I know I am, but what are you?
“At the moment,” the mathematics announced, “I’m solving Schrodinger’s equation for every point on a grid of ten spatial and four temporal dimensions. No one else can do that.” — M. John Harrison, Light
Related only in the way one thought can set off another without much connection, why is it that people who behave abominably seem to feel that it is ok to, for example, verbally abuse another person — so long as they admit they are being rude?
“That’s just who I am,” they say. “I say it like I see it. Tough if you don’t want to deal with it.”
Which is as much to say: you must deal with me on my terms, because I refuse to deal with you on your terms. But it’s ok, you understand, for these people to be assholes. Because they admit their behavior. Because whatever it is they have to say is their opinion. Ergo: you can kiss or bite their ass, and it’s all the same to them.
And this is the world we live in.