Why the fecal matter of a male animal became the word used to describe so many things wrong with the world is beyond me. What people gossip about becomes fact, whether it is true or not. A fact is merely something everyone agrees on. It was a fact the world was flat. It was fact that Columbus discovered America.
When someone declares to the masses that someone did this or that, it is considered fact. Even if later it comes out the first story was bullshit, it doesn't matter, people already believed the bullshit the first time around.
Take a look at your in-depth knowledge of pop culture. I know all sorts of "dirt" on all types of celebrities, and you probably do to. I have never bought a tabloid, watched "Extra", or clicked my way through "OMG", but somehow I know all about movie stars, famous musicians, and even folks that are famous, just for being famous. Most of what I know about them is bullshit. I know this, but it is still what pops up, whenever their name gets mentioned.
Snopes is only for urban myth research, and there seems to be no one to check on the day to day lies and bullshit being slung at us from every direction of the media, and whisper circles concerning more important matters. I suppose such an organization would require too many resources especially when the result would only be the truth.
I pride myself on the fact that I do not intentionally involve myself in other peoples drama, I have enough going on in my own life. But when the weather has already been discussed, people naturally move onto bullshit. We even refer to it as bullshit. "We were just sittin' around bullshittin'." Even though I don't want to be part of it, reading a paper, going on line, or watching the TV envelopes people with bullshit.
The latest bullshit to upset me is the story of Presidential hopeful Herman Cain. I don't know or care if he hit on those women. Even if it were true, a suggestion is merely that. It is ridiculous that we have somehow made that a crime. How come a guy building so much momentum can be cut off at the knees with simple bullshit? Why would people spend time talking about this? How could an allegation of a sexual advance somehow steer the world into thinking this guy is a pig, and not worthy of the nod for candidate for the GOP?
Because we listen. We watch the news, we buy into it, we talk about it, we believe it. The only way we can ever overcome bullshit is to stop consuming it, and stop sharing it. I'm not so sure this movement I'm suggesting will ever catch on.
I'm going to try to lead by example. For the rest of the year, I am tuning out. If someone starts feeding me bullshit, I'm going think about something else while they're talking. I will completely fade them out and hopefully will not absorb any more bullshit. There are only eight weeks or so left in the year, so it shouldn't be as hard as it sounds. I will post after the New year how it went, as I will be taking notes. If all goes well, the notepad will be blank, or full of doodles.
By the way, the mob killed Kennedy, not Oswald. That was bullshit.
