Turn It Off

Winter, for me, is usually the time for maintaining (somewhat) my endurance. I don't have any particular races in mind but will try things as they come up. Long story short, I'm very boring in the winter as far as running stories or insights or whatever you want to call these blog entries. So, I turn to subjects that are not necessarily related to running but still on my mind nonetheless. Here goes...

I have my political views like everyone else. Don't necessarily like to talk about them mainly because I don't like political arguments. They get too heated for me, sometimes, and I doubt you will change anyone's mind in dealing in political debate. And, as a card-carrying member of AARP, the slogan we follow is, 'well, it was never like that before in my day...'.

Well, it probably was. I like reading about history, especially about early American history. If you think politicians are nasty today, read up on what Andrew Jackson had to endure in the presidential elections he was involved in. But, I digress.

But, it is hard not to notice the mood of the country and how politics is about making the other party look bad and not about finding ways to help the country. Sticking to your principles is the 'right' thing to do, compromising is a sign of weakness. Or, so it seems.

And, why has it come about like this? I could easily say it's the media. But, I don't believe that to be true, not for a minute. Those shows, strictly delivering news, are not the problem. Those channels that have to deliver 'stuff' 24 hours a day, 7 days a week are to blame. They need to have content. They need to have provacitive hosts/hostesses/topics/opinions to draw people in so their audience numbers can go up and they can charge more to advertisers. Nothing wrong with that. But, I think people can get lull into watching these shows, get mad about the topic, and wind up not thinking it through for themselves.

And, it doesn't matter if it's Glenn Beck, Bill O'Reilly, Keith Obermann or Rachel Maddow. They all do it. To get your attention. Not to make you think. But, for you to watch more. And, get angry about how 'stupid' the other side is. Well, no more for me.

The DNA of every American male is wired to flip channels in the course of a night. Jerry Seinfeld had a great line that males don't care what's on, they care what ELSE is on. So, I am guilty as anyone in flipping through the channels. And, stop and watch Glenn, Bill, Keith, Rachel, etc. to see what they have to say. And, get angry. Because I can't believe people don't see the wisdom of 'our' side.

But, I made a New Year's Resolution this year to myself. As I flip through the channels (see above, I'm not STOPPING that. That would be impossible. It's part of my genetic makeup) I will not watch News Opinion shows. Why? Because it's not news. Never was. Never will be. It's noise. Plain and simple. And, listening to noise can scare people. But, if you don't listen to the noise anymore, it won't scare you half as much. You can read the facts and form opinions for yourself. You don't need people yelling at you saying, 'I'm right and they are plain wrong.'

And, something else happens. Your blood pressure goes down. And, you feel better about yourself. And, you are not as stressed as before. And, you begin to see both sides of the argument. And, you can see a way forward for this country, this world if only people would be willing to compromise.

So, I'm turning them off. No more. I will not listen to their opinions because it is purely entertainment. They are there to provoke. They are there to fill dead air. They are there to make money. Pure and simple. Nothing wrong with that. But, they do not have a vested interest in making this country, this world a better place to live. And, they will not tell me how I should think. It's only been a month since I've made this committment to myself. And, already I feel much better for doing so.