Opinions

Well, I neglected this personal space for a while but that was just because nothing really important happened, or if something important happened it was something regarding friends and their personal life and I didn't want to share it here even though it involved me.

But the last few days and especially today I witnessed something and I feel that I need to write down and share my personal opinion about it.

This is actually a post in which I share my "personal opinion" about people who share their "personal opinion" online in a not so very nice way or can not deal with other people sharing their "personal opinion" openly because they disagree. This is all about conversations online and I do acknowledge that online you have to be really careful about what you write and how you write it, taking into account that people might understand you wrong. But you also have to take into consideration that everyone is entitled to their own opinon, just like the saying "to live and let live"

*warning* this post includes my own, sarcastic, sometimes maybe even rude and unfiltered opinion, it might also include inappropriate language and could be offensive.

I know that, if a random group of people, who don't know each other at all or not very well or are just in the process of getting to know each other meet, be it online or in real life, there are almost as many different opinions as there are people involved and naturally you don't agree and get along with everyone. If, for example, you are stuck into a project team at work and you have to find a solution or work together on something, you always need to either be persistent to actually be able to input your idea into the final result or you can also decide you want to spare the hassle and just agree with whatever the others decide. It is your own decision if and how much other opinions matter to you, if you want to pick a fight over them or if you just let them go.

Same goes for Playgroups you might attend with your kids (and the opinions of all the other moms about "how to raise your kids the right way"), online Forums (maybe discussing the best way to build a customize computer or how to pimp your smartphone) and groups of Fans/Fandoms (arguing about who is the hottest actor in the newest Blockbuster Movie or the best lead singer of their favourite band)

I am part of the Echelon, the Fan Group for the Band 30 Seconds to Mars. The Name "Echelon" was actually invented by the Band itself, giving their Fan Base a Name so everyone could identify themselves with the Band, there are other Bands and Artist, like Lady Gaga, who calls their Fans "little Monster". So as a Fan of Mars you consider yourself an Echelon most of the time...or at least you should...but that's where the actual problem lies.

Who defines what makes you an Echelon, who says you can only be one if you do this and don't do that. Becoming an Echelon does not inculde going to some school, taking a test and getting a Diploma, you can't NOT become an Echelon because you lack certain skills. Being an Echelon for me kind of is like being a Christian. Some Christians go to church every sunday, some pray before Dinner, some only go to church on Christmas, some wear a cross, some read the Bible every Day.

There are a lot of Members of the Echelon who have a certain opinion about how you have to be, what you have to do and especially what you shouldn't do. Some take it extremely serious and get upset when someone doesn't behave according to their way of thinking. On top of that there are (mostly) girls who are just Fans of Jared or Shannon Leto because they look good, or who don't want anything but a piece of the fame and who would do anything to be seen with them or to be recognized by them or to spend a night with them. Those are called Fangirls and according to some Echelon they can NEVER be an Echelon because Echelon DON'T fangirl!

Now with the Band being on a Break from Touring, spending time at home to record a new Album (amongst oher things like goofing around, setting their kitchen on fire, growing beards and hanging with groupies) the Number One Indicator to show that you are a real Echelon (attending as many Concerts as possible and freezing your butt off in front of the Venue afterwards, as well as spending an insane amount of money for a Golden Ticket) is not something that can be easily done. Plus the absense (sometimes even over a longer period of time like a week or two) of the Boys and no real News, leads to boredom among the Echelon. Which leads to (long overdue or NOT necessary at all) discussions about the real meaning of "Echelon". There was even a Conference held in Portugal to learn more about how to be the perfect Echelon and what to do and avoid and what all the different symbols mean (and then we are mad when someone calls us a Sect/Cult) ;)

Anyways, boredom has struck the Echelon and the Fangirls so they start to pick (unfair) fights with each other. Fangirls think Echelon are weird Freaks and Echelon think Fangirls are slutty Bitches. Some (on either side) unfortunately lack a sense of Humor, the skill to read Sarcasm and the ability to accept other opinions. Some (depending on their age - most of them are teens) are just too young to know the difference between a sarcastic comment and a real opinion. Those are the ones who will start crying if you say anything (seamingly) bad about any one of the three guys. Some can not take criticism, be it towards them and their opinion or (even worse) towards something one of the guys from the band said or did. And I am right in the middle of it and enjoying the show.

I would consider myself an Echelon, I love the Band, I love how they helped me through tough times, I am grateful because I met so many great people through my Band Forums, even one or two I would actually consider real good (or best) friends now, their music helps me when I am sad or mad about something, some songs include Lyrics describing my feelings so well, better than I can do it. The Guys make me laugh when they tweet goofy stuff, they are inspiring, Jared is a great person who cares a lot about his Fans I think (without knowing him or ever meeting him personally - yet), Tomo can always make people smile and seems to be a very sweet guy and Shannon, well Shannon is just plain hot with his tattoos and muscles.

See and that's where we enter the Twilight-Zone...I called him a "hot piece of ass" which basically degrades me from "Echelon" to "Fangirl"...because I think of them as "hot pieces of ass with a great voice" instead of "inspiring Drummer or Band Leader whose sole fate it is to use his popularity to save the world". I have a few Friends among the Echelon/Fangirls, some I only know online, some I also know in real Life, some I met online and they became real Life friends. We are all about the same age, grown -up enough to be able to understand sarcasm, to not be offended if somone doesn't share our opinion and old enough to not take everything too serious. We gossip, we crack our jokes and we laugh about 15 year-olds who cry over pictures of Jared holding hands with random women (because they want him to be single so he "might" consider dating a Fan anytime in the future and "maybe he will wait until they are old enough" - not realizing that he is 40 already) and who think their world will end when Shannon is seen flirting with someone. We do not take being an Echelon way too serious, it is not a religion, more like a way of life and a way to share your love of music and your sense of humor with people like you.

Unfortunately there are some other members of the so-called "Echelon-Family" who do not tolerate it when we do that and have our fun with it and they are annoyed and offended and that causes trouble among the Echelon which is just plain annoying. Everyone is entitled to have their own opinion, there should be Freedom of Speech, even online and you should respect others. I don't get offended if someone thinks I am (and calls me) a Fangirl...(because it's probably true) and I don't cry myself to sleep when I get messages with rude Comments. But then I also want to have the opportunity to openly say/write what I think.

As I said: "Live and let Live" or "Don't take everything too serious" or "Life is too short to fight over little things"

So there you have it...my honest opinion...now go over to Twitter or FB and feel free to unfriend me if you disagree.

Irene