Get Confident, Stupid!!
I gotta tell ya, I have recently come to the realization that the best time to start any project, preparation, plan, personal policy or kidnapping, is exactly five years ago. My brain is constantly being inundated with things I wish I would have written about.
It’s really annoying.
Imagine filtering through the mod podge/ collage of songs, silliness, movies, phrases, family, dumbery, full frontal nudity, political philosophy, the Wangdoodles, Hornswogglers, Snozzwangers, or the rotten, Vermicious Knids that are constantly bombarding my brain. I have to sift myself through a buttload of groan-inducing and mediocre crap to find the one little gold nugget I want to write about. I could easily compare it to mining for diamonds in a gigantic grotto filled with fossilized bat dung. Because that is exactly what it’s like.
Again, it’s really annoying.
So I have been thinking about this off and on the last few years. It is something that really bothers me. I primarily see it in the media, but it extends into everyday life with normal people too. I don’t know if I’m special (my mom says I am) or if my brain is just wired weird. I just don’t have a problem with people having their own points of view. In fact, I welcome it.
Let me explain. About three years ago we had the introduction of “the tea party.” A group of people who were sick of “business as usual” in Washington, who felt like we, as Americans, were Taxed Enough Already and wanted to rein in the out of control spending in Washington. A very noble goal. Of course, you had the few fringe weirdos who wore the colonial clothing complete with the three cornered hats. I have no problem with those guys either. When watching the news every once in a while you would see a sign that said something like, “I am John Galt”, or “Vote for John Galt.” I had just recently finished reading Atlas Shrugged” by Ayn Rand so I knew exactly who John Galt was. I also remember for a short time, the media trying to vilify Ayn Rand. I was watching a reporter interviewing Congressman Paul Ryan. The reporter asked Mr. Ryan if he agreed with Ayn Rand about something. Mr. Ryan said he did. The reporter then said (something along the lines of) “so you don’t believe in God?” (I’m doing this from memory – I tried for just a minute to find it on Youtube, but got bored.) The reporter tried to draw the conclusion that because Ayn Rand was an atheist, and because Congressman Ryan agreed with a facet of her philosophy that suddenly Ms. Rand was elevated to godhood where everything that falls from her lips was and is the gospel truth. If she didn’t believe in something, then clearly he didn’t believe it either.
That, my dear reader, is what bothers me. It happens time and time again.
One more example, again, from a few years ago. Shortly after a new group of Tea Party approved congressmen/women were elected, I was watching an interview with Speaker of the House John Boehner. Between bouts of sobbing he was flippantly asked by the reporter (who looked like he would more likely be a member of the Saturday Night Live cast, than a reporter) something along the lines of why he (Boehner) couldn’t get House Republicans to “march in line.” (Again this is from memory – I’m sure it was worded better than that). I don’t remember exactly what Boehner said, because four words into his pansy reply I started screaming at the TV. (I’m really brave at home, in my room, with the door locked, under my bed, holding my blankie, with the lights on). I know Boehner’s reply was pansy because he is holding out hope the media will one day realize Republicans are great people. He should have said, “Do you even understand how our Government works?” Then go on to explain that the beauty, and pure brilliance, of our system of government is that it was designed by men who knew the biggest danger to our freedom was the power of other men. The founders designed a government of limited, enumerated powers, whose formation was intended to make the accumulation of power by a group (or by individuals) difficult and short lived. Then, they brilliantly added a list of rights which were inviolable no matter who was in power. In other words, you cute little reporting bugger you, the Republicans are not robots. They don’t march. Obviously there are certain principles you would like them to unite against (or for) but on everything else they need to vote their conscience. If Boehner wanted to REALLY hit a home run, he could have continued and explained that our Founders insight into human nature explains why Marx’s “from each according to his ability, to each according to his needs” crap can never work. Marx’s theory assumes people are able to be honest about their needs and abilities, when, in fact, most people overestimate both.
But Boehner blew it.
In business, if you have two people on a team who agree with each other 100% of the time, one of them isn’t necessary. Wouldn’t the same be true in government?
So if I listen to Glenn Beck every once in a while it doesn’t mean I’m buying gold, stockpiling weapons, and burying food in the back yard, preparing for the post apocalyptic world (I would be buying gold if I had a pot to piss in.) I can enjoy his commentary and filter out what I don’t think has value all by myself. Thank you.
When I was in High School I used to watch Bill Maher on ABC’s Politically Incorrect. I thought he was funny and insightful. Now I think he’s an ass. I disagree with almost everything that spews out of his pie hole. But I believe he has a right to say what he wants. And if you, or someone you know, thinks he is funny and insightful I don’t automatically think you’re an ass (although let’s be honest, you probably are.)
Granted, being part of a group makes it so that SOME of your goals, ideas, values, or principles are the same, be they be political, social, religious or intellectual. The individual is the most important. Groups can be swayed. We are all capable and should practice individual thought, and should recognize, and respect this ability in others.
