Critical But Not A Critic

    I am critical. I am cynical. I am skeptical. But, I am not a critic. In this blog I might often praise a person or an establishment. When I do that I am simply sharing the fact that I’ve had a pleasant contact or experience. I am not touting any business or attempting to curry favor. It is not my purpose in life or in this blog to sell any idea or service or product.

    If I have a bad experience which others could avoid with a bit of mature “Buyer Beware” awareness, I’ll probably not say anything. If, however, I see a lurking danger which could be stumbled on to or bumbled into, I’ll probably make a comment if it’s within the subject of the blog. Otherwise, I am not going to critique anyone or anything.

    If castigation seems called for, I’ll comment on Facebook or write a letter to the editor or to an appropriate contact further up the hierarchy. Since I am officially NOT a critic, don’t assume that my silence on any subject is tacit condemnation. I’m simply pursuing other ideas.

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Politics

I have become critical, cynical and apolitical after a lifetime of witnessing the costly machinations public office wannabes perform in their pursuit of an office. It has been said that, in America, anyone can become president. The missing ingredient in that Pollyanna aphorism is that wealth - personal, family, or acquired - is necessary. We have become instead of a Democracy (actually a Democratic Republic), an Oligarchy.

The Oligarchs treat us as their minions instead of as their employers. We’ve become little more than feudal serfs gifted with the illusion that voting will allow us to have some influence over how they do things. Hogwash!

The verbal sparring between Democrats and Republicans or Liberals and Conservatives serves only to dilute whatever wise thinking might otherwise be brought to an issue, any issue. The fervent use of labels as epithets seems to confirm Emerson’s philosophy that, “A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds, adored by little statesmen and philosophers and divines. With consistency a great soul has simply nothing to do.” Labels obviate the need for thinking.

Intelligence and statesmanship seem no longer prerequisites for viability as a candidate for President of the United States. I’ve grown weary and disgusted at having to choose the lesser of evils rather than for the one who is eminently qualified.

Alfred E. Neuman (What, Me Worry?) seems of like mind. Perhaps I shall write him in.

"How come we choose from just two people for President, and fifty for Miss America?"
— Alfred E. Neuman, MAD magazine mascot