My Oldman used to say that opinions are a lot like assholes. Everybody has one, and they most often stink.
Social media handed all of us a microphone and told us we mattered. I’ve grabbed it plenty of times and I am guilty as charged. But I am starting to realize that nobody gives two shits what my stand is on religion, politics, sports, music, movies, or Thai food.
Movie stars should stick to making movies. Rock stars should play their songs in packed arenas. Athletes should compete hard and finish strong.
Being number one at the box office, winning a Grammy, or standing on a podium with a gold medal doesn’t make you an expert on climate change, human rights, or political correctness. It just makes you good at the thing you’re paid to do.
All we do now is argue until everybody gets mad. Nobody debates anymore; nobody talks things out. Every conversation turns into a performance filled with grandstanding, gloating and keeping score. That is why I rarely do social gatherings much anymore. They have become pageants where everyone is a contestant with two minutes to impress the judges.
Remember Roger Ebert and Gene Siskel's, At the Movies? They couldn’t stand each other, but they talked about the movie... deeply, passionately with either Thumbs up or Thumbs down. They disagreed, filmed the show, probably told each other to fuck off afterward, then showed up the next week and did it all over again.
That is an opinion done right. It left room for you to decide.
We built a government to represent neighborhoods and towns and send statesmen to Washington. Instead, we’ve got snake oil salesmen pretending to be politicians.
I watched a political ad the other night for a senator. I like the guy. He seems smart and sincere most of the time. But the whole commercial was him screaming about fighting some politician from the other party who isn’t even in his race and won’t be around in two years. That is all fine and dandy, but what does he stand for?
Is he going to fight for better education?
Will he care for veterans who are physically and mentally broken?
Will he make sure someone competent is wiping Grandpa’s rear end in a clean nursing home?
Just shut up and represent the people who elected you and not the special interest groups.
Most opinions aren’t even original anymore. Most people haven’t had an original thought since Google showed up. We have fewer well-read people and more full-time viewers of CNN and Fox News surrounding us. Turn on a camera and everyone turns into a mealy mouth. Turn on a computer and everyone becomes a keyboard bully.
Somewhere while chalking this morning, I got opinionated. It is hard not to. Which brings me back to my Oldman. We are all just assholes with big mouths.
One hundred forty-six days until the 250th birthday of the United States of America. We are going to hear people trash it, and people praise it. Which brings me to another quote from the Oldman.
"You talk like a man with a paper asshole.”
I never quite figured that one out. I just knew I heard it whenever I said something stupid. That is how I learned to say less stupid shit around my dad.
Maybe we should all stop listening and saying stupid shit and bring more astonishment, love and gusto into the world?
There is a smile on the sun and a decent temp up in the corner. Supposedly there is a football game tonight, but I will be watching the final episode of "All Creatures Great and Small" on Masterpiece Theater instead.
Be kind, rewind..........
