Ruminations on “bein’ a nuisance”
“. . till I said, "And creatin' a nuisance.
. . " And they all came back, shook my hand,
and we had a great time on the Bench talkin' about crime . .”
Arlo Guthrie
Arlo’s reference to “creatin’ a nuisance” is a point of pride among those characters in his song who live a contrary lifestyle. In the rock-and-roll arena the ‘jester’ is a common theme, e.g. ‘the jester’, (aka Bob Dylan) in Don McLean’s “American Pie” epic, or ‘the rebel’ in countless other rock coming of age and protest tunes.
In medieval Europe and later in the Renaissance, a fool was considered to be mad or insane. Someone lacking in necessary mental capacity. Some believed that they were divinely touched and as a result were a source of wisdom. Some fools (jesters) in court were likely dysfunctional or had learning disabilities yet were possessed of a convoluted reasoning skill that was perceived as inspired. Whatever the case they were accorded a measure of latitude in society.
The jester (or fool) has a cherished mythology in literature. They were theoretically, protected from judgement. The ‘royal person’, allowed the criticism with the intent that their judgement might remain fair and balanced. And if good fortune smiled, a bit of divine wisdom was bestowed to solidify their royal claims.
Not sure how well that worked. I suspect that the jesters and fools in Shakespearean literature are idealized. One wonders how many actual fools overstepped and paid the penalty. Being a skilled nuisance could be a “good gig” in olden days.
Today if you are talented, and skilled, you can be entertaining and get paid to ‘stand up’ and be a nuisance. Being a clever nuisance is a good gig today also. Although, today one must be careful to not cross the line and be a ‘royal pain in the arse’. Such an error in judgement by their antecedents could have resulted in a career being cutoff, or by royal decree, their head. In ages past, wandering past the boundary between being a nuisance and a provocateur, could determine where you spent the night, or eternity. Being a sloppy nuisance was a dangerous gig.
Thomas Jefferson famously said,
“I hold it that a little rebellion now and then is a good thing, and as necessary in the political world as storms in the physical.” We could expand that beyond the political to the cultural. I believe that engaging in a little good natured nuisance is good for the soul. Not only by delivery but also in reception. The skill is to always know when to back off, provide some relief and to be as honest as possible.
Disorderly conduct, displayed by
this man, is a distant relative of being a nuisance. It can have a similar effect but carries serious baggage which will define you as a threat. Yet
this woman, arrested and charged, was not disorderly. It doesn’t say WHY they thought she was. If you become a threat, people will cease being an audience, become observers and allow John Law to take you in hand just so they don’t have to put up with you.
Conduct displayed by
this woman, is 180º from what the above citizens displayed and she is exercising her right to go about her business topless. Not only is she not disorderly she doesn’t even qualify as a nuisance. She shows respect and consideration to law enforcement by giving them advance notice yet refuses to allow them to bully her or pressure her to back down. She holds her position that she is not breaking the law and that she is within her rights to go topless and mind her own business. Go to the home page of the blog and read of her calm and reasonable actions against absurd behavior. Inspirational.
Duane
