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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looking for someone to coddle your fragile sense of self-esteem, or tell you what you want to hear or to reinforce your outdated world view, then exit this page right now and go somewhere else.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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January 22nd, 2007 SO GLAD TO BE OUT OF TOUCH When people accuse me of being "out of touch," I almost always smile and say, "thank you." Many people use the phrase "out of touch," ignorantly and therefore it is easy for me to literally laugh at them. For example, I will sometimes tell a story involving the fact that my wife and I have a maid, or I will mention our $1200 monthly power bill or the fact that we own four cars, two homes and 5 plasma TVs, and I will be called "out of touch." This is an ignorant claim. Having a lot does not mean you have lost touch. Making it in America does not mean that you forgot what it was like not to make it, nor does it mean that you no longer maintain a connection to reality. I know what milk costs, how expensive daycare is and the trappings of trying to "keep up with the Joneses'." Telling a story about a $1200 power bill doesn't make you out of touch. It may make you arrogant, pompous, braggadocios, unique, successful, and/or pretentious, but it doesn't make you out of touch. Being out of touch does have its attractive traits, however, and when I am accused of being out of touch from the ignorance, arrogance and stupidity of society, that is when I am most thankful. There are a myriad of things that pass as "normal," and "mainstream" that I find to be offensive, oppressive and downright idiotic and I want no part of them, despite how accepted they may have become. I don't want to be "in touch" with the idea that it's anyone else's business how I raise my kids, for example. I don't want to be "in touch" with the part of society that believes in man-made global warming. I certainly have no desire to be "in touch" with the lack-of-personal-responsibility crowd that continues to look everywhere but in the mirror for answers to their own failures. In these ways, and so many more, I am glad and proud to be "out of touch." A new survey of 1,345 Americans shows that the majority of adults in this nation feel that it is NEVER ok for a man to curse in front of a woman, around a child, in the office, or even as an unhappy customer (Men's Health magazine, 2/07 issue, page 32). If it is true that America is so uptight that curse words are frowned upon this much and somehow deemed to reflect your intelligence and/or class level, then I want no part of your silly society. I brazenly admit that I have a filthy mouth and use words like "whore," "shit," and "damn it" anytime, anywhere. Kids hear worse on the playground and I eschew the Bill O Reillys of the world who pompously and condescendingly claim that cursing is a sign of a lack of intelligence and/or not having anything better to say. Hey Bill, fuck you. 40% of Americans go to church every week and the overwhelming majority visit church "at least a few times each year." click here for the news article
The overwhelming majority of Americans favor laws (i.e. Government) to stop, suppress, or control behaviors we don't like, including, but not limited to, smoking, cell phone use, fast food, alcohol consumption, child rearing, certain breeds of dogs and media.
I want no part of being in touch with a group of allegedly free people who will willingly hand over the freedoms and rights to a government body in the name of being protected against themselves and/or controlling others' free choices. I recognized long ago that the American public was totally ignorant about not just its' own, but the world's history, but it is still stunning to me when I see a majority of people in this country willing to follow the path of other failed societies by believing that government intervention and behavior control are the answer to anything. If being in touch demands that I fall in line with these ways of thinking than I will thankfully and respectfully remain out of touch, lest I become one of you. Free will is a great thing, but only if it's actually exercised.
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