Topic: Personal
When I was a kid my father would always tell me that I was going to get into a fight with someone that was bigger and badder than me because I allowed people to "push my buttons." He always told me that one day I was going to get pushed by the wrong guy. I've always suspected that my father was just "projecting" his perceived shortcomings on me, his impressionable son but recently the wisdom of his statement has become abundantly clear.
My father and I are very much alike because we share a common personality trait that allows our passions to mushroom into anger when provoked. I'll be the first to admit that I do let people "push my buttons." I do. However, I've recently realized that there are people in this world who feed off of people like me and are continually seeking to provoke this response. Some of these bottom feeders even go so far as to turn this perverse activity into a form of sport akin to fishing and they create very lucrative radio or television programs that show-off this type of behavior.
What makes them so good at what they do is that when this tactic is employed by people like me against them, they always turn it around or somehow deflect the blow, probably because they've mastered the technique so well it's almost second nature. For example let's say that you're an overweight, draft-dodging pill-popper who has questions about your sexuality. How many career choices are there for depraved cowards like yourself? How about a sanctimonious radio program where you can sit atop a self-created throne and hurl down vitriol at often innocent, good-hearted, courageous, do-gooders?
Or even a television program where every week you can sit next to a weak-minded, unfortunately handsome know-nothing, where your audience can obviously see how much better looking and well spoken you are compared to your co-host. You can create an entire personality all your own from celluloid and a little make-up and those stylist can really mask the true nature of your depravity. Pretty soon people may forget that you don't have the qualifications to pick-up garbage.
There I go again. It's hard not letting people "push your buttons" but I'm going to turn over a new leaf. I will no longer take the bait. I will not be drawn into reacting to the petty musings of some mediocre mind. And I call on my liberal brethren to do the same. Don't do it because of some high-minded purpose but rather do it for practical reasons. Don't let them profit off of your reactions.
The next time some simpleton writes a book, makes a comment on his or her blog, radio or television program, ignore it. That means don't discuss it, don't allude to it, don't link to it, don't even mention it or them. PERIOD. Don't do it. Shut them out, turn them off, don't click on that link, boycott stupidity and I assure you we will win.
Do you know why I'm so certain that we will win? Because that is exactly what they do to you and they DO NOT have the truth on their side. They don't even care about the truth, they only care about money and power and if you haven't noticed they're winning, big time.
So what can you do when a ding-a-ling from the dunderhead gallery is trying to bait you, you ask? Try to find the best words to convey to people how your thoughts can be something that they agree with. Imagine just how powerful it would be to frame a complex argument into a concise statement that jives with people's way of seeing things. That's what they do. Now imagine doing it with the truth. That's real power.