Rabbit In Your Headlights

Such a pretty house

Definition: Smart vs Intelligent vs Clever

I feel that each of these terms have very distinct meanings, and are therefore not interchangeable.

Smart is knowing facts and figures, the basic cornerstone of our educational system. Typical measures of how “smart” someone are grades and SAT scores. In other words, can they learn a set of truths, rules, and regulations and apply it to a standardized test?

Intelligence is knowing worldly matters, such as having interesting perspectives on life and existence. A typical measure of how “intelligent” one is is how much ethos one holds in a discussion. Basically, would I trust his or her life advice?

Clever is knowing how to get by, not by being the fastest or strongest, but just by holding on. A typical measure of how “clever” one is is how they deal with issues that arise: do they crumble or do they find a way to carry on?

The three definitely aren’t mutually exclusive, but they exist separately as well. Everyone can name a person who has a 4.5 GPA and 2300 SAT score but can’t hold a conversation for his life. Everyone can name a person who is a wasted philosopher, who has so much potential and promise but never applies himself. Everyone can name a person who is crafty and nimble, but is not regarded by everyone as untrustworthy and “street-smart” as opposed to “book-smart.”

Clever is what I aim for.

6 Word Story

Search: “Loneliness over”
No matches found. 

A day

A day

Definition: Friend

A friend is a person who has transcended any form of pretense.

No need to make jokes. No need to talk. No need to lie. No need for approval. No need for anything in the world except for two people in everlasting peace. 

I feel many friendships revolve around doing something. “Let’s get food.” “Let’s grab a beer.” “Let’s play tennis.” There’s nothing wrong with this, as common interests are what initially draw people together. But when those interests change from being a shared activity to the only thing holding the entire relationship together, I feel like that is an issue.

People become tools when relationships are defined as verbs. I too am very guilty of this method of using people. I still believe that you should not have to invent an excuse to spend time with another. What disgusts is viewing friendships as quotas, as opposed to people.

“I saw David yesterday, now I don’t have to see him for another week.” “I need to get Pearl Milk Tea with Emily before I go to China.” “I don’t want to see The Dark Knight, by myself, I might as well ask John to go with me.” In each of these cases, the people could be replaced with almost anyone else. They aren’t people, they are functions. A food buddy, a dancing buddy, a movie buddy. When you can substitute virtually any able body for your activities, are you really friends?

People aren’t a checklist, a quota to be filled, a list to be finished. I wish that we could all just cut the pretense and just admit it. 

I want to spend time with you.

Of course, this is in an ideal world. But life doesn’t work like that does it dear?

Definition: Good

A good person is one who picks up trash for the unseen janitor. There is no external acknowledgement, no tangible reward, and no sense of praise. There is only a pair of tired hands lessening the burden of another.

There is no thank you. There is no gold sticker. There is nothing whatsoever but yourself.

You have to live with you. You keep track of your every movement, your every action. You forgive yourself for faults, and praise yourself for virtue. You are the universe, experiencing itself.

And for that, I pick up the goddamn trash.

TLDR: Stop littering.

Definition: Special (Part 1 of many)

I can say with almost complete confidence that I will never finish defining this term.

This word, more than love, truth, or happiness, is the most important term for me to define. The term has permeated every nuance of my being, ravaging me emotionally and physically. I will never be done, nor do I particularly want to be done with my greatest challenge.

From a young age, almost every person is called special. “You’re a very special boy.” “You’re very special to me.” “You alone, are unique.”

One in a million still leaves 7 billion exactly like you. The typical cynic would respond that if everyone is special, then no one is. I used to follow this creed, and then through the help of someone important, shied away from such blaring declarations of nihilism.

Special doesn’t mean unique to all the world. It doesn’t mean a specific function, quirk, or identity. It doesn’t mean a pocket of isolated time trapped in limbo.

Special means yours.

Definition: Strangers

Strangers are people who have no social obligation to you.

The ironic part about getting closer to someone is that it also can pull you further away from his or her true opinions. Our friends, family, and lovers will bleat endlessly about how exemplary we were at something, but we really have no idea about their true feelings. We will never truly know for certain about how those most important to us really feel in a way we could consider existentially satisfying.

Strangers are different. Strangers don’t care about you. Strangers don’t spare your feelings. Strangers don’t want your affection, nor your disgust. Strangers are something brutal, something vicious, something true.

We should care about what strangers think. We should care because for once, we know it is the truth.

Let’s be strangers.