Thursday, November 4, 2010

CLUBBING: A Cornucopia of Social Awkwardness

Don’t get me wrong, I love going out as much as the next guy. And believe me when I say it but awkwardness isn’t a part of my club nights. I am not talking about personal awkwardness but rather the awkwardness of the social interactions inside a bar, whether the bar is in Malate, Makati, Taguig, QC, or Pasig.

I don’t get it why people try to please other people when they go out. It is as if one can’t say an offensive thought about another, lest he run the risk of being labeled a “pooper”. Going out and having fun is never an excuse to shut ones own voice. So what if I really think the guy is a loser or a creep. I should be able to say it out without people thinking I am evil or a biatch. I know it seems like passing judgment (actually it is), but it is an offspring of personal opinion wrought by years of psychological struggle and coping mechanisms that form ones concept of another. So the baseline is, saying what I think is just that – thought in words. 

Another thing that gets to me is why people care so much of what people say about them. Admit it, we get dressed with the purpose of impressing others. We all love to hear (albeit pretending not to)the compliments that come our way from everyone else. We dress up to highlight that body part which draws the most hoots  –  cut-offs to show toned arms, high hemlines to emphasize the endless legs and tight shirts (or no shirts) to brandish six-pack abs.  Yet dressing was never made for others. It was a self-preserving invention of ancient man as a protection against the cold, stinging insects or sharp rocks. Yet  Judeo-Christian society has shaped dressing around the banner of decency and status.  So unless the club you are going to is made of ice and filled with stinging insects whose floor is littered with sharp rocks – there is no need to go over board. People must realize that compliments from others are shallow and should never make us feel good about ourselves. We should not just learn to feel good but fill good.

Labels don’t only make their way down runways and designer stores anymore, but so much more in clubs. People start labeling other people with names ranging from pay-per-view-boys to queen bees. Though despite all the seemingly appropriate labels, people still miss the baseline concept of a label. You give a label to people you don’t know. This means that no matter how appropriate a label is, it never truly describes the person being labeled – so in essence every label is always wrong! So give yourself a break, never ever let a label define you or even let it affect you.  

So what is awkward about clubbing? The whole concept of how people approach it. Isn’t it awkward that in modern-day society, clubbing forces us to shut our mouth, be defined by others and work to please everyone around us? This is like communism in a wildly liberal and democratic world. So am I telling people not to go clubbing? Of course not, even I can’t ask that of myself. What I am trying to say is we should start revolutionizing clubbing. Start saying what is in our minds, stop caring about what others say of or label you, carry yourself as you normally (when not in a club) would and best of all NEVER allow the club to change you. The best way to enjoy the club is to leave just like you were before (if only more tipsy),hopefully better yet never totally different. 

So head out clubbing. Lose the awkwardness. And learn the meaning of cornucopia.

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