Wednesday, February 01, 2006

Sheep to the slaughter

Too often we enjoy the comfort of opinion without the discomfort of thought.
- John F. Kennedy, 35th US president (1917-1963)

Opinion should be the resulting effect of the cause of considerable thought and research.

The research does not need to be done just in a library or even on the internet. It must come from a variety of sources, preferably sources that differ in their viewpoints on a given subject.

This part is simple. Those who do not endure the discomfort of thought and research on a given subject are not entitled to an opinion about what should be done about it.

Those who do not have an opinion on a subject are merely sheep who must follow the wills and whims of others who care enough about it to do the necessary research and thinking.

You are entitled to be a sheep, to be led where others want you to go. You are also entitled to learn enough to express an opinion and to be heard.

You are not entitled to receive the benefits of informed thought and its resulting actions if you are not prepared to do the work to play a role in your own future.

Man! that's ugly. Sometimes reality sucks.

Get over it. Life is hard work. There is no easy road, except to the slaughter.

Bill Allin
'Turning It Around: Causes and Cures for Today's Epidemic Social Problems,' striving to clarify the ugly realities of life so that we may all make our way through them rather than get bogged down within them.
Learn more at http://billallin.com/cgi/index.pl

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