A-Z. Opposites.
I work with a lot of As. A LOT of As. The As are fond of reading me the latest political scandal with a healthy dose of "well you know what that means don't you"?
No really what does that mean? Well it means [insert conjecture taken] which will mean [insert bad thing that could happen].
Really? Cite Your Source.
Actually Cite Your Source has gotten me in corporate hot water before. When I was asked if I saw hearing on [insert hearings] I said yes because I had. Then I was told "well according to [insert famous/infamous radio talk show personality] that [person speaking at hearings] was acting like that because he deliberately didn't take his medicine so he'd look bad.
Really? interesting. Person in question has Parkinsons. As a spouse of someone with that debilitating illness, I'm fairly aware of the effects of the drugs - dyskinesia. (though I can't spell it obviously - I know the effects). When I brought this information to the person self-appointed to educate me, he had nothing. Obviously - because the Parkinson's Medication actually causes the effects you're attributing to not taking it.
Disinformation. I hate that. Then of course it was if [person speaking at hearings] gets his way then [insert bad thing that could happen] and [insert more bad things] and [OMG the boogey man].
Should. Could. Bad Thing. Or Else. Because.
These are words/phrases we use to control children. They're not quantifiable, which gives them their power.
Because why. Because I said so. Because that's what [insert person of prominence/importance] said.
Cite your sources. Not out of context, not from a YouTube video, not second hand.
Yet we find ourselves bound by these very things. The fear that Else (or Elsewhere in the case of The Giver) brings. And in that fear, we give up our control to another person. Who is to say that other person is brighter, smarter, more educated that we are? I think I proved above that no matter how famous/infamous you are, there's a risk that I know more. Now there's a scary thought.
Until we open the closet door and expose the boogeyman to be nothing more than clothes on hangers and shoes on the floor, until we stand and say "Because WHAT?", we're like frightened children cowering in the dark, helpless to do anything but go to the person in power for guidance.
I am not an A. Nor am I a Z. I most closely resemble an R (though I suspect Harold is more of a V), and I am so tired of having what I believe, think, decide to be handed down like so much pablum being fed to infants.
All I want is Truth Justice and the American Way
without the cape of course - we all remember what happened to Metaman and Thunderhead. Why? because Edna told us - didn't you know?
**the photo taken above is of Jake - a lovely cat we were fortunate to foster for 3 years until the end of his life. That is his 'church lady' look - or more appropriately, Jake the Skeptic. Would that we all viewed life with a little more Jake.
3 comments:
Hmmmm, you are R and Harold is V, so together you are RV. Is that a subliminal urge for vacation time??
Misinformation, disinformation, propaganda - there is always TMI these days, but I ltoo ike a healthy debate based on FACTS, not fiction.
I hate being labeled. I have come to call myself a centralist. Not because I am an M or N but because while a Z on a lot of issues I have some where I am decidedly in the A or B camp though I like to think with the facts and sources all lined up.
Some years back I worked with a group of Born Agains. And would wander into their Biblical debates from time to time. As a student of sociology and comparative religions I was shocked at their basic lack of knowledge about the book they swore had all the FACTS on how to live your life. They obviously were getting their Bible piece meal from the pulpit.
And I think that is true with most As on politics as well. They get the 10 second sound bytes from (insert conservative radio host here) and will quote him in spite of all evidence to the contrary.
To do a very A thing here and generalize up the kazoo - A's don't read.
I hadn't caught that before Cris - though I bet Harold did thinking R+V=roadtrip. I never mind debating the issues but yes based on FACTS - not misinformation.
Jacqui, I'm not a fan of labels either, though for this post it was needed. I'm constantly surprised at the people who base their lives on a belief, or other structure and know little about it. I'm still treading the waters were with the As at work but at least they've stopped forwarding me questionable propaganda -- mostly because I hit "reply to all" with the snopes link debunking it.
I think Centralist for the most part with a healthy leaning left on a few things and a healthy leaning right on others. What neither side has quite realized is that *we* are the ones affecting the elections because we aren't passionately wedded to a single political philosophy and/or political party. When TPTB figure that out, perhaps our representation will be more equal and the hate and misrepresentation will cease.
Post a Comment