Most of the Patriot’s readers are already probably aware that I don’t have Facebook or other social media accounts and in fact I pretty much detest the concept of social media in general (hypocrisy alert - I do have a hand in the Patriot Twitter account as part of my job duties).
Let’s be honest, has anyone ever witnessed an actual disagreement resolved through the use of a Facebook rant? I’m willing very few people have ever read a post and then proclaimed “Wow! All (or some) of my ideas, morals and beliefs were totally wrong and now I am going to fully embrace the contrarian viewpoint!”
However, I will agree that sometimes just going on a rant is fun and rather refreshing — a chance to get a few things off my chest with the full knowledge that my intention is not to solve issues or have anyone agree with me. So here goes . . . a good, old fashioned rant. Granted it won’t rival Chevy Chase’s epic meltdown about his cheap, lying, no-good, rotten, . . . brainless boss. But we all do need to blow off steam once in a while without expecting other people to chime in or “like” it. Plus, I’ve added a few pledges that could spice up life in Sherburne County over the next few months.
Rant: Can we just be nice and polite to the teenager (or anyone in today’s world) who actually has the gumption to have a job and works in retail or the food industry? I’ve never been hired to work in the food industry (insert joke about the fox guarding the hen house) but I’ve heard plenty of stories from those that do about horrible tippers and narcissistic jerks who mistreat the workers. How about throwing in a compliment or simply practicing good manners by saying please and thank you?
Pledge: Next time I see a person pitching a fit in a store or restaurant, I am going to “boo” them — feel free to join in!
Rant: If you are a politician seeking any office, from dog catcher to grand poobah, please have an original idea that might actually make sense and then talk to me about that idea rather than just telling me how terrible the other person is or acts. I’m personally tired of the “vote for me because the other person hates puppies crowd”.
Pledge: If you call me, come to my door or send me an email or literature, I will stop reading, listening, caring, etc. the minute I read, hear or detect a complete lack of ideas on your part. And I will never vote for you based on “the other candidate sucks” theory — even if that happens to be true. If you come to my door and mention the absurdity of the other candidate, expect me to shut it in your face in a not so polite manner — feel free to do the same!
Rant: As Minnesotans, most of us are guilty of subscribing to the mathematical impossibility that we belong to the 80% of drivers who think they are “above average”. If that’s the case, then why do we need to pay an insurance premium every six months for “uninsured motorists”? Why do we all also avoid eye contact with the opposing driver the millisecond we do something stupid on the roadway? Or worse yet, try to blame the other person as if their actions caused us to pull out in front of them? Some people would say the term gaslighting is a new phenomenon, but let’s be honest — drivers have been doing just that to each other for decades!
Pledge: To the best of my ability, I will now take responsibility when I do something stupid on the road by making eye contact and flashing the “My bad, I’m an idiot sign”. That should not be confused with the “you’re number one” sign — feel free to do the same!
None of these rants or pledges are planned to drastically change the way people live their lives, but perhaps they are minuscule steps we can all take towards making life a bit better for ourselves and our neighbors.
Plus, the minute I hear a “boo” in a restaurant, hear a positive message from a politician, or see someone making eye contact after a driving miscue, I’ll selfishly take credit for changing the world. Or at least I’ll pretend for a minute that someone in Sherburne County paid attention to my rant! It’ll be like a “like” for the Facebook page I don’t have.
