Some Assembly Required

This post will probably live up to the title of my blog, “Some Assembly Required”. There are a lot of different ideas here for this posting. These ideas have been milling about in my head over the last week or two. It also made for a lot of notes on the pad. This is post is also the by-product of the “Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle”. In a nutshell, it states the longer you observe (stare) something the more likely that object (ideas) will appear to have changed.

I wish people would take into mind that a news article or commentary is not necessarily a history lesson.

History is taught as a linear function of time. That one event leads into another and therefore time acts like falling dominoes. The benchmark events in history that are used in the textbooks are the greatest victories and crushing defeats. However, when you take some time to delve into any historical event you begin to realize that history is more like the “tangled web” Shakespeare mentioned. There is a “gray area” that exist between the victory or defeat on that event. That is where the story of the people involves takes place but is rarely noted. You see how history is formed by the people involved and how people are changed by history.
There has been a lot of talk over the last few years over what was in the intent of the “Founding Fathers”.

I read Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation by Joseph Ellis The first thing, I learned is that the problems this country faces today were quite similar to the Founders. The second thing, I realize after reading this book is that my history lessons were incomplete on the events of the start of this country.

I was never taught the real reason for the occurrence of famous Alexander Hamilton/ Aaron Burr gun duel. I assumed since it involved the men who founded this country then it had to be a matter of great national importance that could not be solved any other way. Wrong! Burr felt insulted by the way Hamilton spoke about him in a newspaper. This was basically the first recorded example of we would call today “Biggie Tupac Thang”. Why is it if “words” cannot hurt us we spend a lot of time fighting back with the “sticks and stones” when we hear things we do not like? Here is the funny part, neither one of them had any intentions of shooting that day Heights of Weehawken, NJ. Two shots were fired and Hamilton was killed. The witnesses that day then spend a lot of time years later changing their minds about what they saw that day. This is America’s original “What Really Happened that Day on the Grassy Knoll Conspiracy”.

There was a great debate over the national debt. They had to figure out how to pay off the bonds issued as payment to the soldiers who fought in the Revolutionary War. They also had to pay back the foreign countries that financed our Revolutionary War. Sound vaguely familiar today? We have a history of big ideas and looking for creditors to pay for them.

They also knew that by not abolishing slavery someday it would result in the possibility of a civil war. However, none of them had the political will to deal with it. “INSERT HERE” any social or budget reform of today.

Thomas Jefferson and John Adams were at one point good friends who laid out the foundation of this country. However, as they both served in various roles in the government it caused a rift between them. Neither one of them would speak to each other for many years. Yet in their later years they wrote many letters to each other trying to figure out what it all meant at the end. They both died on the same day July 4^th1826. Fifty years to the day they both signed the Declaration of Independence.

They were trying to find “Common Ground”. It is a nice change when people who seem to be the opposite can have a conversation. And then there are times that they can’t.

We need to get beyond this “INSERT IDENTITY HERE” Hyphenated American style of identity on a whole.

D-Day by Stephen Ambrose is account of the event that leads to end of World War II. This is about an ambitious, “all-in” plan that almost was a failure. It is about how the men who were the “boots on the ground” were able to make adjustments and overcome in an unimaginably tough scenario. (I shudder at the thought of how today’s 24/7 news outlets would have covered this.) This is how the lower ranks not the Generals who were the ones that made ultimate difference.

We live in a culture today that feels that all problems can be handled and managed by a “top down” approach. The history of this country more times than not has shown “bottom up” approach to be the game changer. This also goes against idea that the one who has a best image on television is therefore the better leader. The reality is that the one who is willing to get “ugly” and “slug it out” will prevail in the long run. It is also like the structure of a pyramid, there is more at the bottom.

 You do not have to accept my takes on the books above. You can read them too and form your own opinion.

I am always attempting to work on myself as an individual. This means I read a lot to expand my own knowledge base. I also try not to get myself too caught up in being part of mass groups or movements. However, they are unavoidable. That is the conundrum.

