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| Rob's Soapbox | ||
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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looking for someone to coddle your fragile sense of self-esteem, or tell you what you want to hear or to reinforce your outdated world view, then exit this page right now and go somewhere else.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... |
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May 11 , 2003 The Asinine Things You People Say... Part 8 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 eight's is a brand new one I just heard this week: "You must have grown up in a horrible family." I admit that I am taking some liberties with my topic here, since I have only heard this comment once, but it provides a great springboard to re-enforce something I preach about all the time. It's the week before Mother's Day and we're talking about American family values in general. While doing so, I make my point that I think America puts TOO MUCH emphasis on family in one very specific way; we allow the fact that we're related to someone to taint our ability to see their negative traits. In other words, just because I'm related to someone doesn't mean that I am obligated to like them, or even spend time with them. This comment spurred a gentleman to call and say, "you must have grown up in a horrible family to feel that way." He went on to explain how much he loves being with his family and couldn't imagine going more than a day or two without talking to his siblings, cousins, uncles, and the like. This is another perfect example of viewing the world through your own prison. Let's assume this guy is being totally honest (I prefer that as opposed to automatically assuming someone is lying, like most people do). This guy lives in a world where his family is pleasant to be around and he enjoys their company. Therefore, when he someone say anything bad about family in general, it MUST mean that the person saying it comes from a terrible family. I'm sure this guy is certain that if I met his family, I would see what a "real" family is like and I would be envious. This thinking, in my opinion, proves my point. We are obsessed with giving family too much credit in this country. Countless people I know dread the holidays because they are "forced" to spend it with family. Too many people to count report endless instances of family members embarrassing them, or angering them and when I ask why they tolerate the behavior they say, "because they're family, I have to." I say no way. I will give anyone, family or not, a second chance. I refuse to give people five, six or seven chances regardless of whether they are related to me. Family, you see, is a two way street. If I am expected to tolerate their bad behavior out of obligation of relation, shouldn't they have been expected to respect me enough out of the same obligation not to behave in a despicable way? I judge people based on behavior, trust, and ethics. I refuse to pledge my loyalty and love to someone I am related to whom I can't respect. Love is earned, not given. By the way, just for the record, I come from a wonderful family full of different people. I am extremely close to my Mother, Father, Grandmother and a few Uncles. I do not talk often with my sisters, because we have very little to discuss. There are others I never talk to because there is nothing to say. By the way part two: I'll bet you dollars to donuts that if we really researched the caller's family we'd find one of two things: A guy who spends all of time with like-minded individuals and is never stimulated or challenged intellectually If either of these are the case, neither one is an existence I am willing to accept; and you shouldn't either.
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