I’ve been accused, many time in my life, of not really caring what other people think. I know that to be true, sometimes, but in general, I don’t believe that’s true. What’s more true is that I won’t listen to idiots. How am I able to discern someone worth listening to versus someone I consider an idiot? I’m actually not sure what to say other than experience.

For instance, saying something isn’t true just because you don’t like the messenger places you in that category for me. As well as anyone that argues their truth. This is someone that believes truth is malleable to fit what you happen to believe at that moment. Something being true is true for everyone. We can believe something is true until we discover that no, in fact, it’s not. At that point, it’s well to modify your opinion to fill in a knowledge deficit. Yes, it may be embarrassing to discover something held dear as true is if fact not. But to continue to claim otherwise is more embarrassing, I think, and places you in the category ( at least for me) of idiot.

So it’s not necessarily the opinion someone holds, but the refusal to modify that opinion when the facts show different. I’ve had that happen more than once in my life and yes, it’s a hard realization to come to, but best overall because before I make what may be a controversial statement, I try to make sure the facts are on my side.

A lot of our beliefs, though, are environmental to begin with: where and how we were raised is primary. Schooling I think would be high on the list as well. We think school (primary through secondary) should be the same no matter where it is in this country (U.S.). But we know just by watching the news the last few years, they’re not. Some parents, as we watched, were amazed and then upset over what school districts were imparting to their children. How long has this been going on? Indoctrination is not education, no matter what the Marxists say…

It’s possible to have no opinion on certain topics. I know people that cannot believe I don’t have an opinion on this or that but it’s true, I don’t and the reason is, at least right now, is I don’t care about whatever it is they’re arguing. It really is that simple and doesn’t mean at sometime i the future I may care about the subject, it’s just at the moment, I don’t.

It comes down to two things for me: know your subject but more especially, know your audience. Probably a lot fewer fights would occur if people paid attention to just those