Bueller...Bueller...Bueller

Sometimes it feels just so easy to throw rocks and shake my fist at the collective stupidity of people, you know the ones I mean, racists, fascists, misogynists, Trump supporters and their ilk. Can Trumpists be a word? Or Trumpism? Ferris Bueller was right, don't believe in "ism's", believe in yourself. And after that, if you find people that share your ideals and allow you to be yourself while returning the favour, well...you're gold. Stay gold Ponyboy...stay gold

I watched a video of Penn Jillete talking about libertarianism recently. At first I found it interesting and a little funny, the reasoned declaration coming, literally, from a clown. I mean seriously, he is a clown, he went to clown school...but then I listened to his words and felt his passion. It was quite impressive and he makes some excellent points which led me to a bigger question for myself...why was I going to dismiss this 'clown' outright? Is he not allowed to voice his opinion? As it turns out it was a logical and thoughtful opinion, why should it matter what I thought about him going in to the video? And if I extend him this courtesy should I not do the same for Trump? My visceral response is no...but what if he spoke reasonably and with logic about his his beliefs. If instead of his ludicrous assertions he spoke with a few facts to back him up. In that case, I can listen and decide for myself if I should support him or not based on the ideas as opposed to his buffoonery. Which, in the end, is just as much about me as him,  me and my preconceptions. We all make assumptions, jump to conclusions and colour what we see and hear through our own lenses of reality...it's just the way it is. But what are we, sorry, what am I missing by not "hearing" what is being said because I've already formulated my response based on those assumptions? And if he starts from a position of anger and finger pointing, by responding in kind with an equally dismissive and visceral response am I not just playing his game. What's the old adage, "don't pick a fight with people who buy ink by the barrel" ...maybe by stooping to his level I am handing him a match and more lighter fluid. Hmmmmmm

Side bar here, Trump is trailing in the polls but seemingly on the rise as of today. By every measure I use, he is not fit to run for student council, but yet he is still hanging in there with Hilary, who for some reason is not leading by leaps and bounds over this train wreck. She should be running away with this election. I think it speaks volumes about the state of politics below the 49th parallel and it worries me. Really, really, really worries me. And if he, Trump, could speak, I don't know, say like George Bush, he would win in a landslide...and what does that say? Bush was a tool and set the bar pretty low for the lowest common denominator, but compared to Trump he was a Rhodes scholar that also studied at the Sorbonne...god damn scary my friends. Now back to our original programming...

This forum has opened many doors and windows on myself...what had started as a knee jerk response to some terrible news has grown into a way for me to express myself out loud. I rant, I pontificate, I reminisce and I dream..all out loud and I do it for me. Some have you have shown me incredible support and encouragement in this endeavour and I am truly appreciative of it all...but I wonder how I would feel if I was getting dismissive feedback from you. If you felt I had no place writing another word let alone another full post. I suppose my response would be exactly what you think it would be, whatever dude, go fuck yourself. And you'd be right of course, but maybe the seed is planted that I am wasting my time and bandwidth with my daily dose of all things related to my brain. And now, incubating away in my fertile mind is that maybe my devil may care attitude isn't working anymore. Then I am measuring my words and worrying about what my audience may be thinking, all ten of you, in effect, changing who I am because you or someone like you felt it necessary to comment negatively on my posts. Well, that I don't like and if I don't like it, chances are that someone else won't like it when it happens to them..which is my point, I guess. In the end it boils down to if you have nothing nice to say than say nothing at all....god damn platitudes, right again. Save for this caveat, have a lively discussion, share ideas and disagree all you want, but try not to convert, that shit simply does not work well and usually ends up badly. I can voice my opinion on religion with my daughter and she takes it in stride...she doesn't agree with me in the least but that's OK....I want her, and everyone else for that matter, making decisions based on what she feel and thinks, not my biases.

And in the end, should we not see eye to eye, please know that I am doing my thing for me...not trying to convert the masses and have my own little Jonestown...I have no agenda, simply a desire to say things. Sometimes they make sense and those are the life boats I use when they don't make sense.

I really do appreciate the kind words and support...it matters

Ciao
D