Competitive Basket Weaving...or Lemmings in Politics

Fenced In

OK, this is not trucking related but truckers do fall prey to it and it's my blog and I can talk about what I want, right?

This whole Shirley Sherrod business is so monumentally moronic and illustrates just how out of whack we, as a nation, have become. I won't bore you with all the details of the story that's been all over the news, but here's a summary: Moronic Right-winger posts a clip of Ms.Sherrod saying something inflammatory, there's a public outcry, Moronic Talking Heads spoon feed it to their audience, Moronic NAACP leader condemns her, Moronic Boss forces her to resign, Moronic White House condemns her. Oh wait, what? The farmer she wouldn't help says what?? There's more to it? Let me see the clip... Uh-Oh. Never mind.... A confederacy of dunces all around.

We have lived in a sound bite culture for a while now, but with such fast advances in technology, so much available at our fingertips, instead of growing and expanding our knowledge, we are getting more narrow minded and boxed in. I am not ranting against progress, I love the Internet, satellite radio, cable TV, mobile phones and all the information they have to offer. The problem is that because there's so much information out there, that there is also a specific website, channel or App for that so that you never have to read or hear an opinion that doesn't disagree with what you already believe. And if you only listen to people that agree with you and stand where you stand on various positions, you can't expand your mind and before you know it you're running off the cliff with all the other political lemmings. Right wing, Left wing it doesn't matter, if you fall into a Wing category you can fall victim to the same wing nuttiness.

There are definite differences philosophically between the left and right, but it has gotten to the point that you can't be a thoughtful person in the middle. If you say something positive about President Obama, you are a socialist, if you say something positive about President Bush you are a fascist. Life is rarely so black and white. Listening to opposing points of view may make you see an issue deeper, changing your position, it may even strengthen your position.

So where does Competitive Basket Weaving come in? Let's say your 40 and live in your parent's basement. You love Competitive Basket Weaving, you blog about it, go to chat rooms to discuss it, your iPhone gives you all the latest scores and stats, you watch the CBWc (Competitive Basket Weaving channel) 20 hours a day but you can not figure out why you're not a bigger hit with women. Your mother says you're smart and handsome, it's not your fault that women are so picky....See what I mean? So go ahead, flip that channel, read that column in the newspaper written by the guy you hate and for goodness sake get out of the basement!