This past year, with the election and the increasing amount of partisan allegiance has made division among even the least political of my friends. My brother always tells the people he is dating when he takes them to meet me "oh my brother doesn't give a S%&* don't worry (as in doesn't care about your political believe, sexual orientation, etc). The truth is, I don't care. Heck we can have an debate on what you think is better and I will debate what I think is better. I can, even after such conversation, still be the best of friends. Unfortunately, what I see more and more, among people who have these so call "civil" debate, is no longer debating which policy or action is more effective in solving our problem, but rather it is about virtual signaling and moral lecturing.
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When I was growing up, I was very much unaware of the "slight of hand" technic that people use in an argument to claim moral superiority by saying stuff like "come on, you cant possibly (not agree with me)". To create the perception that everyone is on board and some how I'm on my own against the world. Clearly not the case. Another way, I see often is people using social manipulation is to speak on things through a self indoctrinated morality lens, as if there is an universal define list of morality standards. By claiming moral superiority in argument is essentially saying "I'm a better human being than you, and you are going to hell for thinking the way you think".
Political correctness and hypersensitivity is the new religion of intolerance.
first time running the Jefferson Forest Road
Imagine back in the era of religious wars, where people are damning each other, and some still do, for not being part of their religion. Different rules arise from different conflicts in the religions people practice, from gay being vilified to individuals having different customs that somehow offends those who are not the same ideal as you. They operate on the same moral high ground and virtue signaling to create group bullying environment.
first run of my dual sport 2015
Fast forward to 2017, we have came a long way to the new world. The reborn religion are all becoming much more accepting, whether due to social or economic pressure or the greater capacity of human love; we have grew. Yet, I digress a lot of us have just found a different religion to be intolerant of others.
Rampart Range Road 2017 Summer
Many of the extreme ideology has become mainstream, if they are politically correct. Portraying men as bumbling fools, is main stream and politically correct. Portraying men as dispensable utility that can be use and picked off at the whim of the female partner through the 'proper victimization' narrative is consider also mainstream and okay to put on full display. Most people I see operate on a victimization platform. If they benefit from victimization they will promote it. I dare not say that they are aware of their action as biased and unjust, but I would be confident to say, they look no further than their benefits.
jeep trail by blue ridge mountains
Ms. Fisher was having a debate with me on the Trump presidency, and how it will be the end of free speech and mass censoring. Yet, as I told her, "that hell you speak of, that you fear? that is the life that the republicans already live in, in the last 15 years". "Look at Ben Shapiro, Milo Yiaanopolis, and any other conservative movement, they have been ban off campuses, silenced by angry mobs". She was shocked, when I propose of these things that have happened already for the "other side". Now I'm not promoting these political pundits, and some of their talk is not very agreeable with me, but they have the same right to an audience without violence or verbal assault. She simply don't know what she doesn't know.
Mount Evans Road 2017 Summer
I'm not saying there are no racist, bigots and white supremacist. I am fully aware of these things. In fact, we live it daily. Jacque was telling me how her home town South Dakota is very open minded. But how would she know? She is a pretty white girl growing up in midwest America. Has she gone into a bar and be completely dismissed and feel invisible because you were of the wrong color? Have she got pulled over and then be asked to give them your ssn and treated like an illegal immigrant? Have she suffer the broken home and hardship of language barriers of immigrants? I'm not faulting her for it, but how can one know what they don't know? If they don't know, how can they understand? They don't. So naturally, her outlook is rainbows and butterflies.
There are alot of things I do not know in this life. In fact, there are so many customs I do not understand. One thing is for certain is that I will not understand living here in Maryland.
As a counselor, I dedicated my life to understanding people from all walks of life. So to combine vices, I applied for a sabbatical for 1 year, where I will circumnavigate the Americas. Initially its the world, but Jeff convince me that its too short of a time, and I need 2 years for that. He also semi committed to take this epic adventure with me starting at the summer of 2018 to summer of 2019. So we have a year and a half to plan and build up our bikes and sell everything we have.
Reorganize my basement as a basecamp
Too many people I have talked to are often confused about the appeal of motorcycle touring. They may ask stuff like "is my butt going to hurt?" or "that sounds like a lot of miles on a bike". Ironically both of the question's answer are yes. Yes its going to hurt, and yes its a lot of miles. But one can not truly appreciate the reward of being on the motorbike, with all your life and belonging in it. Across thousands of miles away. The feeling of renewal and the feeling of hope is beyond the perspective of a spectator.
First run on my Hyperstrada 821, yes your butt will hurt.
When I first crest over the peak of blue ridge parkway, at 6000 some sq feet above sea level. I felt I was on top of the world. The first time, I rode through the 318 curve in the dragon, my heart was pumping so fast I had to stop mid way to take a break, because I was shaking so much from the adrenaline. The first corner i touched down the peg, and scrapped hard parts and held on the bike through the corner with my body a few feet away from the concrete at 40 miles per hour. I thought I was going to die.
First time on the Dragon on my yellow beamer
For a year, I thought, it couldn't get more majestic than that, I felt renew in every way I can imagine. The year after I took on crossing country. Yermo tells me as we departed, "when you get out west, the mountains you see here will be like little hills". Sure enough, pikes peak, and mount evans road took my breath away. A few years later, Jeff and I went to Colorado again in our dr650, and went over Ophir pass, Animas Forks, and even hells revenge in Moab.
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Moab 2017 summer
When I first started motorcycling, I always wanted a sports bike (admittedly like everyone else who gets into motorcycles its harley or sport bike for the image of chill biker or the edgy sporty dude). I told myself, there is no way I'm going to be on that dual sport funny looking bike. That looks so dumb. Fast forward to 2017, I now have two dual sport and one ducati hyperstrada, that is a road bike, but looks like a dual sport. I plan to sell the ducati this year.
Ophir Pass 2017 summer
Alot of people I talked to, who claims to have "ridden motorcycle", never left more than 100 miles away from home. Like Jonathan, whom got into riding a few years ago, but never took any rides with me that exceeded 100 miles. He was down right terrified to leave that far from home with only a motorcycle. I understand how he feels, my first 300 miles mark to the dragon was a significant emotional burden that I had to overcome. But if I never pass that peak, I would have never knew this life was possible.
I always tell people who talks about riding as "dangerous", "dont get it", "doesnt sound like fun"....
"You dont know, what you dont know".