We All Have Something To Complain About

But what’s the solution?

Anger!

We all feel it. Sometimes for good reason, mostly not.

The thing about raw emotions like anger though, when it gets riled up in a pack mentality, it unleashes some bad karma, man. It permeates like a noxious gas until, KABOOM!, everybody’s on the bandwagon. The next thing you know, you have anger and hate for their own sake.

Look around at the numerous world struggles and tell me if I’m wrong. People have been fighting each other so long, they forgot what they’re fighting about. They stopped listening to each other. Expression through anger is just more noise.

That’s why I’m grateful for opportunities to express my thoughts with the great publications on Medium. The best ones are run by people who take the responsibility to promote good writing. They care about the written word and the differing opinions in the voices that are heard.

Here it comes…

But, after reviewing my place and my hopes for certain platforms, I’ve concluded that some publications that just aren’t for me. Nothing wrong with that. We all have to find our niche.

I don’t mind an occasional bitchfest. I can enjoy a little ‘sniticism’ as much as the next grump. But seriously, unless some of the constant complaints come with a little constructive banter, what’s the point?

The political arena is a perfect example of what’s gone so awry, and it’s not peculiar to American politics either. Republican, Democrat, Conservative, Liberal have all become dirty labels that opposing sides fling at each other. Since when did a difference in spectrum negate an opportunity for useful debate?

If common decency is to be thrown out the window, then count me out. If I have to tow some line of agenda to be published on certain platforms, well you lost me.

This is the main reason I have so much respect for what Dr. Yildiz is accomplishing on ILLUMINATION. “Find Your Voice” is more than a tagline here. It’s a meeting of minds rather than a slugfest. I’m quite sure it is no accident that NATION is in the publication’s title. Everyone has a chance to be heard as long as decency is upheld.

Serendipitously, I received in my inbox this morning Seth Godin’s latest post. Its title is Earned Crankiness. I highly recommend you give it a read. His brief, eloquent post speaks directly to what I’m talking about.

So, for those who want to bitch about us selfish boomers, go right ahead. If my fellow boomers wish to vent about the ineptitude of newer versions of humanity, fill your boots. If people want to bitch about their current political situation, great.

But for fuck sake,

Change it!

Constructively. Go ahead. Get angry, but channel the anger into thought for improvement.

Just leave me out of the pissing contest. No, I don’t expect anyone to care whether I stay or go from any publication. I could silently shuffle away and no one would be the wiser.

But, the offer was made to join in, so I did. I was rejected, maybe for bad writing, or maybe because of my opposition to the premise. Sure, a little indignant outrage can be humourous once in a while, but if it doesn’t trigger further contemplation, what does it accomplish?

To my way of thinking anger begets more anger. It’s exactly the game shitheads like Trump wants us to play. While we’re busy flinging shit at each other, he’s working another P.T. Barnum style sleight of hand trick on the world.

Hell, he might even be the one responsible for Grammarly’s continuous efforts to put me over the edge every time I use words like neighbour or colour.

STOP IT!

Then I realize that we’re talking about the English language. He can’t even say ‘neighbour’, let alone spell it. He certainly doesn’t understand what it means to be one. The point is, it’s not worth going off on.

So, at the risk of burning a few bridges, I’m stepping away from the rhetoric, the angst, the ”bear with a sore ass” attitude. I won’t play in any more of the angry reindeer games, even if you let me.

Yeah, I got concerns. I’m no angel. Plenty of things piss me off. I’d just prefer to address them differently. I would like to learn to become a more positive person. Believe me, I’ve been angry for far too long. What a waste.

I just don’t want to play the game of shit flinging anymore.

Thanks for listening.

Try to find the positive everybody, and don’t let the haters win.

You have the power to make them go away. With kindness and reason.

Now, wouldn’t that just piss them off?

As you were.