We live in a world of conflict and division. Sometimes it seems that rational discourse is not even a concept. The question I have is why? Why is it that we are offended if someone says something we consider disparaging about an inanimate object that we own?
I think it’s because of our emotional connection to the object in question, particularly when we associate that object with our identity. And yes, riding a motorcycle is part of our identity. For some, it defines their view of the world in some sense. When you ride a motorcycle, sometimes you aren’t just being transported, you are actually in your mind ‘adventuring’. And if someone disparages that sense of identity it offends one’s sensibilities.
“Yes, I’m an independent, tough minded and competent person. I ride a Harley.” Add any motorcycle name behind, ‘I ride a ___‘ and you have immediately differentiated yourself from another person, who doesn’t.
I see this in politics, where the emotion is even greater, and where the media helps to polarize and feed the frenzy of debate, which in reality means that we don’t talk to or have any discourse ‘with’ other people. We think them lesser and we talk past, not to them.
Stop being offended when someone asks the question, “Does X have issues with their styling”, for example. It should be irrelevant to the enjoyment that you find in riding X.
We all love to ride. We all enjoy actually weighing in on each others discussion, or if not, reading about the concerns of others in relation to their ‘ride’.
Listen, really listen to the ‘other’ guy. It’s hard. Sometimes I simply disagree, but, you know what? Sometimes the other guy is right, too.
Enjoy motorcycling. Enjoy the company of other motorcyclists.
Be well, be safe, be kind and happy holidays to all of you.
Ciao.
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