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Congratulations!
You have finally landed on the one page on this entire site (and on the entire internet for that matter) that is purely without bullshit... my soapbox page. There are a lot of times during our show that, whether it's because of time constraints and other obligations, I don't always get to address some issues that I feel don't get the attention they deserve. There are even more times when I just don't feel like waiting until the show the next day to get some things off my chest. Thus, I have started the "Rob's Soapbox" page. If you have clicked on this page looking for someone to coddle your fragile sense of self-esteem, or tell you what you want to hear or to reinforce your outdated world view, then exit this page right now and go somewhere else. If you are in search of the last forum for reason and common sense left in the world, then sit back, relax, and enjoy. I make only one promise with this soapbox page... if you read long enough and often enough, you will eventually be offended. So here's my latest soapbox. Listen up, 'cause you just might learn something... |
June 9, 2003
The Asinine Things You People Say... Part 11
I have started referring to my "favorite" (insert sarcasm here) phone calls into the show as "Hall of Fame" calls. Anytime I see on my computer screen that someone is ready to make a complete ass of themselves by making a comment we have addressed 1,000 times before, I now use that term.
Over the next few weeks, months, Hell maybe years, I will document them all for you in this forum. Week number eleven's entry is actually paraphrased, since it rears it's ugly head in so many forms. The basic premise is this; I will mention scientific research that shows overwhelmingly that a certain lifestyle leads to a certain outcome. For example, "vegetarians die younger than meat eaters," or "home schooled kids turn out smarter, but with depleted social skills," or "second hand smoke does not effect everyone negatively," and invariably people will call and say something like "That doesn't apply to me."
People are so afraid of their self-image nowadays. People are so afraid of having to look at their behaviors or their upbringing and actually acknowledge that there might be negative consequences to them. So instead, people rush to discredit even the most extensive research, just so they can feel vindicated.
If you want to be a vegetarian, great. More power to you. That doesn't change the statistical fact that you will, on average, live 8 years less than meat-eaters. There is no reason for you to call our show and make some asinine statement like, " I don't know where you get your information, but I am a vegetarian and I am healthier than everyone I know."
If you grew up in a house where you were exposed to second hand smoke and you now have asthma, I acknowledge that there very well may be a direct correlation between the two things. However, when study after study reveals that not all people will be adversely affected by second hand smoke, don't try to claim otherwise. The facts are, based on research, that MOST people's reaction to second hand smoke is psycho-sematic (Arnie, that means all in your head) as opposed to physical. Why can't you accept that? Why must you be heard that second hand smoke made you have allergies, therefore it MUST be true of everyone. Christ, get a grip.
The most recent barrage I faced was last week when I mentioned the overwhelming research that indicates that kids who are home schooled are growing up to be highly educated adults with poor social skills. The theory is, that while home schooled kids get better educations, they are deprived of all the lessons we learn teaching us social interaction with our peers during our youth. Once that was mentioned, scores of home-schoolers couldn't wait to call and tell me how well adjusted they were socially, proving those studies false. (Seems to me that a well-adjusted individual wouldn't need to call a radio show and announce it, but I digress).
Here's the bottom line; grow some thicker skin, folks. We all have defects. Each of us has negative baggage attached to things that are otherwise positive in our life. Stop being so damn sensitive to it, but more importantly; stop being so damn blind to it. Denying the truth doesn't make it go away, it makes you look small minded and silly.
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