Now Im Starting To Ramble...

There is something that I have been trying to put my finger on for a while now.  I don’t think it is unique to Ghana, but I have felt it more here than anywhere else.  I think I’ve been noticing a level of narrow mindedness and a lack of objectivity.  I would equate these characteristics with conservatism more than anything else.  It’s a situation where peoples minds seem so filled with rhetoric that they can’t even begin to imagine anything different.  I see it most in reference to things, lifestyles, habits that are not part of the widely accepted mainstream culture.  People view alternative lifestyles or choices with dismay, hatred, fear, or even disgust.  Two things in particular stand out in my mind marijuana and homosexuality.  When you ask someone what they think of smoking pot, why they don’t smoke and have never tried it they will tell you it makes you mad, violent, and crazy.  There are a lot of words that I would use to describe what marijuana does to you, but violent is most definitely not one of them.  I’m not trying to advocate the virtues of smoking weed I’m just trying to make a point about perception.  When you lack any personal experience with something it is hard to understand or believe anything that is contrary to what you have been taught.  Especially when you are not in the habit of asking questions.  When something is taboo the easiest way to prevent people from experiencing it is to teach them to be afraid.  It is fear that narrows the mind and fear that keeps people quiet fear of weed smokers and homosexuals, fear of a lifestyle that is different.  The people in positions of power, the ones who dictate the terms of culture focus on the negatives, draw out the darkest parts of whatever it is they feel threatens society and feed that evil to their disciples.  No wonder people are scared and threatened by homosexuality.  When gay people are portrayed as sex crazed maniacs who go about praying on innocent straight young men the concept of homosexuality does not look so friendly and acceptable.  It’s interesting to me how warped people’s perceptions can be when they lack objective information or the desire to get it.  I think about the gay people I know in the U.S and the healthy functioning relationships they are able to have and I imagine how mind blowing that might be for someone in Ghana.