10/01/20 IDEAS, WORDS & PHRASES I’M TOTALLY SICK OF — It seems that every time I watch the news on TV or encounter it in texts, emails, Facebook posts, and so on, at least some of these faddish phrases are used: “Talking Points”, “At the End of the Day”, “Narrative”, “It Is What It Is.” Why, why, why do we need to be hammered with the same jargon from the left and the right each and every day?! My ears throb, almost literally—I’m sick of it!

Another thing… There used to be a poster entitled “Everything I Needed to Know I Learned in Kindergarten.” Unfortunately where I was born and raised attending kindergarten was not common. But I’m pretty sure one of the lessons kids learn there is to “Take Turns.” These days it seems that anytime there is a political “debate”—local, state, national or presidential level—each participant feels somehow entitled to interrupt rudely the moderator or his/her opponent. Have we become so selfish, immature, impatient and hate-filled that we cannot even allow different ideas to be expressed in our presence without interrupting, rudely, viciously?! Can we not “Take Turns” any longer?

Finally, in formal debates, when a participant can no longer argue effectively against his opponent’s position, he might choose merely to ATTACK his opposition’s person or character. This strategy is called “Ad Hominem,” Latin for “at the man.” It is a sign of utter disrespect, defeat and desperation. And BOTH parties, during the primaries and elections, at every level, do it constantly. To ALL our Leaders and News Anchors: Please, GROW UP, ASAP!