Black Bucket Essays
Volume 1, Issue 2
Normalize difference until there is no space between self and other.
Julie Benoit
Normalize difference until there is no space between self and other.
Or not?
Isnt this space between self and other what makes things interesting?
Without that space wouldn’t the world just be a homogenous place?
Isnt this difference a good thing?
Why would we want to normalize difference?
oth·er
ˈəT͟Hər/
adjective & pronoun
1. used to refer to a person or thing that is different or distinct from one already mentioned or known about.
The nature of difference is impossible without the idea of sameness.
I am very aware of being other in most aspects of my daily life,
I do find that this difference is a space where meaningful conversations can happen and where relationships can develop.
In all of the little pieces that create my self I am other, to someone.
As an artist I am other,
as a teacher I am other,
as a member of the punk scene I am other,
as a business owner I am other,
as a mother I am other,
as a neighbor i am other,
and to you I am other.
Other artists are other to me,
other teachers are other to me,
other punks are other to me,
other business owners are other to me,
other mothers are other to me,
other neighbors are other to me,
and you are other to me.
Other and self go hand in hand so that when we speak of otherness, we speak of its other, the self.
Somewhere in it all we have to keep in mind that we are all others to somebody, and everybody is other to us.
Without difference and otherness we would all be the same and that would make for a rather boring conversation.
Volume 1, Issue 2
Normalize difference until there is no space between self and other.
Julie Benoit
Normalize difference until there is no space between self and other.
Or not?
Isnt this space between self and other what makes things interesting?
Without that space wouldn’t the world just be a homogenous place?
Isnt this difference a good thing?
Why would we want to normalize difference?
oth·er
ˈəT͟Hər/
adjective & pronoun
1. used to refer to a person or thing that is different or distinct from one already mentioned or known about.
The nature of difference is impossible without the idea of sameness.
I am very aware of being other in most aspects of my daily life,
I do find that this difference is a space where meaningful conversations can happen and where relationships can develop.
In all of the little pieces that create my self I am other, to someone.
As an artist I am other,
as a teacher I am other,
as a member of the punk scene I am other,
as a business owner I am other,
as a mother I am other,
as a neighbor i am other,
and to you I am other.
Other artists are other to me,
other teachers are other to me,
other punks are other to me,
other business owners are other to me,
other mothers are other to me,
other neighbors are other to me,
and you are other to me.
Other and self go hand in hand so that when we speak of otherness, we speak of its other, the self.
Somewhere in it all we have to keep in mind that we are all others to somebody, and everybody is other to us.
Without difference and otherness we would all be the same and that would make for a rather boring conversation.
