Perky Thoughts
Apr. 15th, 2011 01:53 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
shirtlifterbearOne of the things that occurs to me every so often is that I'm perky.
I know, duh, but there's a more interesting set of implications that have come to my attention:
1) America values perkiness without validating it. "Be enthusiastic, be outgoing" is the mantra chanted by the masses at the wallflowers, the introverted, the cynical. It's an unending "perkiness plague" that is supposed to be caught by all, but in actual honest-to-Gandhi reality, the perky are thought to be tiring.
"OMG, she's so upbeat, it's exhausting."
So the thing you value is only valuable in small, metered doses? Fair enough, I suppose, but in contrast snarkiness is valued long-term. Janeane Garofalo wouldn't have a career if that weren't true. Nor Parker Posey. Nor John Stewart.
2) The perky are discounted as shallow.
Anyone else notice that Elle in "Legally Blonde" graduated first in her class at law school, albeit with really ironed hair to indicate brunette seriousness without sacrificing blonde goddessness?
She was valued for her perkiness, but had to dial it down to succeed.
Way to go, double standard! Making someone hide their light under a bushel is a coded attempt to control them. Women know this from painful experience, and a perky woman? Oh, dear.
3) The perky are resented.
"That can't be real! No one is that upbeat!" is something I've heard my whole life. What I always want to say, and never do is: "YOU can't be this upbeat! How sad for you!"
And then I would bounce away, Tiggr-all-full-of-springs.
But the resentment is palpable. I've felt it, like a dank cloud of meanness, just floating above the heads of the unperky. They plot to burst the bubble of the happy person, thinking of ways to "give them a reality check" or "hurt them like I hurt inside."
What a sweet sentiment! How charming you must be at parties!
My response to all of these attacks?
Said in my perkiest voice with a twinkle in my eye and a smile on my face as I head off to find something fun to do with people I like:
"Fuck off and die in a fire!"
PERKY IS A WEAPON, AND I'M NOT AFRAID TO USE IT.
BE TOLD!
*giggle*
I know, duh, but there's a more interesting set of implications that have come to my attention:
1) America values perkiness without validating it. "Be enthusiastic, be outgoing" is the mantra chanted by the masses at the wallflowers, the introverted, the cynical. It's an unending "perkiness plague" that is supposed to be caught by all, but in actual honest-to-Gandhi reality, the perky are thought to be tiring.
"OMG, she's so upbeat, it's exhausting."
So the thing you value is only valuable in small, metered doses? Fair enough, I suppose, but in contrast snarkiness is valued long-term. Janeane Garofalo wouldn't have a career if that weren't true. Nor Parker Posey. Nor John Stewart.
2) The perky are discounted as shallow.
Anyone else notice that Elle in "Legally Blonde" graduated first in her class at law school, albeit with really ironed hair to indicate brunette seriousness without sacrificing blonde goddessness?
She was valued for her perkiness, but had to dial it down to succeed.
Way to go, double standard! Making someone hide their light under a bushel is a coded attempt to control them. Women know this from painful experience, and a perky woman? Oh, dear.
3) The perky are resented.
"That can't be real! No one is that upbeat!" is something I've heard my whole life. What I always want to say, and never do is: "YOU can't be this upbeat! How sad for you!"
And then I would bounce away, Tiggr-all-full-of-springs.
But the resentment is palpable. I've felt it, like a dank cloud of meanness, just floating above the heads of the unperky. They plot to burst the bubble of the happy person, thinking of ways to "give them a reality check" or "hurt them like I hurt inside."
What a sweet sentiment! How charming you must be at parties!
My response to all of these attacks?
Said in my perkiest voice with a twinkle in my eye and a smile on my face as I head off to find something fun to do with people I like:
"Fuck off and die in a fire!"
PERKY IS A WEAPON, AND I'M NOT AFRAID TO USE IT.
BE TOLD!
*giggle*
