So guess what happened to me today?
I fell for something I read on the internet and I was this close to turning it into a blog post. I actually had it written and was ready to hit “publish” when I thought I’d best check a couple more of the web sites that came up with my search.
Sure enough, the first web site I had looked at and paraphrased for my blog was debunked by the next four web sites, including Snopes.
I have cautioned my mom I don’t know how many times that “you can’t believe everything you read on the Internet!” And here I did the same darn thing...yeesh.
Color me embarrassed because I’ve kidded my mom sometimes for believing everything she reads on the internet. Like any number of unbelievable things “they” are going to do to the average citizen.
I’ve always wondered who these “they” people are. Where do they live? Do they have a commune somewhere that the rest of us don’t know about? Do they work? Get married?
Inquiring minds want to know.
And why is it that it seems to be the elderly who are targeted by these ubiquitous “they” people? That’s the lowest of the low, in my book, to terrify the very people who should be respected for their contributions to our world.
I know that “terrify” is the right word here because now that Mom has moved to Chippewa Falls, temporarily living with Baby Brother and his family, we are having her mail held locally. I stopped to pick up the first week’s worth on Friday.
Holy junk mail, batman! The stack of mail was a good 8 to 10 inches high and consisted of exactly three--yes, three--pieces of legitimate mail, and the rest was nothing but poppycock.
Captain had a good time going through it, pretty much astonished at the wording of some of the mailings. He even did dramatic readings of the inserts for me so that eventually we were both in stitches.
Not all of them were laughable, however. The worst one was an envelope that had a warning on the front: Do Not Open In Front of Children; image of a beheading inside.
Who in their freaking right mind sends pictures of brutality to anyone much less a retired widow???
Sorry, got on a side track there...where were we? Oh yes, not believing everything on the internet.
I’ve observed over the years that some people are going to believe what they want to believe and will search out only those resources that confirm and solidify their philosophies. Anything found that differs from their opinion is deemed a lie.
For a country that was founded on the theory that everyone’s opinion matters, it’s sad that many people really don’t want to hear what the other guy has to say.
When that happens to me--yes, I am not immune--I try to remember the saying, “God gave us two ears and only one mouth for a reason. Listen.”
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