So not only did you teach me about writing memoir, you also taught me about reading and thinking about how others write memoir. Thank you so much! Rebecca

Accepting what is to come

You can’t change the direction of the wind, but you can adjust your sails.

Monday, December 30, 2019

Politics, Property and Political Correctness


Closing out the year with some humor by Roger Carlton


If I learned one thing from more than 50 years of public service, it is that the most intractable problems are often solved with humor. 

Today we are very polarized. People are addicted to using electronic devices and social networks to yell at each other. After all, such means of making a point does not require facing your opponent and looking them in the eye.

Here are a few thoughts meant to be humorous at the end of this very polarized year.
1. A conservative believes that “What is mine is mine and what is yours we can negotiate or take.”
2. A liberal believes that “What is mine is mine and what is yours belongs to everyone.

3. An independent believes that “What is mine is mine and and give me some time to think about yours.”

The Founders believed in certain inalienable rights unless you were a slave or a woman. It took four score and seven years for President Lincoln to deliver the Emancipation Proclamation and an additional two score and 17 years for women to be granted the right to vote. That is 87 and 57 years for those who don’t count in scores.

The prehistoric cave dwellers communicated with grunts and pictures on cave walls. As technology progressed, native people used drums and smoke signals. Some people think the smoke is still used. 

Early technology included the Pony Express, telegraph, hard line phones, television, newspapers and magazines. Once our Tennessee neighbor, Al Gore, invented the Internet, Facebook and Twitter soon followed.

Frankly, this columnist thinks tweeting is for the birds. When people tweet, it is an insult to our avian friends except perhaps the goony bird. That noble American bald eagle doesn’t tweet. He hunts with the goal of feeding his family and he mates for life.

So my friends, we come to the end of a “year of discontent.” Here are a few suggested New Year resolutions. 

Turn off all communication devices at dinner. It breaks my heart to see parents and children having dinner at a restaurant while all are clacking away  on some device. 

Second, ban all family responses that use the word “whatever.” The word defines disrespect and not caring.

Finally, if you must tweet, the victims of the tweet should be allowed to finish their sentences before the send button is mashed.

My best wishes for a happy and healthy New Year.


3 comments:

  1. Wise advice.
    I think that political correctness has a bad rap.
    I prefer to think of it (and hope I use it) as common (though it isn't common) politeness. I do try not to offend people even inadvertently.

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  2. I agree, EC. Common politeness is not so common anymore. Like anything, political correctness, as it is called, can be taken to the extreme. Once I asked for volunteers to man the booth at a festival, and was quickly told that I should say "staff" the booth. I did not even think about the word man, in my sentence, meaning only men were needed and that women were excluded. I guess some things we have always heard, used and accepted are not correct today, but I am sure I will make similar mistakes in the future. Like you, I try not to offend anyone.

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  3. "Turn off all communication devices at dinner. It breaks my heart to see parents and children having dinner at a restaurant while all are clacking away on some device"
    I feel the same way. The devices should not be on when the family could be talking and enjoying each other. Too soon, those kids are grown up and gone and the parents will wish they had not spent so much time on a cell phone.

    ReplyDelete

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