Full Of It

  Maybe this should've been my first post.  After all, it's kind of the whole crux of this blogging thing.  Why in the world would anybody read this?
  What is it that makes us think that we know enough about something to write about it, expect it to be read, and expect somebody to respect it?  I don't think it's ego, or even self confidence.  I think we just all want to be heard.  And what's more, our opinion does matter, it is important, and it should be respected.
  And yet, we seem to value some opinions over others.  Why does celebrity status mean that we automatically voice our thoughts, and people also seem to automatically listen and debate that opinion.  Tell me why being a good actor means you know any more about politics than myself, my wife, my neighbor, or anybody else?  Just because a guy can throw touchdowns does not mean he fills the criteria to be a congressman.  And while I'm on the subject, being able to read the news from a teleprompter and ask good questions during an interview does not make you smarter than anybody else when it comes to federal fiscal policy.
  So the way I see it is, we all need to take any of these statements and opinions from those in the media, television, movies, and professional sports with as much thought and concern as we would that of a neighbor over our backyard fence.  Stop looking to somebody who has a platform to make a statement to form your opinions for you, and educate yourselves on the facts from both sides.  Most of the time, there are gains to be made by those voicing their opinions (and they are usually opinions, not facts).  Or at the very least, they have an ax to grind.
  And so as I decide what to write in further blogs, I'm going to make those decisions the way I hope others with louder voices than I have arrive at their decisions.  I'm going to continue to read, learn, listen, and ponder the things that are important to me.  I've got to believe that the things that matter to me are important to others, too, and at the very least maybe I'll learn from somebody else along the way.  The fact that you've made it this far into this post means that you're at least a little interested in what I have to say.  And I hope that I'm not coming off sounding like the noisy pundits of the world, because that's when I'll know that I'm just full of it.