Misery is...

[Prophet]

So I'm a pretty big Langston Hughes fan and is last work "Black Misery" is simply exceptional. It derives from a simple concept, every stanza starts with "Misery is..." For example:

Misery is when Uncle Joe
gave you a button-up sweater
and you wanted a slip-over
that bunches at the bottom. - Langston Hughes

I've seen this toyed around with other places; growing Lists where people explain what misery is to them. So I decided to give it a go here. Of course, it can be as personal or as serious as you want. Also for the sake of simplicity let's ditch the poem-break format in favor of a standard sentence. I'll begin.

Misery is... pretending that gas prices bother you, when you don't even own a car.

 

[jesuschristmonke]

Misery is... pretending that gas prices bother you, when you don't even own a car.

Uh, petro prices affect distribution and production. So if you like to eat, buy things or participate in society at most any level then higher prices can very much bother someone who doesn't drive.

Misery is getting called out on a board for something you don't know. (we've all been there though)

 

[Prophet]

I nod in agreement with friends about the outrageous price they pay for gas, as if I had a car to put gas in.

Not a geo-political statement, a personal account. We are sharing what misery is to ourselves. If you can take a break from trolling maybe you'd like to share your take on misery?

 

[jesuschristmonke]

as if I had a car to put gas in.

But it's not just about your lack of having a car. You're right to agree because higher fuel prices equates to a higher costs of almost everything tangible in today's society.

 

[Prophet]

as if I had a car to put gas in.

But it's not just about your lack of having a car. You're right to agree because higher fuel prices equates to a higher costs of almost everything tangible in today's society.

...

Questioning someones stated opinion in a thread like this is like asking someone what their favorite color is and then telling them, "NO IT'S NOT GREEN, YOUR FAVORITE COLOR IS ORANGE!"

Misery is wanting to choke someone over the internet, but lacking the technology to do so.

 

[jesuschristmonke]

Questioning someones stated opinion in a thread like this is like asking someone what their favorite color is and then telling them, "NO IT'S NOT GREEN, YOUR FAVORITE COLOR IS ORANGE!"
Misery is wanting to choke someone over the internet, but lacking the technology to do so.

That's too simplistic of an analogy because mere preference is subjective. And starting with your original statement, I only suggested why a non-auto owner is correct in being concerned over high fuel prices. Because it affects them too. So your original statement was erroneous. You see, opinions can be incorrect even though everyone is equally entitled to having one.

You then reverted to the New School teachings where every competition gets a prize and no one is ever wrong by claiming everything is relative, there are no absolutes, etc. etc.

It's a systemically-taught narcissism which has perfected the American sense of entitlement and will do everyone quite wrong in the impending era of shortage.

I'm just saying...

 

[gizmo_gal]

I never thought I'd say this in my life but, I agree with MonkeyBalls. Gas prices effect everyone and nearly everything in out society outside of the purely digital facets of our lives.

I dont own a car, but everyone else I know do, and I ride in one almost every day (during the school year) and the gas prices have done more than drive up (no pun intended, but still I am amused) our costs of actually driving, but the cost of everything else.

Edit, and to contribute to the topic Misery is...wanting people to have commonsense and act the way you think they should, but not being able to make them.

 

[distorted.freque]

I never thought I'd say this in my life but, I agree with MonkeyBalls. Gas prices effect everyone and nearly everything in out society outside of the purely digital facets of our lives.

I dont own a car, but everyone else I know do, and I ride in one almost every day (during the school year) and the gas prices have done more than drive up (no pun intended, but still I am amused) our costs of actually driving, but the cost of everything else.

Edit, and to contribute to the topic Misery is...wanting people to have commonsense and act the way you think they should, but not being able to make them.

Transportation taxes go up, things get more expensive...>_< It's not just for people who don't own cars...everyone really is affected, just as gizmo_gal has said. (I can't really relate with the other statements coz I don't understand half of 'em. D

Misery is...wanting others to be happy and never being able to do enough to make that happen.

 

[gizmo_gal]

Edit, and to contribute to the topic Misery is...wanting people to have commonsense and act the way you think they should, but not being able to make them.

(I can't really relate with the other statements coz I don't understand half of 'em. D

1. By "Never thought I'd say this..." well, do you foresee yourself ever saying "No, I agree with JesusChristMonkeyBalls on that completely XD? I know I didn't, but when I read what he wrote, I said aloud to the empty room..."I agree with MonkeyBalls" lol.

