Yes, it’s the Holiday Season. Yes there’s a lot of political discussion, school shootings, controversy and if we should just tell everyone Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays.
I’m scanning the internet, social networks, etc and I come across again and again, people who have a point of view. Not really a point of view that they would like to share, provide some intellectual stimulation or just provoke some thought on a particular topic. NO, they want to jam their point of view down your throat. Again and again, they’ll continue to lash out with verbal abuse, of course, written safely behind their computer keyboard without any fret of physical or even verbal threat. Just type, type, type and away. In most cases I haven’t even found a place where they actually discuss or rationally discuss their point of view. Instead, they just want force their point of view on you. In the end, people either fight and argue back, of course getting no where other then increasing wasted energy on something that’s going no where. I’m reminded of a saying that here in America, we have the freedom of speech but we forget we don’t have the freedom to be listened to. Me, if I don’t agree with something I just close the browser window and surf on… Hang ten dude.
This has come to my attention because within the past few weeks many of my friends on the social network has been committing on how many friends they have de-friended or blocked and/or just don’t talk to. Of course they have never met these “friends” in person but all in all they were friends. However, because of a difference in point of views or even a miss-understanding in something someone writes. Yes, believe it or not, written communication is much more difficult then verbal. We forget how much communication is transferred by body language, tone of voice or even facial inflection. Therefore, just because something looks black and white on your computer screen doesn’t mean the reader’s brain sees it as black and white as the writer assumes you would. My typical response on these social networks is that I don’t de-friend anyone. So far all I’ve had to do is delete a few posts and respectfully ask the person making the post not to post what ever view they had on my site. So far there’s no complaints and everyone has complied and no one has ever de-friended me.
However, I guess when we look at the history of the United States, we’ve been forcing our point of views on everyone ever since Columbus landed in America. What was one of the first things they wanted to force the Indians/Savages (as the Columbus folks thought) well, teach them their Anglo Religion and get them to wear shoes. That’s right, not believing in the white mans religion and running around in bare feet, made the American Natives savages. Of course it took a couple centuries for the Indians to retaliate and in my opinion actually win the war, can you say Casinos?
In sort, I thank you for reading my blog. Please, no one take offense. I’m simply stating a point of view that’s too long for me to write in the social network. This Holiday Season, Please have a “Merry Christmas” and feel free to exchange gifts! In fact, you could send a pair of shoes as a gift, however, you don’t have to nail the souls on.
Good ole Grilldog
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