“The problem with being honest is people aren’t faced with it on a daily basis and don’t want to hear true feelings. They want to hear about hearts and flowers – not about things that make you mad. It is funny to see how people will react when faced with honesty.”

This is typical romanticism: the idea that some feelings are “true”, and therefore automatically validated.

Let me give an example: I stub my toe on a chair. For a few moments I am angry at the chair — and the feeling is certainly “true” and “heartfelt” for the four seconds it lasts.

Another example: A disgruntled postal worker shoots up a mall. His feelings are “true”; should we therefore accept them and not be allowed to react negatively?

There is this consensus in society, that “true” feelings are sometimes antisocial (such as violent anger or intolerance), and should be repressed for the good of society.

But in Romanticism, ANY heartfelt emotion is “true” and therefore MUST be expressed. The same goes for expressing disagreement; the more emotional, the more “authentic.”

As soon as you express emotions in a public forum — such as a weblog — the rules of public conduct apply. This is called etiquette. Some call it “oppression”, others call it the glue that holds society together… others just call it common courtesy.

-A.R.Yngve
http://yngve.bravehost.com