Don't Condescend Into A##baggery

My wife recently texted a picture of the most honest bumper sticker ever stuck, “My other pro-tolerance message is also condescending”. 

There’re few things in life better than the feeling of being right.  Were it not so strongly engrained in our DNA, middle school girls would be friends with all their classmates, Congress would compromise to make a positive difference for our country and the divorce rate would plummet.  But ranking third in euphoric sensations, right behind orgasm and a full belly, there it lurks, ruining family get-togethers, converting thoughtful folk into a##bags and frustrating my wife. *note, I said “feeling of being right”, not the actual act

Being right, in and of itself, is perfectly acceptable, even respectable.  Whether due to analytical strength, research or experience, chopping through the brush to the soft underbelly of an issue and extracting the visceral truth is an awesome feet; one that often helps others and, at a minimum, secures another victory in the war on ignorance.

Unfortunately, the war on ignorance is being waged with the same weapons on both sides of the battlefield.  

Among those weapons are repetition (if you hear it enough you’ll start to believe it), facts (which, like a deck of cards, aren’t much use when their incomplete) and condescension.  Condescension seems to be the go-to weapon when facts are running low.  

The power of condescension is its ability to draw in the vultures.  Be a jerk around people that share your opponent’s beliefs and you’ll be the victim of a gang beating.  Be a jerk around people sharing your own viewpoint and suddenly your Will Rogers, a profit whose common sense views elicit agreement, laughter and disdain for opposing viewpoints. **notice no mention of right or wrong, just beliefs and opposing viewpoints

There’s a lot of grey and very little black and white in our world.  If you’re a Spurs fan the recent Western Conference Finals reflected an erudite team using experience and talent to win a championship.  A Thunder fan, on the other hand, might point to poor play, coaching or officiating.  Who’s right?  Ask a Heat fan, if you can stand to talk to the arrogant bandwagoners. ***this final statement was placed in as an example of snarky condescension…and some personal emotion

Let’s take an issue that nearly everyone has an opinion on, gun control.  If you live in an apartment building next to a guy that yells and beats his family or think the Government is doing a fine job of protecting citizens’ rights, restricting gun access probably seems pretty smart.  If you live away from quick police response or feel personal rights are shrinking like overcooked ground beef, you might like the idea of an armed populace.  Both sides are defensible and both draw passionate opposition in certain parts of society.

What about our National Debt?  If you think earning every dollar before you spend it places an entity on strong fiscal ground and borrowing money opens it up to corruption and immoral compromise our National Debt is appalling.  If you feel debt is essential in energizing a growing economy you’re probably a moron. ****please note the condescension…and lack of apology for the previous statement 

My father has told me many times, opinions are like…the a##holes, everybody’s got one and they’re all different.  Just because you believe it’s the gospel truth based on irrefutable evidence doesn’t mean everyone feels the same, or that, based on their experiences, they’re wrong. So, no matter how strongly you feel, don't condescend into a##baggery.