DB: The Fear
The internet is a vast and intangible paradise. The beauty of its less than tangible reality lies in the disconnected brilliance of its inhabitants. One can mutter one’s opinions without the threat of one’s listeners reacting in a physical manner. The reaction must be in the form of the original muttering, and therefore not even as threatening as sticks and stones. In a majority of discussions held upon this current swelling wave of the new frontier, there is little in the way of self censorship or care for the feelings of the people or organizations about whom you are speaking.
However, placed in any day to day setting, some of the remarks I read on the information super highway are what my grandfather would have called, “fightin’ words”, but because these words are housed in this most delicious of forums, no civilized blogger or bloggie would even dream of taking more than menial offense. But who among us has mastered the keys? I dare say, Not I.
In my highest intentions for the community I have offended and concerned the citizens that I was hoping to embrace and include. As I am learning to write and express the desires of my heart in this particular context, I am faced with many lessons and pitfalls, tumblings and humblings that are contributing to my character as a citizen of Tacoma and a man of the world. I am deeply sorry if my list did not include you and you felt it should. It was not my intent to call anyone untrustworthy, nor was it my desire to exclude a single one of you. It was my hope that my idea would spark the good feelings that you have for your friends and neighbors, that you would speak positive things about the people that you enjoy dealing with, and that you would all contribute to the list and see all of the beauty and goodness that is in the heart of this city. I was hoping to eliminate a little of the fear. The fear of the unknown, the fear of the big bad out there. I wanted to prove to everyone that its ok to come downtown and shop from the little guy.
“The Fear” is a strange and surreal thing to me. It says that there is safety in the masses, and the larger the mass that purchases a product or listens to an album or watches a movie, the safer that particular experience will be. I have friends and family in the suburbs and even some within the city limits. When I question them about their shopping or entertainment habits I am shocked by the lack of experimentation. Unless they have heard of a thing, or it is otherwise proven to them that a large number of people have participated in the consumption of it, they are simply unwilling to even give it a second look. I can only explain this as “the Fear”. A fear of the unknown, a fear of wasting time, or perhaps a fear of being disappointed or tricked. It was my intent to create a sort of positive reputation for the places that I have come to experience and, for lack of a better word, trust. If several of us agreed on this “list”, I dreamed it would eliminate some of the fear that people have of the smaller businesses. In small business, your reputation is sometimes the only marketing you have. I risked that if everyone participated, there would be no one who deserved to be trusted that would remain off of the list. Participation was however much lower than I expected, but as I stated before, I am learning. I think my language and my structure of concepts could have been much better executed, I seemed to have stepped on quite a few toes, for that I humbly offer my apology to everyone who feels they deserve it.
The following conversation however, was fascinating to me, and included posts from several very intelligent bloggers and well spoken members of the community. I was shocked that my readership included so many voices that I myself read and respect for their contribution to this intangible paradise. I found myself thinking, “Man, I wish that someone would compile a list of all these great Tacoma bloggers worth checking out, so that I could get a big chunk of my reading done at one website”. Turns out someone has! On feedtacoma I found an compilation of bloggers and Tacoma related websites trusted enough to at least “feed” Tacoma. Can’t bite the hand that feeds you, check it out.
Also, as a result of the conversation about retail, I’d like to invite everyone to have the conversation in person. Saturday, 3pm, at Blackwater. Whitney and I will be there, drinking Rachel’s good brew and talking about “the list”.
Link to last week
Filed under: DB
15 comments
R RR Anderson March 19, 2008
ah daniel-san: Wax on… wax off. Wax on… wax off. Breathe in through nose, out the mouth. Wax on, wax off. Don’t forget to breathe, very important.
S Sassy McButterpants March 19, 2008
Very nicely put.
Great idea in getting together at Blackwater and being chatty and vulnerable with each other, Mr. Blue. I would go, but I sleep in on Saturdays.
K KevinFreitas March 19, 2008
Y’all are welcome at tomorrow morning’s FeedTacoma Feed breakfast at PSP, 7am. Buy-one-get-one-free eats. It may be early but it’s a great excuse to get out and meet other locals and enjoy a great start to your day. List or not, ya gotta eat. ;)
M Matt March 19, 2008
Very well written DB.