How many times have you heard someone say that all the answers to life are contained in the book “INSERT TITLE HERE”? They will only quote that one book to you. Over and over again. I have read many of those books in my life. And here is what I have found to be true. None of those books have a chapter on cooking, automobile repair, computer maintenance, etc. Guess what you need to read another book or two. If this was not true, bookstores and libraries would not exist. I have low tolerance for people who can only reference one source. It seems that too many people nowadays cling to one book, principle, political identity, whatever, etc.

I think the problem is people are generally lazy about how they take in and decipher information. It is a complex world.

I also think people only tune in one source also. And usually this is via a radio station. I am not above either. I found myself listening to sports radio during my commute time. I get it. Sports are something people use to have something to cheer for. I listen to all of this talk. And in the end, it means nothing. The opinions voiced have no real consequences in the world. As maybe it should be. Just like entertainment news. You get to form opinions that you feel matter and at the same time they most likely will not challenged.

NOTE: Some of the following ideas come out the play Talk Radio by Eric Bogosian. For non-readers, it was adapted by Oliver Stone into movie too.

The real problem exists with talk radio. I do not care who. I do not care if the person is on the left or on the right. I am not going to pretend that I have never listened to them either. Please whatever you hear from those shows could you take a moment to process and filter it through your brain. Before you spew it back to me. I hate when people “parrot” shit verbatim.

I wish I remember where I heard this next statement from. “Talk radio is for broken people. They need someone to tell them that they are right”. They do not want to challenge their beliefs. It is the show. The host does not want to leave anything to chance either. There is a call screener to make sure the show stays on script. Talk radio is not about having a conversation. It is about a person indoctrinating. However, the host needs attention and his ego feed. The host also knows the show must go on and that takes money. The show must offend the audience but not the advertisers. Follow the money trail. You may not get the truth. But at least you may get a clue about the agenda at work. The host needs to always remind you about all the hate mail. People like to hear about someone being metaphorically crucified and tune in just to hear “who is bringing the nails”. This attention feeds the machine. Rush Limbaugh needs Democrats more than he will ever admit to. Howard Stern needed the help of the FCC fining him to assure his success. They all claim they want to rid the world of their enemy. Remember in nature a parasite needs a good host to survive. Also as human beings we will always tune into a “David vs. Goliath” scenario. And they have the “script” ready.

I think people gravitate towards talk radio format because they feel it gives them a voice in our society. And that is probably the farthest thing from the truth. It does not want you to drive you to action. It needs the reaction. And it does not get the reaction if you are not listening. And that is what troubles the advertisers. The host voice is what is heard. Not yours. You are not in the game at all. You are on the sidelines. Just like a sports game. Talk radio seems to work like a lawsuit that settled for an “undisclosed amount.” A lot of money is thrown around and people get paid off. However, it is very unlikely that any of the conditions that caused the lawsuit in the first were fixed. The host cares the most about what he is saying and somehow fools you into believing he is going to fight for you. When was the last time you heard of a talk show personality actually crafting any legislative reform for this country?

I think this scene from movie Talk Radio sums it up best.

I do not want to come off as being on some high moral plane. I need to listen to others too to make it through a work day. I listen to podcasts on the MP3 player. What I enjoy is when people are having a conversation that is not based on just grinding an agenda out. I enjoy when people are having fun time. It is good to hear when people not only talk but listen to each other. There is also a big difference between talking to someone and talking about someone. And the show continues from that angle. It is more natural. It is something I miss having more often in my life. I listen to Keith and theGirl daily. And I listen to Kevin Smith’s SMODcast when they are posted.

NOTE: Kevin Smith made news recently when he was removed from a plane for being “too fat” to fly. This episode #106 he explains his side of the story. The next episode #107 he talks to another woman who was also involved with the incident. It gives you perspective from a person you may never think about.

The story on whole is about what happens when a person well connected to various social media outlets and poor customer service collides head on.

Finally.

Remember : Beware of a highly opinionated person.