I saw this terrific cartoon recently and thought just how appropriate it is for current times. With the advent of social media and 24 hour news it seems that increasingly communication is dumbed down to simple (many might suggest unhelpful) digital choices. This is the classic “us or them” mindset where everything is “simplified” but not in a useful manner.
One of the problems with the instant communication culture is that people post information and make statements without due consideration to the consequences. This is highlighted with some of the most bizarre statements by some political leaders, who “play to the base” for status approval” regardless of whether any of the statements are factually correct or helpful for intelligent discussion. The pack style polarized behaviour seems to occur on a daily basis and the only small redeeming factor is some great humour, including the clip below
Maintaining some humour is essential for our collective sanity and of course great comedians like Bill Hicks and George Carlin have been invaluable in reminding us that all opinions are subjective and its always useful to respect that there are always other views that our own, no matter hold certain we are of our own brilliance. Carlin was a superb observer of human behaviour and pointing out the absurdity of lot of how people communicate, often without a great deal of acuity.
Thank goodness for satirists, comedians and all those who point out “the elusive obvious”, IMO the world is a far better place for such comments regardless of whether you agree or not.