Buttons are what make me tick. If you have a button, it's what makes you tick.
A few of my buttons include dissing Glee, feet, seeing women as the lesser gender, promoting wrestling and many more. These are my buttons. These are what I feel strongly about enough to defend in any circumstances. Well, kind of. Feet aren't something I defend. I just hate feet. I hate them. With all of my heart. Ick. But moving on, when you're friends find your buttons (and it wasn't very difficult for them to find mine) they will spare you no grief in the pushing of the buttons. I don't know why but I always feel that I have to fight for what I love even though it doesn't really matter. I'm not protesting for human rights, I'm defending my favourite TV show! I guess it sounds trivial next to something like human rights but I can't allow people to make fun of something many hard working and talented people put a lot of talent and hard work into! Their lives are invested in that and I feel that they don't need people hating on them.
Wrestling is different. Wrestling is still something someone invests their life into but it's completely different because it's not contributing to society in a positive way. Glee is extremely encouraging, it's funny, it's changed lives (and if you don't believe me watch Glee 3D the movie, it will explain). I will not discuss further the topic of wrestling because it makes me ill just thinking about it.
In summation, buttons are not necessarily a bad thing. Buttons can be good, they can help you come out of your shell and stand up for what you believe in. Sometimes though, letting things go is important. Not every button needs defending. But stay strong my fellow buttons, we won't let those button pressers get the best of us!
Excellent post Caris. It shows that you are thinking beyond the level of personal preferences and struggling to let the buttons you have be buttons that matter. The question for all of us is why do we hold to the buttons that we have? Why do certain things raise our anger? Is it really only a matter of personal preferences...our likes and dislikes? Or is there something deeper that calls us to engage with passion on our "button" issues. I have found for me that some of my buttons come from deep convictions (pacifism, human dignity and value), others come from areas of my life where I am afraid of change or loss (not getting my way, someone attacking my own beliefs). Life then becomes a process of asking ourselves why we react the way we do. It is my fear that most of us live unexamined lives. We tend to move forward without serious reflection as to why we do what we do? Why does it push my buttons when something happens? But you are examining your own heart. Keep it up...
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