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Friday, September 5, 2008

Answer The Question

Today with the Computer, Voice Mail, Email, and the Internet in general acting as a buffer, people don’t have to respond to a question directly.

What happened to a direct, look in your eye response? Why can’t today’s generation answer a question?

Even in person people have become non-responsive. When asked why a mistake was made the answer has become, I can’t answer that right now or I’ll get back to you.

Answer the question.

When asked if it’s going to be a boy or a girl the answer is we are not telling anyone.

When asked if you are voting democratic or republican in the upcoming election the answer is that’s my personal business or I haven’t decided. What are you ashamed of?

When asked if you are for or against the Surge in the Iraq war the answer is it hasn’t worked politically yet. Are you for it or against it?

Are you for or against defending the nation militarily if necessary?

Answer the question.

Are you pro life or pro choice or neither?

Are you prejudiced or color blind or bigoted?

Does anything really matter to you or are you just going with the flow?

Are you prepared to make a commitment or not?

Answer the question.

Do you really know who you are and what you stand for?

Do you have an opinion on anything?

We have become a nation of non-responders, a mass of zombie like blobs walking around without a sense of commitment to our families, our country, or ourselves.

We are trying to live life on the safe side by not responding to the questions life raises.

We are trying to avoid confrontation by keeping our opinions to ourselves.

We are attempting to be on both sides of the important issues of our times in order to eliminate the possibility of creating a hostile atmosphere or conflict.

You can’t have it both ways. In order to make a difference, in order to effect a more perfect union both nationally, internationally, and personally, we are going to have to take a stand.

Is this no man’s land of decision making capability the way you want to live? Don’t you want to make a difference? Do you care enough to want to do something worthwhile with your life?

Answer the question.
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3 comments:

  1. Your basic premise, as I see it, is that people equivocate when asked a direct question. Mr. Oops, you attribute that to the indirect means of communication available today: "Today with the Computer, Voice Mail, Email, and the Internet in general acting as a buffer, people don’t have to respond to a question directly." Although most people equivocate when asked some of the direct questions you list, I disagree with the reasoning of your opening statement.

    Indirect communication like email, chat rooms and blogs affords some degree of anonymity. Users with pseudonyms aren't forced to "look you in the eye" with a response. It is similar to the Wizard of Oz when the curtain pulls back to reveal an ordinary con man. The Wizard's public persona was protected by the curtain, much as the anonymity of the Web hides the true identity of bloggers and commenters.

    No John, I believe there is one basic reason for this behavior, leading to several ways of manifesting itself. The central cause is "political correctness" (PC) or as I see it, the thought police. Political correctness has affected every aspect of social discourse. In order not to be labeled a bigot, a war-monger, a conservative or liberal, pro-life or pro-choice, people have learned to give a non-answer. They model our political leaders they see on TV.

    Another manifestation of PC is that people are not taught to think critically. PC is changing the face of science by ignoring, silencing or black listing scientists who even question the basic assumptions that the thought police use as a baseline. See Ben Stein's movie, Expelled, for a taste of that medicine.

    Which is why I agree with Jonah Goldberg's book. Liberal Fascism. In it he proves that modern liberals and Mussolini fascists are one in the same. The best way to stage a coup is to take over the press. the means of public discourse.

    So John, your questions are very evocative to me. The questions themselves, as you cleverly point out, are not the real point of your blog post. It is that true public discourse is not taught nor is the ability to form one's own opinions.

    I will accept your challenge and answer those questions. As this comment form is limiting, I will use my blog, http://jefferyvidrine.com , to give my answers to your questions.

    You post about 12 distinct questions that I feel compelled to answer. My first post will be on the question,"What happened to a direct, look in your eye response? Why can’t today’s generation answer a question?"

    Johnny Oops, I'm glad to have met you. See you in the blogosphere.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hi Johnny, installment 2 is ready at my blog. Thanks for the though-provoking questions. More later.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Your blog keeps getting better and better! Your older articles are not as good as newer ones you have a lot more creativity and originality now keep it up!

    ReplyDelete