Friday, December 26, 2008

I Am Shocked




I will say this about myself. It takes a lot to shock me. I can't actually remember the last time, well before a few days ago that is, that I was shocked. I can stomach virtually anything--crime scene photos, of death injury and accident, even involving children or dogs, real live dead people, any and all sexual deviations written or represented in image...if it's violent, dirty, gruesome, perverse, grisly, horrifying, freakish, kinky, or any combination of the aforementioned adjectives, well, I might not enjoy it, but it just doesn't seem to affect me much. My sister jokes that I'm like a homicide detective eating a meatball hoagie while perusing physical evidence. Okay, I know I know that may be a bit far-fetched...but maybe not really...

I've given this personality quirk of mine quite a bit of thought recently. What made me this way? Wither the juxtaposition between my spirituality, my capacity for caring, my kind and gentle side, my love of soft colors and cashmere, sweet-smelling babies and hamsters, and this...this...weird wall of cold detachment? Is it a problem, or just nothing but a thing?

However...a mildly interesting thing happened to me when I visited Old Knudsen a couple of days ago. If you are familiar with the Knudsen blogging empire, then you know he has a genius sense of humor that requires some intelligence (I flatter myself and him) to appreciate without getting all offended and huffing off. Anyway, to make a long story short, I found myself shocked into horrified silence by an image presented therein. I won't direct you to this image, or even be any more specific, because I'm still traumatized. I asked myself, why this? Why is this shocking to me? This and virtually nothing else in recent memory? I can't answer that question. I suppose I should be glad that I can be startled out of my chilly fog. I was beginning to worry about myself a little there. So I'll just extend a truthful "thanks Knudsen for shocking me!"

I'll pose an idle question or two--are there parts of your personality that you have trouble reconciling? and also, are you easily shocked? What shocks you? or are you completely jaded? Or if you think you're a bit jaded, is there still anything that shocks you?

23 comments:

just bob said...

I'll betcha I know which one it was.

Leah said...

I'll bet you do. Hint: it wasn't the sexy mother Mary.

Megan said...

I am definitely physically affected by the type of visuals you are talking about.

I can't bear to watch (and never have watched) any of the so-called "torture porn" genre. I avert my eyes from roadkill. It makes me feel sick.

I don't think I better go over to Knudsen's...

kylie said...

i'm full of contradictions.

Old Knudsen said...

I started reading yer post and a part of me was hoping it was all about me.
Yay! Thank you for yer kind words and yes intelligence is required.

I do like to take people out of their comfort level as many folk become complacent especially those who have never lived with terrorism or crime etc.

I used to be the Paladin knight type full of denial of sins of the flesh and rushing to the rescue until I realised the templars etc were hypocritical shites and most people are. I embrace my good and bad side in order to become whole and well rounded in other words I try.
I can give CPR to an orphaned puppy and go on to slaughter my enemies.

Brandy Wilcoxen said...

All of the listed above in your blog shocks me lol.

Megan said...

And what Kylie said...

Neponset River Bridge Dig said...

for some reason American politics still shocks me.

Leah said...

Megan--it's true, don't do it...

Kylie--you are, I can tell! And I respect you for it, very much so!

Old Knudsen--of course! How could a post titled "I'm Shocked" be about anything but you! And yes, some people are really sheltered. That always amazes me. How could it be possible?

Well, I'm going to embrace my good and bad sides too.

Brandy Rose--quick! Cover your eyes!

Rich--I think I'm quite the cynic when it comes to politics!

Leah said...

MJ--you just have to sniff at the point furthest from their butts--

kylie said...

i'm grinning as i type, and i use the word type in a very broad sense but thats beside the point......

your comment that you can tell i'm full of contradictions fascinates me, as did your question about whether i have any shocking secrets. you were obviously asking on a hunch, or an educated guess

anyway, i dont have a direct question i can ask but if you wanted to expand on these ideas i think i'd like to hear it.

i dropped by old knudsens by the way and i found one pic there rather shocking. i also wondered how there was a camera and photographer at the ready ?

Knitting it Out in an Urban Zoo said...

Leah, you are hilarious. And I got a visceral reaction from at least one of those photos...I'm guessing which one shocked you. But, I could be wrong.

Old Knudsen said...

I shock meself often, usually via the nipples.

Leah said...

Old Knudsen: ZZZZZZAAAAAPPPPP!

muralimanohar said...

Damn..I must be harder than I thought. I couldn't find one that would actually SHOCK someone. Gross them out, yeah. Shock? No. I always knew I had issues, yo.

Leah said...

Murali: I know, it's weird, but I was actually shocked. I have repetition compulsion--I can't stop thinking about it! I'm glad to hear, though, that you're not easily shocked or offended. I guess I knew that about you though. You have a good sense of humor, and that's half the battle.

Leah said...

Kylie: I've given that pic a great deal of thought over the last few days (yes, it's true), and I have come to the conclusion that it involved some, er, pre-planning and prep work...

Hi NSCG!! I'm sure as shootin that you guessed right...

CSI Seattle said...

I don't know if the picture itself bothers me. The WEB is full of bizarre pictures. This is just another one.

What may actually be the shocking part of the picture is knowing that someone on this planet allowed themselves to be photographed engaging in that type of activity. (No need to discuss the pitfalls of the porn industry. I realize that not all participants want to participate.)

Additionally, it is also difficult to believe that there is a market for this kind of stuff.

However, Old Knudsen's success, as it appears to me, is based on shocking the senses and challenging the norm. He has quite a following and it ain't cause he's posting pictures of kittens.

Leah said...

You know, Brian, after reading your comment I believe that is what disturbed me about that picture. But I still do question why I'm not really disturbed by much else that I see around...

Megan said...

I have seen it. Not what I was expecting...

CSI Seattle said...

And I see that you are wearing your glasses again.

Leah said...

Brian: counter-intuitive, innit?

Walker said...

I've seen alot and have been shocked innitially by some but after a bit it was bearable even pokable with a stick.