Idiot Tolerance

[Peg Herring]

When you go through medical procedures these days, they often ask about your pain tolerance. I never know what to say, having not dealt with a lot of physical pain in my life. If I have a headache, I take something and it goes away. I don't know where that rates on a scale of 1 to 10.

What I do notice is that I'm losing my tolerance for idiots. It was never terribly high, maybe a 4, and now I find myself ready to scream at 2. Yes, I know we're not all educated to the same level; in fact I don't believe we can be, despite the No Child Left Behind stuff. But we could be taught to shut up when we don't have a clue what the truth is. To quote Twain, "It's better to be thought a fool than to open your mouth and remove all doubt."

I know, I know, we have the right to our opinions and the right to free speech. I'd like to add a corollary to the Bill of Rights, though, something like "...freedom of speech if you've done your homework."

Yesterday I was in one of those situations where you can't help but overhear a conversation, and a man declared that "that asshole in Washington" was going to take all his money because "as soon as you get sick if you're old they're gonna take it all." Just one of the idiotic things we've all heard lately, but when you're sitting right there, it's hard to keep silent.

At least I can turn Fox News off. My tolerance for idiots is so low, you see.

[Dana King]

Well, put IJ. I'm as disgusted as anyone with the current state of affairs, but let's never forget who elected these guys.

As Pogo once said, we have met the enemy, and he is us.

[I. J. Parker]

You could argue that "we" are the enemy.

[B.R.Stateham]

Clearly though, we shouldn't hate politics. At its best Politics is the grease that makes both good government, and a well-run--humane--society. What we should all be insisting is that Politics should be at its best and get rid of those who only one to run partisan pogroms.

[I. J. Parker]

Actually, the other side is always uninformed. That's the kindest way I can put it.
The nursing home business is not humane. It's much better to spend a portion of that money on home care.
Clearly we need reform on all sorts of levels.

[Peg Herring]

I think that's properly said: I hate politics. I doubt there's much difference if you factor in time: after 200 years it all goes rotten.

[Jack Getze]

I hate politics in America. The other side is always evil.

[Peg Herring]

You're right, and I do know that. It just infuriates me when it's all ascribed to the President, no matter who he may be.

[Jack Getze]

Having gone through the old age and passing of my two parents, I can tell you this: Assisted living costs about $5,000 to $8,000 a month. President Obama has nothing to do with it, but when you're old and sick -- "they" do in fact take your money.