“May you only hear from others what you’ve already been telling yourself.”
President Donald J. Trump
Okay, I lied. As much as that sounds like something Donald Trump would say, he didn’t say it. The quote came from Jordan Klepper, comedian and host of The Opposition with Jordan Klepper, a show on Comedy Central, which, sadly, was just canceled.
But doesn’t wanting to hear only what he already believes sound like Trump’s modus operandi? He labels anything he doesn’t like as “fake news” and calls those journalists who don’t write positive things about him “enemies of the American people.”
Unfortunately, only wanting to hear from others what you’ve already been telling yourself is not unique to Donald Trump and Jordan Klepper. And it doesn’t make much of a difference if you’re on the left or the right. We are such a divided nation right now that most of us tend to read, watch, or listen to whatever it is that reinforces our own partisan positions.
I refuse to watch Fox News. I only rarely watch CNN. I get most of my news from MSNBC. Why? Because they tell me what I am more receptive to hearing and more likely to accept.
About a dozen or so years ago, Stephen Colbert coined the word “truthiness.” Truthiness is the quality of seeming to be true based upon one’s intuition, opinion, or perception without regard to logic or factual evidence. It’s when someone feels, believes, or wishes that something is true even when it is not supported by the facts.
Truthiness is very similar to a concept espoused by comedian Bill Maher when he says, “I don’t know it for a fact…I just know it’s true.”
So fess up, people. How many of you really only want to hear from others what you’ve already been telling yourself?
Come on. It’s America’s birthday. Stand and be counted!
Written for today’s One-Liner Wednesday prompt from Linda G. Hill.
This, That, and the Other 
Hmmm very good question. I want to hear something different so I can refute it. Nothing like a good verbal sparring match eh. Am I right ??!? Just joshing with you on this fine 4th of July. Happy day to you!
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And to you, too. By the way, you are restating what my debate coach once told me: “Listen for understanding, not for rebuttal.”
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Yep you get much further listening for understanding though doing so is easier said that done.
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On political matters, I no longer want to listen to anyone’s opinion that remotely supports, condones, or excuses 45 and his toadies. If there ever was a time to “just give him a chance”, that time is long past.
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Ii couldn’t agree with you more.
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I watch MSNBC for the same reasons you do, but lately I have been on a news diet of sorts. I mean how many times can you thrash something to death?!!!
I revert now and again to the Retro news on the networks but it gets too cutsie for me. So now I just observe headlines when my iPhone dishes them out. If it looks good I’ll read it 😏
Dreading November for all the reasons Bill Maher gives on on Fri. nights.
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So basically Thruthiness is Conjecture, or am I missing something?
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Pretty much. More gut than brain.
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Another Cool Hand Luke quote.
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Is it? I don’t recall.
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I don’t want to hear the far right about anything, but I have no problem with truth, even if I don’t agree with it. Do I get far right feeds on FB? Of course not. That’s entertainment and i don’t find that entertaining. I also turn off stuff about villains who torture dogs and babies. It has nothing to do with how i feel about dogs and babies and everything to do with not needing it shoved in my face. For THAT matter, i’m not particularly eager to be whacked with stuff i agree with, either. Past a certain point, I’m tired. I know what I agree with, what I don’t agree with. I don’t need to be constantly reminded.
I’ve always been a lefty and so were my parents. I believe that our job in this world is to make it better and better to me means taking care of people who need to be cared for. There was a time when being a Republican was a political position. Now, it’s simply poisonous. I’m frankly not thrilled with the Democrats either. Everyone seems to have ‘a position’ which has nothing to do with real life. There’s a lot of fixing we need to do. Pity our third parties are so stupid and pathetic. A GOOD third party is what we need. A good one. With real candidates and a dedication to making the U.S. American again. I don’t know what we are now.
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I don’t know what America is anymore, either, but it certainly isn’t the same America it was just two years ago.
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