My Virtual New Year’s Resolution 2011

One of the things that disturb me about the internet and particularly online comment/discussion groups such as the Huffington Post, NY Times and the many others such as this one is that too many contributors seem to have an opinion cast in a vitriolic tenor of absolute. While the collective wisdom can be worth the effort sometimes it rapidly becomes painful to wade through the caustic demeanor and lack of decorum which seems to have become almost universal at this point.

Personally, I blame the shock jocks and irresponsible media figures such as Glen Beck, Bill O’Reilly, Rush Limbaugh and the many others who abuse the responsibility that was once understood, practiced and which should accompany their profession. Today it seems that online participants emulate those behaviors and I rarely find a well framed question or an effort by another participant to seek understanding. Too often their impatience turns to personal attack.

For the most part, anything else most likely should be considered little more than dogma. Conclusions abound, facts are few, if you want to make a difference in 2011 then learn to decipher fact from opinion, seek to understand and refrain from assertions of knowledge when true knowledge is most illuminated by a well framed question that leads to learning and understanding. You can save yourself a lot of time and reclaim some of your sanity from the virtual black hole of ignorance by ignoring the rest.

My New Year’s resolution and wish for America is to replace a conclusion with a question and a conclusion with a fact. To quote a mentor of mine, “facts win cases”…Littleton M. Gunn, Esq. (sometime in the late 80’s)

This is my personal effort to win this case and to restore intellect, civility and humility in America. I hope each of you will consider this a contribution. If not, please explain, and save your opinions for those who have more of their life to squander.