
That stand so low
You got to pick em up
Just to say hello
They got little cars
That go beep, beep, beep
They got little voices
Goin’ peep, peep, peep
They got grubby little fingers
And dirty little minds
They’re gonna get you every time
Well, I don’t want no short people
Don’t want no short people
Don’t want no short people
‘Round here
Here’s the point folks, everyone fits into somebody’s prejudice category. From a short persons prejudice, I can put all tall people into the snob category. It’s just that simple, everyone fits into a category based on the perception they hold and deem as true. Below are a few categories, test yourself and be honest with your feelings.
White people are…
Skinny people are…
Short people are…
Polish people are…
Blond women are…
Democrats are…
Athletes are…
Geeks are…
Girls with big boobs are…
Rich people are…
You get my point, and the list is endless. Now the thing is friends I find myself having to “break-thought” everyday as I witness a situation, or see an individual who I immediately try to, or want to, prejudge. This blog turned out a little heavier than I intended. It would be nice to start the week with some lite-hearted fare, but what can I say, my button got pushed. Let’s wrap things up with two passages describing two leaders, and then see who turned out the best.
I Samuel 9:2 He had a son named Saul, an impressive young man without equal among the Israelites—a head taller than any of the others.
Isaiah 53: 2 He grew up before him like a tender shoot,
and like a root out of dry ground.
He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him,
nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.
3 He was despised and rejected by men,
a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering.
Like one from whom men hide their faces
he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
The first passage talks about Israel’s first King, the one God did not want to give his people. That guy started out hiding so they wouldn’t make him King, but he ended up failing because he loved himself more than God. The second passage is about the Kingdom’s only King, Jesus. Consider His impact.
Philippians 2
1If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. 3Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. 4Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.
5Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:
6Who, being in very nature[a] God,
did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
7but made himself nothing,
taking the very nature[b] of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
8And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
and became obedient to death—
even death on a cross!
9Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
10that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.
Till next time,
Grump