A bit of social commentary this morning. I certainly hope the impression I get from social media isn’t a reflection of America today. What I’m seeing are a lot of disingenuous people so concerned with virtue signaling they are blind.

It appears the concern is to be popular, have followers or whatever. I’ve always looked at social media simply as a form of entertainment. From the early days of AOL chat rooms to down on the farm, just an amusement, nothing more. It’s another world, detached from reality.

Perhaps it is that detachment that causes my consternation. Do so many really believe half of what they post? If they do, we are in big trouble as a republic. We called ourselves the United States for a very simple reason, we were united in purpose.

A great deal of what I read reminds me of my rebellious years as a pre-teen and teenager. Back then I knew it all,and would readily support anything that seemed to go against the “establishment.” I even had a poster with this word emblazoned on it: antidisestablishmentarianism!

The truth was I wasn’t that much of a radical but didn’t mind if some thought that I was. Back then it was a simple question, are you cool? Same thing children have been concerned about since the beginning of time. Each generation in some form of opposition against the last.

If social media is any indicator we have a generation or two that hasn’t broken through, matured enough to accept reality. They are still in that rebellious, know it all, state of mind. Their concern being popularity. It’s the only explanation I can offer for such mindless dribble they frequently post.

My father used a more colorful phrase for describing all of that. He would say that person talks like they have a paper asshole! It implies the person is full of it. Growing up that was, at times, directed at me. He wasn’t wrong. There were times I did just that. It could be there are times I still do that today.

Deep down I believe that most of what I read on social media is just a front, a facade. Those posting are simply concerned with public perception. I am not. Now, younger people, up and coming businesspeople and such should be concerned with that, it is only prudent.

In my opinion the best practice would be to not say anything at all! We all know that anything we have ever posted can and will be used to attack us. At my age, in my position, I can afford to just tell it like I see it.

If you don’t like it, or me, I don’t care. I have been called many names over the years, none of them traumatized me. Yes, they did sometimes elicit a response, sometimes even a violent response, but never any lasting effect. The latest name I remember being called was a troll. I agreed, I’m a truth troll!

It’s very entertaining. I do get a great deal of amusement from rattling the cages. The “educated” folks start throwing their “degrees” at me, the philanthropists insist I give my money away, the religious folks praying for my salvation after telling me I’m going to hell.

And the thing is, it’s so easy. Just tell the truth and heads exploding everywhere! That’s what entertainment is supposed to be. Just mindless fun, a distraction from reality. When you start to believe the entertainment, that’s where problems begin.