June 2017 Snake Oil/Pretzel Logic
When I was about eleven years old, I remember jumping on my yellow banana seat bicycle and heading over to Pergaments’ department store for a treat. I had scraped up enough money to buy myself a hot pretzel at this Long Island department stores snack bar. It was a big thrill for me to be able to buy myself something so I was excited. The girl that worked behind the counter was about sixteen years old, and was a miserable, pimple-faced, angry-at-the-world teenager. An unhappy teenager is not exactly a rarity in this world by any means. I ordered my big salty pretzel and she grumpily told me it would be thirty five cents. I started to carefully count out the pennies I had crammed in my pocket when she stopped me halfway through my count. With a disgusted look on her face she said, “I am not taking all pennies, give me REAL money or you are not getting this pretzel. I was mortified. I weakly told her I had no other money and she responded with “Well tough for you then, no pretzel.”
I slunk away from the snack-bar in despair and I had a difficult time holding back the tears as I rode my bike home. I hated that monster. She had humiliated me for no reason. I struggled with my emotions as I rode home. Shame and abasement alternated with anger as I rehashed the incident in my mind. Later when I recounted the story of the “ugly bitch who wouldn’t give me a pretzel” to my friends, I used all kinds of colorful language to describe the nasty, bitter, evil troll who refused to serve me. Throughout my tirade of angry recounting I never thought of mentioning her race as part of my despair. She was African American, but it had nothing to do with why I hated her. I never made a connection in my mind between race and her bad behavior.
I grew up in the predominantly white suburbs of Long Island, New York, yet I saw people of all colors and nationalities around me. In my own home we never really heard extreme racist language. Don’t get me wrong my mom often had a few choice comments about many of the neighbors. She was not lacking in opinions. She wasn’t thrilled with the divorced mother of one of my friends and she didn’t approve of the way many of the neighbors parented their kids. She wasn’t fond of a lot of the neighbors and made her viewpoints known to us. Still, while I suspected she had a little bit of racism in her, I never really heard my mother or father make “colorful” negative comments about Jews, Blacks, Hispanics, and anyone else who wasn’t like us. My siblings and I often followed suit and we also disliked many of our neighbors in hope of getting approval from mom, but it was never really racially motivated. Some of my friend’s parents were clearly prejudiced though. I heard a few shocking comments from time to time. But I wasn’t around them enough to let them influence my perspective and beliefs. And, even if I did hear more of their ugly ideas, it simply never made any real sense to me to think this way. To me, people were either annoying or cool. Race had no bearing on whether I liked someone or not. Something inside of me never allowed me to get twisted into seeing people in such a perverse way.
I encountered racism more as an adult. In my twenties I had friends who had boyfriends, girlfriends, husbands, and wives that believed or said some horrible racially prejudiced things and actually meant what they said. Usually these boyfriends and girlfriends had short shelf lives though. The people with whom I have socialized with, for the most part, have always thought the way I do which is one of the reasons why I considered them to be my friends. I have even had a few occasions in my life where I was the victim of what some believe to be an element of reverse racism. There were a few times when I got nasty looks when I have been in places where I was the only Caucasian guy. I even encountered a bit of this once when I was the only guy at an all Lesbian party. It seemed a few of the ladies were blatantly bothered by my presence there, yet I had a great time anyway and met some really cool people. Still, I can honestly count the number of times I noticeably experienced this type of thing on one hand. Since I’m extremely white with a very fair complexion, I stand out like a sore thumb among darker races.Yet, I haven’t found that I suffered in any real way because of this. Even though got some dirty looks a few times, the disdain never really bothered me. I realized a long time ago that I have definitely gotten some extra privileges because of my skin color. It isn’t fair, but it is a reality. The world is not balanced and fair by any means. There are some real benefits that come from being a white male. I don’t blame some minorities for feeling uncomfortable about this imbalance. It does exist in the world. Many minorities have experienced some really nasty and even brutal things because of this kind of obnoxious prejudice. I would likely be a bit angry too If I had to walk in their shoes and deal with being mistreated because of my race.
