Much like its phonetic cousin smog, smug is something for which I have little tolerance and is far too abundant. However, I must confess that I find myself guilty of smugness far too regularly.
In accordance with the title of the blog, I am writing this entry from a sidewalk cafe (the same cafe mentioned in an earlier post in fact), and by all accounts it is a veritable breeding ground for smug. The baristas serve organic, fair trade coffees at exorbitant prices, the furniture and overall decor is minimalist and sleek and soft classical music radiates from recessed speakers.
It's the music that really pushes me over the edge. After ordering my usual hot chocolate, I sit down, plug in my laptop, and begin to study (or in this case blog, but generally I'm here for academic purposes). As I get into a groove, fueled by the sugar and ambient noise, my sense of hearing begins to feel neglected. Soon the notes wafting from the ceiling begin to worm their way into my head, and slowly I begin to recognize each piece.
Revelling in my own brilliance, I begin a pretentious game with myself, challenging myself to name each selection. "Bach's Concerto in D Minor for two violins and a piano", "Vivaldi's violin Concerto in A Minor", "Holt's Ostenato from the St. Paul's Suite". This go on for some time before I realize with horror that I have entered the stages of some monstrous Dr. Jackyll/Mr. Hyde transformation.
The keys stop clicking. I look around, take a deep breath and assess the situation in my mind. "You're a liberal American Jew who's parents own a hybrid car with an Obama/Biden '08 sticker and you are sitting in a coffee shop in a major francophone city blogging to classical music." The reality of my situation hits me hard, forcing me to come face to face with what I have become, something I so often ridicule but am now forced to accept as my own identity.
I guess this really is just the outcome of a self fulfilling prophecy. Having not-so-jokingly referred to myself as a liberal elitist on multiple occasions, it was only a matter of time before my metamorphosis became complete. Now the question remains, how do I move forward from such a life altering discovery? Does my insistence on using only 25 year aged balsamic vinegar from Modena require immediate medical attention? Is my firm belief in sexual equality among people of different genders and sexualities life threatening? Is my die hard support for Ohio congressman Dennis Kucinich's 2008 presidential campaign a sign of disconnection from real America and an infirm grounding in reality?
No. Through a combination of self reflection and common sense I have discovered that none of the above symptoms make me un-American, nor thankfully are they carcinogenic. The fact is that a liberal American Jew is just that, an American. To be honest that is really the only label to which I like to attach myself.
Being smug might make you a bit of a know-it-all, but never let your intellectual prowess incur denegration, nor your cultural tastes discrimination. Be secure in the knowledge that you are who you choose to be, not what others label you.