2. I am constantly amused with simple puns--especially in knock-knock jokes.

3. Also, if you had half a dozen little kids running around your place, acting like crazy bafoons and behaving in manner that you'd never been allowed to, or even would've wanted to, when you were little--and your parents acting like your unreasonable for saying the kids are crazy, then I think you would understand My Misery...

 

[tinymonkeyt]

misery is...not knowing what misery :[
i just thought it meant sad >.

 

[distorted.freque]

You're making ma head dizzy, gizmo_gal. How can I form a coherent statement that agrees or disagrees with theirs if I can barely understand what they're saying? >_< Well, ok. So I understood what MonkeyBalls said on the first few posts and it makes sense to me, especially after being subjected to several lectures from our teacher who likes to rant about things in general...but after that? *makes a face*

Puns? >_<

Yeah...sometimes kids can be total brats. I once knew this kid who threw a bloody toy truck at me (it was almost as big as my head) and I was the one who received the blame. I mean, I wasn't even doing anything. >_<

misery is...not knowing what misery :[
i just thought it meant sad >.

 

[lagman]

Misery is when you can't stand yourself, that's when you're really miserable.

Also:

 

[Rayder]

Misery is needing to do 5 different things and feeling like doing NOTHING.

 

[gizmo_gal]

Misery is making an interesting topic that is purely feedback driven and getting 5244 views and 50 replies in 2 months time.

 

[Prophet]

Questioning someones stated opinion in a thread like this is like asking someone what their favorite color is and then telling them, "NO IT'S NOT GREEN, YOUR FAVORITE COLOR IS ORANGE!"
Misery is wanting to choke someone over the internet, but lacking the technology to do so.

That's too simplistic of an analogy because mere preference is subjective. And starting with your original statement, I only suggested why a non-auto owner is correct in being concerned over high fuel prices. Because it affects them too. So your original statement was erroneous. You see, opinions can be incorrect even though everyone is equally entitled to having one.

You then reverted to the New School teachings where every competition gets a prize and no one is ever wrong by claiming everything is relative, there are no absolutes, etc. etc.

It's a systemically-taught narcissism which has perfected the American sense of entitlement and will do everyone quite wrong in the impending era of shortage.

I'm just saying...

My point is not that a non-car owner shouldn't be concerned with high gas prices but rather this: I am not concerned with gas prices, I could care less. Should I be, maybe -- but I could name a hundred things that should way heavy on the mind (hungry children, equal rights, etc.). Misery is in the pretense, in the agreeable "yeah, those prices are crazy," amidst my utter lack of interest. Furthermore, through your logic those who do profess a concern are simply "doing it wrong." Because they are concerned with the influence rising gas prices have directly on their own wallet. The average joe isn't walking around mourning the global ramifications. Also, something you seem to be glazing over is the fact that America still pays less for its gas than most countries; what right do we have to complain? Once again if I had a car perhaps I'd take a different tone on the matter, but from a outside perspective it seems a lot less relevant. Our opulent wealth has left us with a sense of entitlement, one that grinds against my spirit and yet I nod in agreement with its utterances -- just to “blend.” Hence the misery.

Your argument lacks a sufficient base, you would have had a valid point if I hadn't put “pretending” in my initial statement. It punctuates the concept of putting on airs; this is a misery independent of whether a person should or should not truly care. It simply lays out this, a person who does not care is pretending too and it assumes nothing else.

Would you like this in book form?

Back to topic though:
Misery is a father-less father's day.

 

[TrolleyDave]

Misery is a spoilt brat with everything complaining he never gets anything.

 

[Commander]

Misery is... pretending that gas prices bother you, when you don't even own a car.

Uh, petro prices affect distribution and production. So if you like to eat, buy things or participate in society at most any level then higher prices can very much bother someone who doesn't drive.

Misery is getting called out on a board for something you don't know. (we've all been there though)

Americans you have no clue what expensive petrol/diesel is.

Misery is running out of pie.

~ Commander

 

[gizmo_gal]

Misery is never having any pie when you want it.

Misery is trying your best for 18 years and never being good enough.

Misery is having so many siblings you dont really count as an individual in your parents eyes and so you spend your life as a matched set to sibling B, G, X,Y, and Z.

Misery is being bitterly jealous of someone and never being able to act on or resolve those feelings.

Misery is wanting to do something big, really big--just once--but never having the guts needed to pull it off and always hating yourself for it.

 

[B-Blue]

Misery is a bad movie

 

[gizmo_gal]

Misery is having your dreams dashed on a daily basis.