The Kurt Locker

Day 20: Theatricality

I certainly appreciate the value of self-expression. In fact, I'm wearing 10-inch heels with my lady demon clothes right now. No, not really. I'm actually a pretty reserved person. I know--hard to believe, since I'm such a wild animal ON MY BLOG.

There's a lot of good stuff here. A little Gaga, a little Kiss...some mama drama...and spandex! Tina is brilliant. Why does she not get more to do? Rachel's critter dress is somehow a simultaneous win/ fail. And, in the spirit of ultimate self-expression--Matt SPEAKS.

The big moment in "Theatricality", of course, is the infamous basement blowout. My take is that no one in that situation is completely right or completely wrong. Ryan Murphy wrote this script, and I gather, based on Papa Bear Burt's lengthy speech, that he wants to cast Finn as the bad guy who is completely out of line. Here's the thing. Finn, like Kurt, is a teenager. A teenager who has been cornered, quite literally, into an awkward situation he has no idea how to deal with. He has already tried ignoring Kurt's advances, to no effect. Kurt persists. Now, I don't fault Kurt, either. He's in new territory as well. Finn is ridiculously cute, and nicer than most of the other boys. And, well, you can't always choose who you fall in love with, particularly if your options are limited and think there is even a remote possibility of success. So, Kurt pushes, and Finn freaks. Could he have been nicer about it? Sure. But, in that moment, he is done with subtlety. A huge, theatrical meltdown results. At the end of the day, though, they are both good guys, and neither of them really meant any harm.

It's freeing to be a little theatrical. We all have a bit of an inner diva, just dying to make a splash. We aren't soulless automatons. We're individuals! And that's a wonderful thing. Along with that delicious individuality, though, comes a degree of responsibility. I fervently believe that people should be free to express themselves, but only to the extent that it is respectful of others.  Okay, that sounds stodgy, but what I mean is that if people try to consider not only their own rights as individuals, but society as a whole while expressing themselves, I think there would be a whole lot more acceptance and patience in the world. Honestly? Extremes are threatening. So are Loud, Pushy, Condescending, Condemning, and a whole slew of others. They make people feel defensive. It's the whole "I'll do/ say/ wear whatever I please and screw you if you don't like it" attitude that causes so much grief.

So, back to Finn and Kurt. Kurt has the right to be who he is, no question. Finn has the same right, though. If Kurt had been paying attention, he might have noticed that Finn felt uncomfortable. He might have backed off a bit. Finn had something important to express, and was entirely within his rights to do so, but rather than thinking how hurtful his outburst might be, he allowed himself to lose control. In this case, a little mutual respect and consideration could have saved a whole load of turmoil.

That's just one example, and yes, I realize it's fictional. I also realize that the world is far from perfect, and therefore people will continue to behave badly. Still, wouldn't it be cool to live in a world where we could all appreciate each others' inner divas? Where I would cheerfully respect your right to express yourself because I would know that you likewise respected mine? A happy middle ground where 'I' and 'we' could coexist peacefully. Wii? Dang...already taken.


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