Anyone done any Listening lately?

I am So brilliant. Aren't you?


Politics and politics, and religion and REFORM and politics, politics, politics, politics, and dammit if I didn't promise myself a long time ago that I would never venture into these topics, and I would always keep it philosophical and creative.


But how the hell can I avoid it without railing myself with a brick in order to keep my promise? 


How!?


It's everywhere. It's engulfing - with its flames and its poisons and its know-hows and boohoos.


BLAH blah blah... that's all I hear anymore when those surrounding me talk about especially politics and religion.


So what's a girl to do?


Everyone is soo incredibly impressed with themselves for Everything that They know and are So entitled to their opinions. That you MUST listen to.


And copyrights.                                                                        And independence.
          
       And freedom-to-Do-or-Say-anything-I-want-no-matter-the-consequences.


And things.                                                                            And T.V. shows.


And blah .                     -               I heard it.


      blah . .                      -               Oh yea, where?


           blah . . .                 -                Y'know. From those people. At that source. With the stuff.


                blah . . . .            -                 Oh.. oh! Right! Of course I know. Yea, man. 


                    double blah.


What happened to them? What happened to the men and women patiently and silently and humbly listening to others opinions BEFORE deciding that the one they were listening to was an opposing one? Where the hell did they go?


So irresponsible.


So inexcusably rude.


So arrogant.


Every last one of us.


Every time I go anywhere and any one of those subjects come up - I end up feeling as though I've been suddenly surrounded by a crowd of raving five-year-old know-it-alls Screaming at the top of their lungs,


               I know the Best candy better than you!!


        I tasted it first!


                     But I can buy it cheaper than you!


              Mine tasted So much sweeter than yours!


And you know what?


I quickly turn into one of the babbling, blustering, boiling, raving, proud and loud. 
     Lunatics. We're all lunatics.


And we should be ashamed of ourselves.


The only exception I can even wrangle up is possibly my grandfather, or my father. Being men of few words, typically, they each only interrupt, interject, or speak strongly when they know, better than anyone, for absolute certain, not only that the party is interested, but also that they are more knowledgeable about the subject at hand. 


and you know what else? When they are introduced to something new, from someone more knowledgeable than themselves. They listen!!!! Intently.


When did our poorly sourced citations, lazy grapevine gossip, book scanning and magazine reading become so deserving of our arrogance? Where do we got off?


Seriously?


When was the last time you spoke to someone about any of those things who patiently listened, and paid attention, before attempting to attack you with not a more confident, but a more knowledgeable rebuttal?


I'm having a hard time remembering myself..


We all desire, for the most part, the same simple things.


But everyone wants to sit around and fight, and nag, and fight - and point out to everyone, but themselves, how wrong they are.


Like babies begging for attention.


Do me a favor; next time you go to talk to someone about politics, or religion (or anything that tends to prompt your arrogant pride into full force) - show some self control. 


Think before you speak. Listen before you think (I believe this is an important step we often leave out as well).


Analyze the jump before you leap - 
          or we're all just going to end up in the pit, dragging it all down with us.


I'll try to do the same.