Maybe I'm old, but I find it increasingly more difficult to gather legitimate informative news articles.
Sources are questionable, I fact check, but then the integrity of the fact checkers is called into question.
I have a job, a family, and other interests. I am busy trying to live my life.
When I'm on the net, especially Facebook, it is in between tasks and I'm on the move. I am not writing a doctoral dissertation, merely commenting on something that catches my eye.
Yes, I get caught up in defending my opinion. And it is hard to admit that it is only opinion; I have no access to state information, I have no poli-sci degree, I'm just commenting about what I read.
If I had expertise or knowledge no one else had I would get myself into a position where I could employ my specific set of skills and knowledge to effect change. I wouldn't spend hours on Facebook telling everyone they were being duped.
I'm just a blue collar worker close to retirement, tired and disgusted with the callousness I see in the world. A tired old hippie with idealism fading, tilting at windmills, looking for elusive facts and finding a never ending labyrinth of conspiracies.
Yes, the system is corrupt. Yes, the two party system is inadequate. Yes, politicians lie, some more than others. Yes, the media falls down on the job, but they make money because it's the news business.
Yes, there is certainly income inequality, wars for profit, folks dying from being bombed for their oil and Yes, the planet is dying and we need to reform our policies to help save it.
And yes, Trump is the new president and the people he has appointed to head each department are opposed to the existence of that department.
Yes, the tone of his presidency has caused a spike in racially motivated hate crimes and threatened international protocols.
And yes, it seems populist, anti-immigration issues are fuelling membership in right wing groups that are poised to be swept into office no matter how thin their margin of victory, in Europe, especially France.
While I think I understand the grievances of folks in France and I see the popularity of Marie Pen's National Front, I nevertheless cling to my socialist leaning ideals that there is enough for us all.
I don't begrudge an entrepreneur the lions share of wealth but don't tell me he owes nothing to society or that he is entitled to keep his employees near the poverty level with no benefits while he has mansions all over the world.
Not that I think a person should live off the charity of others for where is the self-respect in that? I do think as member of society, a person needs to contribute, you know, get a job or volunteer, or do something. But, I see a strong social safety net as a wise investment in the best resource, people.
I do not think it is moral that corporations and billionaires should skip out on paying taxes to the degree set forth in the Panama Papers.
Greed is killing the planet and us along with it.
Captains of industry are entitled to more but not to everything. They can make and keep profits from business but not from keeping people down.
In my opinion, I think I am right. The right wing blogs call me names and the left wing supporters think I'm conned by the mainstream media, for only the true idealists like them are privy to the real information, and only they can save us sheeple from ourselves. Yes, they are that condescending.
I struggle on, a battered and fatigued 21st Century Don Quixote, supporting equality, liberty and the pursuit of happiness...
Sources are questionable, I fact check, but then the integrity of the fact checkers is called into question.
I have a job, a family, and other interests. I am busy trying to live my life.
When I'm on the net, especially Facebook, it is in between tasks and I'm on the move. I am not writing a doctoral dissertation, merely commenting on something that catches my eye.
Yes, I get caught up in defending my opinion. And it is hard to admit that it is only opinion; I have no access to state information, I have no poli-sci degree, I'm just commenting about what I read.
If I had expertise or knowledge no one else had I would get myself into a position where I could employ my specific set of skills and knowledge to effect change. I wouldn't spend hours on Facebook telling everyone they were being duped.
I'm just a blue collar worker close to retirement, tired and disgusted with the callousness I see in the world. A tired old hippie with idealism fading, tilting at windmills, looking for elusive facts and finding a never ending labyrinth of conspiracies.
Yes, the system is corrupt. Yes, the two party system is inadequate. Yes, politicians lie, some more than others. Yes, the media falls down on the job, but they make money because it's the news business.
Yes, there is certainly income inequality, wars for profit, folks dying from being bombed for their oil and Yes, the planet is dying and we need to reform our policies to help save it.
And yes, Trump is the new president and the people he has appointed to head each department are opposed to the existence of that department.
Yes, the tone of his presidency has caused a spike in racially motivated hate crimes and threatened international protocols.
And yes, it seems populist, anti-immigration issues are fuelling membership in right wing groups that are poised to be swept into office no matter how thin their margin of victory, in Europe, especially France.
While I think I understand the grievances of folks in France and I see the popularity of Marie Pen's National Front, I nevertheless cling to my socialist leaning ideals that there is enough for us all.
I don't begrudge an entrepreneur the lions share of wealth but don't tell me he owes nothing to society or that he is entitled to keep his employees near the poverty level with no benefits while he has mansions all over the world.
Not that I think a person should live off the charity of others for where is the self-respect in that? I do think as member of society, a person needs to contribute, you know, get a job or volunteer, or do something. But, I see a strong social safety net as a wise investment in the best resource, people.
I do not think it is moral that corporations and billionaires should skip out on paying taxes to the degree set forth in the Panama Papers.
Greed is killing the planet and us along with it.
Captains of industry are entitled to more but not to everything. They can make and keep profits from business but not from keeping people down.
In my opinion, I think I am right. The right wing blogs call me names and the left wing supporters think I'm conned by the mainstream media, for only the true idealists like them are privy to the real information, and only they can save us sheeple from ourselves. Yes, they are that condescending.
I struggle on, a battered and fatigued 21st Century Don Quixote, supporting equality, liberty and the pursuit of happiness...
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