Some Things I Get, Some Things I Don’t Get

As one goes through life, you find that you develop certain tastes and lean toward certain preferences. Some things you like, somethings you don’t. I’m not talking about that, here. In the midst of this liking and disliking there is another circle on our Venn Diagram of understanding: those things you get, and those things you don’t get. These don’t necessarily correlate to like or dislike–it’s more about comprehension. Here are some of my examples:

Get: Justin Bieber
Don’t Get: The Jonas Brothers

This is a case where I don’t much care for either musical entity, but as I’m far outside their demo, I don’t think they’ll mind. I’m sure some will be making that shaking-your-head “wagga-wagga” sound with the Bieber thing, but I do get it. He’s like the reimagining of Peter Noone. I get it. As for the Jonases…nope, reason and explanation still elude me.

Get: Ingrid Bergman, Katherine Hepburn
Don’t Get: Sophia Loren, Audrey Hepburn

Frankly, I’ve never understood the Loren mystique, and A. Hepburn just left me scratching my head. I’ve watched many of each of their films and I still don’t really see what the fuss is about. Now, those I that I “get” shown for me the moment I saw them. Yeah, they had works that deserved many face-palms, but I never questioned why people would want to hire them, much less be fans of them.

Get: BBC World News
Don’t Get: MSNBC, CNN, FoxNews

Honestly, when I want news, I want news. You don’t get that much in the U.S. anymore, and I just don’t get why people still watch those networks much less most of the personalities on them.

Get: Romance
Don’t Get: Gratuitous sex scenes and (sloppy) PDA in media and literature

I’ve seen it and read it, people. I grew up in the middle of the “sexual revolution” for cryin’ out loud. I understand that people have carnal interests. I don’t get the voyeur aspect of it. Yeah, maybe at first, out of naive curiosity, but after a while it’s just the same ol’ same ol’. Few things get me to hop on over to the computer to pass the time quicker than the stripping of clothes, the unrestrained oral tongue groping (calling it kissing is an insult to kisses), and the five minutes of screen time (or three pages of text) that don’t actually do anything to further the story. I just don’t get the out-of-proportion fascination.

Get: Steve Wozniak, Steve Jobs
Don’t Get: Apple

Yeah, I know…weird, huh?  Look, the Steves are only a little older than I am and come from a similar mindset in regards to this technological evolution (though I do “get” Woz better than Jobs). Jobs is definitely a visionary; a pompous visionary, but a visionary nonetheless. But the Apple thing, not so much. I mean, the Apple ][ was sexy, if a bit pricey.  And that was a while ago. The whole Apple culture: the pricing, the evangelists, etc… nope, I’ve just never been able to wrap my mind around it.

Get: Capacitors
Don’t Get: Inductors

Yeah, still more techno-weirdness. When I was young and learning how to build nifty gadgets, I picked up almost all the electronic components like they were part of my genetics all easy-peasy, but inductors have always been a bit of a blind spot. I’ve set more than a few things on fire because of that personal shortcoming.

Get: Zoology
Don’t Get: Botany

It’s amazing. Animals I “get”. I can ID them pretty easily, even down to the subtleties of many species. Plants…I’m hopeless. Yeah, there’s a bit more granularity than simply “tree”, I can ID a few of them, but houseplants? Weeds? Grasses? I can’t even say it goes in one ear and out the other…I don’t think it even breaches the gates.

Get: Politicians
Don’t Get: The American Public Who Elect Them

I spent 20 years in the DC area, many of them intersecting with my formative years, so I have a pretty good understanding of the political mindset that infects many inside the beltway (I include staffs and corporate execs in this, too). What I don’t get are the sheeple who elect complete morons and criminals to represent them for reasons other than competence. Even when the person I wanted to win gets into office, too often they get there because of silly reasons, and that I just don’t understand.

Get: Ellen
Don’t Get: Oprah

I”ve never gotten the Oprah phenomenon. Not when she was in Baltimore. Not when she was facing off against Phil. Not when she became the brain of several million viewers. I just haven’t. I can understand why people wouldn’t “get” Ellen. Her humor can be a bit quirky, but it was exactly that comedic sensibility which caught my attention in the first place.

Get: Rock ‘n’ Roll
Don’t Get: Rap

Growing up in the 60s and 70s, I obviously got an interesting exposure to the heyday of rock and AM radio music. Of course I “get” it. But Rap… some has been OK, but for the most part it’s just lyric poetry of (at best) dubious quality. I don’t get how it has persisted. Then again, I’m not a lyrics guy, so much of the concept of Rap is lost on me.

Get: Love
Don’t Get: Betrayal

The cheating cheaters who cheat on their spouses…I just don’t understand that at all. Most made a vow, to THEIR GOD, that their union and fidelity would be forever. Guess not. I don’t get how people think not being understood, being separated, or any of the other excuses means that you aren’t still married and bound by whatever oath you took. I just don’t get that.

Get: English
Don’t Get: English

I love my native tongue. I love how I get to take it out and play with it. I don’t get why it has to be so bloody hard, though. Spelling all over the place. Dialects up the wazoo. Constantly changing word meanings. Punctuation that is pretty much laughable at times. It’s (from what I’ve heard) an easy language to learn the basics of, but it’s a devil of a foe if you want to be fluent.

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And I think that’s enough to get started. It’s your turn: what things do you get and what things don’t you get? Please drop down to the comments and share.