Lifestyle Choices

I was waiting for a movie and there was nothing else playing that I cared to watch or hadn't already seen at least 349023908 times, so I flipped over to the On Demand channels and watched an episode of Sex and the City.

Honestly, while I enjoyed the first few seasons, I remember it getting tired toward the end, and all of the episodes they are showing are from season six, when it was pretty much stale. Carrie Bradshaw's voice and "clever" puns grate my nerves. Still, the episode had a very good point which I've discussed here from time to time.

In it, Carrie went over to one of her married friend's place and the chick asked her to take off her shoes before entering (I hate that - so pretentious!). While at the party, some skank stole Carrie's shoes! When Carrie tried to find them, the woman was defensive and refused to pay her the full price for the shoes, saying, "I shouldn't have to pay for your extravagant lifestyle." Obviously, this was infuriating, but we all know people like that.

I often discuss personal responsibility here and how things like addiction are more lifestyle choices than disease. Face it: you can choose not to "contract" the addiction "disease." It offends me that people with mental/emotional issues are treated like lepers, while fatties and dopefiends are handled with kid gloves. But at the end of the day, I realize that the amount of money I spend on comic books and entertainment makes some people balk. I can understand when they speak amongst themselves and say things like, "Well, he'd have more money if he didn't spend it all on comic books and games."

But the truth is that the only difference between my spending money on comics and some crackhead is that the crackhead gets a golden ticket because he has a "disease." In the episode, Carrie's friend shames her for spending so much on shoes, telling her that she can no longer afford such luxuries because she "got a real life" - with kids, houses, and so forth. Well, that was her choice! She has no right to shame Carrie for having different goals and values! And similarly, my choice is to spend money on comic books and other entertainment. It may be extravagant to some and they may find my choice of entertainment "silly" or childish, etc., but it is what it is and it is my choice to make.

I could stop spending so much on comic books, but what would I do all month long? I love my comic book days! And the truth is that my recent financial straits have nothing to do with my priorities and everything to do with Charter Communications ripping me off. And I've been telling them that for over a year now, so there's no excuse for it. But I digress.

I maintain that addicts choose their lifestyle; addiction is a lifestyle choice, not a disease. Yes, addiction is a real thing and yes, I suppose it can be called a "disease" after a certain point, but when it gets to that point, the addict continuing to go along with his "disease" is like a cancer patient who refuses to undergo treatment - in fact, it's exactly like that because that's what it is: the addict is refusing to get treatment and that is a choice!

Excepting such extreme lifestyles though, we really should be more accepting of others' choices in life and lifestyle. Americans have always judged people according to "traditional" values and goals and single people have always been discriminated against because of this. I would like to have a family one day, but I don't have one right now, so if I want to drop $100+ a month on comic books, that's My Thing, you dig? That you think I should be saving it or spending it on dating or whatever else does not mean you have the right to dictate such provisions; whether or not you agree with how I spend my money or live my life is not the issue - you should respect my decisions.

If my comic books were stolen from your house, you need to cough-up the fair market value for them! I felt so bad for Carrie...

Okay, I guess I'm babbling now, but do you get what I'm saying? There really is a point to all of this somewhere.

© C Harris Lynn, 2008