<p>Less ranty: (but the reason behind my rant). </p>
<p>America is a very closed society. We prefer to push things under the rug and ignore them rather than admit they are there. Example- racism. If it’s OK to joke about it then it doesn’t exist, right? Wrong. And we all know that. However, we make it a joke and we make light of it so that we don’t have to “deal” with it. </p>
<p>The problem is that we then take those jokes and slowly, as is our nature, push them to the extreme until they become true. We slowly took the joke of the “emo kid” and slowly pushed it to the edge of those kids being attention whores who bring all their problems upon themselves. </p>
<p>I for one am SICK of this stereotype. It is personified in this thread and that is what set me off. As someone who has dealt with depression her whole life, I can firmly say that it is one of the most mis-understood mental diseases in this country and this is exactly the reason why. </p>
<p>Obviously, no one would make fun of the amputee or the leper to his/her face because it is a physical deformity that we can all see and mourn over (or whatever the case may be). But it is perfectly acceptable in American society to laugh at and ostracize people with mental afflictions- depression, mental retardation, etc etc. It’s just not right. And it set me off (which, I will admit and have always admitted, is not hard to do). </p>
<p>Ok, I think that’s all done now. Tear me apart if you want- it’s whatever.</p>