Think About What You Read*

Think About What You Read*

Years ago, I had a boss who was discussing a management technique he had read in a book.  He was not telling people to use this technique; he was simply bringing it up as a point of discussion.  Someone at the meeting who did not agree with what the book was saying asked rather sarcastically,

“Just because it is in a book, do you believe everything you read?”

Without skipping a beat my boss responded calmly,

 “No, but I think about everything I read.”

When I read political commentary and peoples reaction to it, be it around the water cooler (Do they still have water coolers?) man on the street, or Facebook comments, it seems to me that people no longer think about what they read or hear. 

Yes, me too, I am a people.

If the origin of a statement comes from President Obama, Hillary or any traditionally Liberal mind, conservatives automatically come out fighting and slam the statement.  The same goes for any Republican or Conservative statement; Liberals automatically put it down with much vigor.

For instance, I used to listen quite a bit to Rush Limbaugh, a Conservative (also a bit of a blow hard).  I don’t hate Rush, when I used to listen to him he often made some very good, very logical points.  I even bought two of his books.  However, after listening to him on the radio for several years and reading two books, I realized he did not ever agree with a single position or statement from any one that did not claim to be Conservative.  .

NOT ONCE! NEVER! EVER!

I get it, he is conservative, his audience is Conservative, but not once, not one single time did he ever agree with a statement by a Liberal.  Everything Bill Clinton (or whatever Democrat was in any position of power) said and did was wrong…and done for evil purposes.  He would not even consider that a liberal position was genuine; no, every Liberal position was taken to win votes, win elections, and to give power to government not for any public good, but only for their own evil desires.

I picked on Rush and Conservatives here because I am, in general, a Conservative myself and I want to appear to take the high road, but the other side of the aisle is exactly the same.  Since I have been following politics I cannot think of a single Conservative position that any Liberal of consequence has not put down as simply a position to increase the wealth of the 1% or evil corporations, a position for the rich to keep their foot on the necks of the poor, a position to gain votes, or a position that is just “mean spirited” and evil because all Conservatives are “mean spirited” and evil.

NOT ONCE! NEVER! EVER!

Liberal positions on taxing and spending are ALWAYS wasteful and careless.

Conservative positions on taxing and spending are ALWAYS “Draconian” and “mean spirited.”

Social issues are treated similarly by both sides.

For the most part Conservatives and Liberals both want the same thing for this country…peace, harmony, equality and prosperity.

I know that most people will not believe that statement, but speaking for most Conservatives that I know they want peace, harmony, equality and prosperity. The Liberal friends I have, and yeah I have a few, seem to also want peace, harmony, equality and prosperity.

The two sides just have different ideas on how to get there.

I for one am deciding to listen to positions that may not follow my general ideology, and then, like my old boss suggested “Think about those positions.” I probably will disagree with most of the agendas of Hillary, President Obama and other Liberal leaders, but I will listen.  I will assume that their agenda is based on what they genuinely believe is best for the most people in the country and the country as a whole.   

I will not have a knee jerk negative reaction…I will think about what they say. 

Occasionally I just might agree.

*Several weeks ago I promised I would no longer post or comment on political issues…OK, starting now.