While I have never been or ever will be racist, misogynistic, homophobic, hetero phobic, or judgmental about any group of people by any means, people who know me have often heard me humorously say some of the worst racist comments of all! But my reasons for doing this are purely for getting laughs and to break the bubbles of protection that many people have around their racial wounds. I am also from NY and we are all wise-asses in some respects. It comes with the territory (add Uranus in Virgo the 5th house Astrologically for me). I was a big fan of people like Norman Lear who created brilliant comedy shows like “All In The Family” because I got what he was trying to do. I have said some amazingly, creative derogatory things about Gay people, straight people, Blacks, Asians and pretty much everyone else. This includes men, Germans, Italians, gays, Catholics, people from the east coast, psychics, all groups and cultures that could be to some extent used to describe me! But my terrible comments are always done with a smile and a shit-eating grin. It’s the wise-guy, shock-the-audience, lover of words in me that just loves to shake up his audience from time to time. I enjoy pointing out the absurd. Racism is so painfully un-evolved that it gives comedians an endless supply of material to work with. My goal is to remind everyone that racism, sexism, homophobia, and every other idiotic “ism” is simply that, idiotic! It is far less painful to feel insulted when we see someone who is trying to insult us as as obnoxious bullies who are absurd because they ACTUALLY believe these types of things.
Racism and extreme prejudice may have thankfully shrunk somewhat over time, yet they are still sadly alive and well. It may even seem like it has gotten worse in the last few years. There are a number of reasons why I think racism exists and in some respects sadly may always exist. People who have had bad experiences with someone from another race or culture will often form beliefs that are then myopically projected to everyone in that group or race. They get stuck in a lifelong lack of ability to break free from learned, limited perspectives even though evidence to the contrary often later proves those beliefs to be invalid. Some people simply still buy into prejudiced thinking they learned from their family or communities. They seem to be missing the ability and maturity to make judgments of their own. They show their loyalty by following their families or religion’s beliefs no matter what! Often these types of people are incapable of healthy empathy. In addition, they never evolve enough to throw away old beliefs and limited narrow prejudices. The majority who still think in racist terms are simply playing a projection game. They project their own hidden fears, weakness, and even ideals and assign them to a particular race or group “that is taking something they want or feel they deserve away from them.” This then becomes a game of love/hate toward members of these groups.
All of the people who actually think with hatred and prejudice use a kind of pretzel logic and twist themselves into something grotesque. Many spend entire lifetimes clinging tightly to their racist perceptions. Ultimately they may remain stunted and lack spiritual, emotional, and analytical mutability. They will inevitably sign up for the karma of being born in another life as a member of the very groups that they mistreated. Everyone eventually evolves and reaches a healthy neutrality, but it may take many lifetimes to get there. If we look at karma and the evolution through living multiple lifetimes (reincarnation) we can understand that a “younger soul” or someone with less lifetimes in different races, sexual orientations, etc... has less experience. Racists inevitably choose to walk a difficult road. They end up creating suffering and pain for others and themselves. Carrying around hate and anger will take its toll on them physically and emotionally. In many cases this can be the seeds for cancer and other types of disease, or they may find people rejecting them because of their rigidity. Sadly, pretzel logic damages everyone it comes into contact with. It is an aspect of this world that is truly ugly, but pretending it away solves nothing. Rising above it by seeing those who suffer from the affliction of racism as wounded people that lack fully developed empathy, is the solution for any personal peace.
Jim Ventura 5-2012
Notes
I originally published this Snake Oil about 5 years ago. While I did some additional editing, it was actually minimally changed. I have been hearing over the last few years from some people and some media that Obama has made this a more racist country. I have also heard on the other side that Trump is making this a more racist country. Neither of these perspectives are actually correct. In my view President Trump in some respects has acted as a lightening rod and triggered people who were already racist to speak and act out. Trump’s Sun in Gemini conjunct Uranus in his 10th house has triggered some elements that are now surfacing in society to give us an opportunity to look at this darker part of humanity that exists in some Americans. This is part of a healing process that unfortunately involves uncomfortable ugliness and suffering as part of both the collective process. We are not a country that is more or less racist than before. This un-evolved part of our society has always been there and is now surfacing for examination.
Every six months or so I send out referral credits for referrals sent to me during that period of time. When my clients who are column subscribers send a potential client my way and they book a session I give $10-$25 in referral credits to whomever made the referral. So far 2017 has been a bit lighter than usual in new referrals. Passing my newsletter along or information about sessions options to friends and family though social media or in other ways is valuable to me and greatly appreciated. In addition this can make your next session inexpensive, or even free! I definitely get a lot of my referrals via Yelp and other review sites. I sent out referral credits to all the thoughtful people who posted reviews about my services or my column about 2 years ago. If you haven’t already posted a review on Yelp (look under Phoenix Astrologers), and choose to do so anytime in 2017, I will eventually see it and when I send out my next referral comp offers in September I will give a $25 referral discount to anyone who posts a review.
