QUARANTINE LIFE: SUNDAY THOUGHTS

A recent, and very brief Twitter exchange gave credence to often given hood advice: "Don't START nuthin', won't BE nuthin'."

After I got a good laugh about the quick wit of one brave, young activist, and read about the better-than-Hollywood plot twist of the matter, all I could think of was the last, anguished words of a fictional villain:

"You cursed brat! Look what you've done! I'm melting! Melting! What a world...what a world! Who would have thought a good little girl like you could destroy my beautiful wickedness?"

With a few cleverly chosen words, a good little contemporary, non-fictional girl may have helped bring an end to the suffering of others, and she wasn't even trying. 

It was all a lesson in picking your battles, how much words matter, the danger, and backfiring tendency of social media recklessness, minding one's own business, and not overestimating one's own importance. 

Folk don't like it when they can't get under your skin as easily as they used to--or at all. It's not that you don't take people seriously, it's just that their attempts to rattle, challenge, or even embarrass you just don't hit like they may have in the past. 

Bullies really don't like it when they can't bully. 

The inability to control the likes, wants, or opinions of others; to impress them, and gain their approval, can lead to a lot of mean-spirited behavior, sarcasm, snark, antagonism, and even annoying religiosity. To want so desperately to have an effect on others, but realize they view you as harmless, ignorant, or even a clown, has to sting.

To see others prosper, and be respected, particularly those who managed to do so in spite of opposition and mistreatment, has to be infuriating for an insecure, abusive person. They try to humiliate, and fail miserably. How pathetic when the prey pities, takes down, or even laughs at the predator? 

Sometimes, it's best to just humor people. Let them think they have the upper hand, and with that hand, they dig deeper holes for themselves. They can't take what they dish out. They pick fights with those they don't think will dare fight back. They're so preoccupied with owning those with whom they disagree, that they make careless, boneheaded moves, and get burned not once (once was scorching enough), but twice. Not only that, they put themselves on the radar of their actual enemies.

It’s hard to inspire envy of your stuff when you're not free to enjoy, or use it.

This would be as good a year as any to use one’s vast resources for good.