Mark Twain
Just a short post this week on keeping things "straight." At a dinner this weekend I was advised by someone at our table that I was constantly interrupting my wife as she explained what was happening in our lives (my wife on the other hand, didn't see it that way). After being together over 42 years, I guess it is easy for us to "finish the other's sentences." Except the listener took great exception to how I was "correcting" my wife. "Do you think you saying it is more important than her saying it?" Hmm, was I guilty of actual "mansplaining" when it came to interrupting my wife? Sounds like I'm a jerk, right? Except my wife readily admitted (when corrected) that her "facts" were actually wrong. When pressed by the listener "why do you have to explain things for her?", my simple answer was for "accuracy's sake." The person calling me out responded that she felt my wife's thoughts were just as important as mine and that she should be allowed to speak, no matter how wrong her facts were. She told me "let her speak and then you can speak after her!" I only bring this up because I believe this is one of the many reasons our country is in trouble. Allow me to explain.
When people are discussing a matter and are allowed to make up facts, their incorrect statements are given time to "sink in" with the listener. It's not rocket-science, but the words of the original speaker are heard and understood. When someone like me chimes in after the fact (as demanded by the listener - "Let her talk!"), human nature will balance both as equals, weighing the information with a bias - "I prefer to hear from her and not you." Except, when facts are wrong, the listener is allowing falsehoods to be balanced with actual facts - making the actual facts subject to prejudices and biases. And that is what is happening in our society today. Instead of hearing the actual facts, we hear voices and allow them to share in importance - rendering the truth secondary status to some form or "sensitivity" or inclination towards the one speaking - even if they are very, very wrong.
So how did I respond? I tried to explain that my wife had misspoken, no matter her intent. By interrupting her, I was trying to make her statement accurate and credible. To the listener, the nature of my wife's statement was no longer important, but my interrupting was. And this is why so many still listen to Trump and Fox news. They don't care anymore if they are being mislead or lied to, they simply have decided that Trump is "their guy" and whatever he says (no matter how untrue), must be balanced with whatever anyone else says (even if they prove the lies being told by Trump and Fox). "Fair and Balanced" right? But it's wrong!
As Mark Twain once wrote; "Get your facts first, then you can distort them!" Facts are more important than the messengers that bring them to light. As a nation, open and honest discourse is what we need to get back to - and soon! (Side note, my wife totally agreed with me...it's always important to get the "story straight!"). Have a great week!
When people are discussing a matter and are allowed to make up facts, their incorrect statements are given time to "sink in" with the listener. It's not rocket-science, but the words of the original speaker are heard and understood. When someone like me chimes in after the fact (as demanded by the listener - "Let her talk!"), human nature will balance both as equals, weighing the information with a bias - "I prefer to hear from her and not you." Except, when facts are wrong, the listener is allowing falsehoods to be balanced with actual facts - making the actual facts subject to prejudices and biases. And that is what is happening in our society today. Instead of hearing the actual facts, we hear voices and allow them to share in importance - rendering the truth secondary status to some form or "sensitivity" or inclination towards the one speaking - even if they are very, very wrong.
So how did I respond? I tried to explain that my wife had misspoken, no matter her intent. By interrupting her, I was trying to make her statement accurate and credible. To the listener, the nature of my wife's statement was no longer important, but my interrupting was. And this is why so many still listen to Trump and Fox news. They don't care anymore if they are being mislead or lied to, they simply have decided that Trump is "their guy" and whatever he says (no matter how untrue), must be balanced with whatever anyone else says (even if they prove the lies being told by Trump and Fox). "Fair and Balanced" right? But it's wrong!
As Mark Twain once wrote; "Get your facts first, then you can distort them!" Facts are more important than the messengers that bring them to light. As a nation, open and honest discourse is what we need to get back to - and soon! (Side note, my wife totally agreed with me...it's always important to get the "story straight!"). Have a great week!
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