D dni March 19, 2008
Oh the trials and tribulations of ego. Thanks DB
T tressie March 19, 2008
7 am…Breakfast! I don’t get up that early for anything unless the abode is on fire….and I will actually be working for a living on Sat at 3pm. I hope. Have a nice chat in the flesh!
R Red Hot Snap Dragon March 19, 2008
You inspire me to release both fear and guilt.
Also, I’m sorry Ensie.
A altered chords March 19, 2008
Daniel – I have had a smoldering resentment for “things” that are popular but do nothing for me. Things like Budwieser beer, much of pop music, McDonalds, etc.
You have identified why such bland fare is popular. No burst of a flavor whith which you may not be familiar. No tension filled jazz chords. No hoppy bitterness, aroma or flavor.
No risk.
The masses, it seems are more afraid of the unknown than the risk of never discovering that which is truly wonderful.
It IS fear that prevents many from exploring.
Thank you for your insights.
W wes March 19, 2008
…or laziness.
breaking out of one’s bubble can be exhausting.
america: the culture of convenience.
S Sassy McButterpants March 20, 2008
I embrace the local shops with my whole heart, I visit Hells Kitchen and the Java Jive with my ears wide open… but I totally still love Target and a variety of trashy Pop music and I make no apologies. I have also been known to imbibe a breakfast of Diet Coke and Two Apple Pies for a dollar from McDonalds on occasion… for that…I apologize to my body.
P Paul Sparks March 20, 2008
I can’t resist a final quote in hopes that we overcome “The Fear”.
The French Revolution, which aimed to liberate individual rights from the dead hand of medieval tradition, made all people citizens and outlawed many associational entities that were not elements of the state, just as Stalin did in the great community quest of Marxism and Hitler in Nazism later. Free and equal French citizens were to be joined to their government not by local ties but by representative bureaucratic systems. The state itself was to be the national community; all others were suspect. As we have seen, this did not work out, for national community is a contradiction in terms. Community is a local phenomenon.
David B. Schwartz
ok, I’m done
P Paul Sparks March 20, 2008
Daniel, thanks – it’s nice to hear from a writer who recognizes the benefits of “going local” extend beyond economics. I think it is “The Fear” that keeps us isolated and polarized.
Last week the Tacoma Weekly had an article about a big-box retailer pushing out a bunch of mobile homes on Meridian in Puyallup. Some say make way for the big-box – others say the government should restrict this type of activity. I say it’s a shame that there wasn’t any social cohesion as a neighborhood to act as a buffer. They could have demanded that big-box retailers innovate in ways that support local residents and worked to prohibit foolish laws from centralized authorities that can’t take particular contexts into consideration. I hope downtown learns that local face-to-face commitment is what builds the social capital necessary for this type of action.
Here’s the quote I meant to submit before the one above:
What is crucial in the formation of the masses is the atomization of all social and cultural relationships within which human beings gain their normal sense of membership in society. The mass is an aggregate of individuals who are insecure, basically lonely, and ground down, either through decree or historical circumstance, into mere particles of social dust.
Sociologist Robert Nisbet 1953
W wes March 20, 2008
all humans experience fear whether or not they choose to accept it. and fear is what drives us to move forward. it’s moving through fear that teaches us how to live and grow
…but i disagree that “THE FEAR” is the reason some people don’t support the businesses that you value. there’s much more to the matter than being afraid to step out of one’s comfort zone.
i respect your pride in local business as i feel strongly that supporting local is a key step into sustainable living.
compliments on putting yourself out there and keep in mind, the key to open minds is an open heart.
P penelope March 21, 2008
Well said Wes. Keep on marchin’ Daniel
M Mummah Bird March 26, 2008
Could not make it to the Blackwater on Saturday; I was instead at a memorial service for a beautiful, talented 28 year old young woman would lived her life kicking the unholy crap out of fear.
Hope it went well. Makes no sense to live in fear and complacency. (the ketchup and mustard of inertia)
I like that whole “keep on marchin’” plan of Miss Penelope’s. I second that.