Summer has arrived. We are hitting the 100s here in Phoenix during the daytime. Evenings have still been fairly nice and May was surprisingly cool (although we hit a bizarre 106 degree day in April)! July is usually when it gets really hot here, but it is the price we pay for 70 degree days in much of our winter. Wishing everyone a happy June! Cheers, Jimmy V
“The stupid neither forgive nor forget; the naive forgive and forget; the wise forgive but do not forget.” Thomas Szasz
Channeled corner. I read many, many books from different trance channelers in the 80s, 90s, and early 2000s. Unfortunately many of them are now out of print, but I still have a huge collection and will share some of the best material I have collected over the years.
Hate
“WHEN PEOPLE HATE, THEY ALWAYS LOOK FOR ALLIES-The less justified the grievance, the more pressing the desire. The more that person wrongs someone they hate, the more fuel they add to their own hatred. This is how humans work. The one who hates has to silence his guilty conscience, and he does this by convincing himself and others that you really deserve punishment. He cannot feel indifference or pity for someone wronged; he must hate and persecute or else leave the door open to self-contempt. Hatred can give meaning to an empty life. Therefore, understand that your adversary is to be pitied.
If you are upset it is because you are allowing this person’s problem to trouble you. You can’t change a hateful person, but you can change how you react. When you let go of your expectations of approval or control, you begin to let go of your anger, resentment and blame. The ideal self-actualization response is to allow the negativity to flow through you without affecting you. Let it go and go on with your life.
Meditate upon how an adversary related to your question and how you can best rise above this situation through positive thinking and positive action.
Dick Sutphen Oracle Within
“I’m not funny. What I am is brave.” Lucille Ball
Snake Oil Radio
Thursdays at 3:30 pm (there will be one live broadcasts this month)
My next live broadcast of Snake Oil Radio will be Thursday, June 15th. at 3:30 p.m. mountain time (same as Pacific time now). Most Thursdays you can catch a new show. Each 45 minute show will expand on my current column’s subject matter. It will also offer an opportunity for you to call in live (or chat with other listeners in the chat room) with comments and your thoughts about the topic of discussion. If you miss the live show, you can catch any of my previously recorded shows on the web site’s archive. You can also catch Snake Oil Radio on I-tunes (download my pod-casts there).
To hear a live show, all you need to do is be at a computer and tuned into: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/Jim-Ventura You may also access it by going to the site and type “Snake Oil” into the search option. You can also go to the shows that are currently “On air” at that time and find me. The call in number is 646-200-3966 for questions and comments.
“Did I offer peace today? Did I bring a smile to someone’s face? Did I say words of healing? Did I let go of my anger and resentment? Did I forgive? Did I love? These are the real questions. I must trust that the little bit of love that I sow now will bear many fruits, here in this world and the life to come.” Henru Nouwen
New Client Special 2017:
January 1st 2017 thru August 31st 2017 Special: New Client introductory offer
$10-15 off listed rates for your first 45 minute session, 70, or 90 minute session! Ask for the special when you email Venturasag@yahoo.com to book. Debit and credit card payments get $10 off for 45-90 minute sessions. Local in-office clients can get an extra $5 off for cash or check payments for sessions. If you want to buy a new client a thoughtful gift of a session you can also take advantage of these rates!
$10-15 off listed rates for your first 45 minute session, 70, or 90 minute session! Ask for the special when you email Venturasag@yahoo.com to book. Debit and credit card payments get $10 off for 45-90 minute sessions. Local in-office clients can get an extra $5 off for cash or check payments for sessions. If you want to buy a new client a thoughtful gift of a session you can also take advantage of these rates!
My current rates (new clients can subtract the above discounts from these rates): 45 minute sessions $80. 70 minute sessions $110. 90 minute sessions $130. Sessions can be in-office or by phone.
Here’s my contact information to make an appointment for a session, or information on current classes: Phone: (602) 957-3035 text: (602) 349-0746 Email: Venturasag@yahoo.com (best method for contact).
Information about the different sessions and types of readings and services, past Snake Oil columns, and how to order my books and audio CD’s can be found at my website: Http://JimVentura.com
“Friend” me on Facebook to get other extra offers and in between column extras! Signing up for my fan page will get you even more extras and first shot at reading specials. Simply click on “like” on the fan page and you will automatically get my weekly updates.
You also may want to check out my posts on Tumblr.com: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/snake-oil-blog
All sessions/readings for 2017 are: Full (70 minutes) $110.00; Shorter session (45 minutes) $80.00; Extended session (90 minutes) $130.00 (two people can split an extended session back to back for $65.00 each). Email me for information about my Regular Client Program for even bigger discounts on session prices with the added benefit of monthly or quarterly check-ins.
All Current Snake Oil subscribers get $5.00 off all listed prices for any 45-90 minute sessions (except when using a special discount promotion). Local in office visits receive another $5 off listed prices for cash or check payments.
