Say What?

I guess I started looking at blogs last fall - specifically friends from college and prior - and was a little confused by some of the comments that didn’t seem to completely mesh when compared to opinions/conversations back in the days spent in E-town. I began to wonder if/how much I really knew all the people from that stage of my life…Maybe they had changed – maybe I had changed. I imagine a little bit of both.

I know I have changed quite a bit in my political, social, and fiscal views since that time. After leaving the stage and influences of college life, after leaving a position with lesser personal responsibility of an employee to now being the employer I have been allowed a far more intensified weight of personal financial responsibility and a working knowledge and relationship with the system of capitalism at a point in life probably earlier than nearly all the folks I used to and/or still do hang out with in the 20 something crowd. The key word in the last sentence regarding knowledge of the system of capitalism is the word working. Sure 5 years ago in college I could tell you all about capitalism, socialism, mixed economic systems etc. and had a theoretical knowledge and even a knowledge that would occasionally dip below the surface to momentarily present a condition that would allow a brief working knowledge of free enterprise. This being one example of many experiences and gained real world working knowledge that places me on the conservative side of the line as that is the only reasonable place I can allow myself to stand having a clear conscience and an I.Q. of above 75.

Back to the question that spurred this post “are you forming an opinion of me based purely on my comments on this blog?” The answer is no but rather modifying as accurately as they (blogs/posts) can (?) how I understand yours and other’s opinions on various things.

I began my blog in response to blogs I am/was reading. To present discussions/commentaries on issues or aspects of issues not fully brought to light in the most accurate, informed, or in a manner that does not set well with me. I know that there are people reading the same blogs but not commenting on subjects and opinions that they may not have agreed with, that’s their right and mine is to comment as I see appropriate. I do like to post on some lighter subjects such as baseball and solid chocolate fish.

Regarding posting and commenting in response to comments on my blog and others, I do them in a spirit that is not malicious or with intention to make attacks on character but rather to give a little poke here or a poke there – to spur on a discussion that may open insight to the reality of what we have to work with here – its easy to be idealistic, its far more challenging to have a thought through and feasible response to handling a given situation. Some responses to my comments have attempted to construct a wall or line to allow for positions to be taken as republican and democrat. That’s not an issue I deal with but rather conservative and liberal. Are most republicans conservative? – I would imagine. Are most democrats liberal? – I would imagine. I’m more interested in the response to issues rather than suggesting alignment with a political party. There are some things I may agree with some democrats about and some things that I may disagree with some republicans about, I try to make my decisions based on the most factual condition of a situation not based on what party, person, or emotion endorses it.

Point being I post and comment to present a view in the circle of blogs I read that isn’t always represented and/or to promote struggling with positions that may not have been arrived at using a wide or deep enough scope of knowledge. I’m not suggesting I am a ‘know it all’ by any means rather possibly a unique perspective given the audience. We’re not all going to agree but then again 10 years ago I didn’t agree with a lot of things I agreed with five years ago and five years ago I didn’t agree with a lot of things I agree with now. The goal is constant improvement.