I almost want to vomit. Reading Twitter the days after Biden's inauguration is sickening, and disgusting.
You have thousands of people not focusing on the "wonderful" man in office, but they're still focusing on Trump. Even when there is a new President, they're still allowing Trump to live rent free in their heads. And they're stupid about it too. We have a media that would rather give Joe Biden a hand job than be in the least bit critical of anything he does. We have a media that is now starting to make things seem all happy go lucky doing things like removing the Covid death count that was constantly on the screen to make Trump look bad, just a day after the inauguration. Reporters are still asking softballs to this President and giving him a free pass on anything. You have YouTube removing comments and disabling likes/dislikes on any video with Biden because there are sometimes 3 times more dislikes than likes and most of the comments were negative. This supposedly happening to the MOST POPULAR PRESIDENT EVER. (Looks like YouTube put the comments and likes back, go check it out if you want to laugh.)
Then you've got the Hollywood elite.
Bob Odenkirk said: "What a great day to wake up in America. Did anybody else read Biden's pissy, angry, shit-stirring tweet he wrote at 2 AM last night? Neither did I."
Stephen King in reference to Kayleigh McEnany tweeting about it being a privilege of working in the White House: "Enjoy your next job as a cocktail waitress in Tampa."
And there are a lot more. Idiots. Don't get me started on the buffoons trying to justify this morons.
These people have no class. These people know nothing other than their very privileged lifestyle and couldn't possibly comprehend having to work day to day to make ends meet during a pandemic. Couldn't possibly understand why some of us couldn't care less about the type of energy we use. We don't have the luxury of caring about if we're using solar panels or coal for energy. We're trying to feed our families and pay our bills.
Bob, only you rich snobs cared what Trump tweeted that hurt your feelings. The people that care about the right thing being done weren't thinking about what Trump wasn't doing, they were thinking about what Biden was.
Biden was taking away jobs, laid the groundwork for women's sports to be obsolete, ignored riots, and while we're at it, thousands of people died of Covid on his watch. (He's the president now, isn't this how it works?)
And back to the jobs. Bob and Stephen don't care about that part of what Biden is doing. They have enough money to weather any administration. They made their millions off the very people that are currently being effected by the pandemic. The people that currently are out of work with no safety net because they either lost their job or their companies are going out of business because the government said they weren't allowed to work. If they cared, they would be demanding that Biden NOT take away any job in the middle of a pandemic. Whether it's a pipeline for that "dirty" energy or a border wall that keeps out "non-citizens" from coming in the county illegally. These are jobs that pay real people real money that they are about to no longer have.
It must be great to sit in that ivory tower looking down on the plebs. We don't have a racism or sexism problem in this country, we have a classism problem. It's the rich versus the poor. I'm not saying we don't have racists and I'm not saying we don't have sexists, but we're rooting those people out, maybe slowly, but surely. The snotty elite, political or otherwise, are the ones we need to worry about now. They're in control. They don't care about the people, they care about staying in power and pandering to whomever will give that to them.
You hate Trump, we get it. You didn't vote FOR Biden, you voted AGAINST Trump, we get it. So how about now you stop thinking about Trump and bringing up this guy all the time. If you hate him so much, shut the fuck up about him and do what you're supposed to do.
I don't usually get this angry, but these few days after the inauguration have flipped a switch. Fuck these people. They broke me. If there are spelling and grammar errors in all this, I don't care. I'm going to call out assholes when I see them. Hopefully I'll be less emotional next time. But I'll never be without emotion when I see the little guy being beaten up by the bigger guy. I've gotten myself in precarious situations defending people that were getting bullied. At a soccer game while parents are cussing and swearing at the 14 year old referee during their 5 year old kids' team because he didn't call a foul on incidental contact that happens all the time in those games. The parent in the restaurant mistreating a child because the child was doing things children do. These people disgust me and I'll call it out when I see it.
I have to go watch today's press conference. Not sure why, I know it's just going to make me more angry. Maybe I'm a masochist?
Good luck to us all.
Good faith isn't just an attitude; it's a series of actions. It’s the commitment to a shared process, even when the topic is difficult. Here are the core traits to look for and to cultivate in yourself.
1. Intellectual Humility
This is the foundation of all productive conversations. It’s the understanding that your own perspective is incomplete and that you might be wrong. A person with intellectual humility isn't afraid to be proven wrong; they welcome it as an opportunity to learn.
What it sounds like:
"Based on my understanding... but I could be missing something."
"That's a good point. I hadn't considered it from that angle."
"Help me understand what led you to that conclusion."
Why it matters: It turns a confrontation into a collaboration. Instead of two certainties clashing, it becomes a mutual exploration of a topic.
2. The Principle of Charity
This is the commitment to interpreting the other person's argument in its strongest, most persuasive form. Instead of looking for flaws and attacking the ...
The worn leather of the armchair creaked a familiar protest as Michael settled in. Across from him, on the edge of the old sofa, sat David, a man whose face was as familiar as his own reflection, etched with thirty years of shared laughter, quiet commiserations, and unspoken understandings. But tonight, there was a tension in the air, a subtle crack in the foundation of their long-standing ease.
"Thanks for coming over, Dave," Michael began, his voice softer than usual. "There's… something we need to talk about. It feels like there's been a growing misunderstanding, and it's been weighing on me."
David nodded slowly, his gaze steady. "I'm listening, Mike."
Michael took a breath. "I've heard things, felt a distance. And it seems like you, and maybe others, have a picture of me that isn't true. Like I'm… someone I'm not. And I need to set the record straight."
He leaned forward, choosing his words carefully. "I want trans people to have the same freedom and rights as any non-trans person. I want ...
10 rules for a productive discussion about controversial topics.
1. The Prime Directive: Argue in Good Faith This is the foundational rule. Both parties must enter the conversation with the genuine intention of exploring the truth, not simply to "win," embarrass, or provoke. Assume the other person is also operating under this principle until proven otherwise.
2. Intellectual Humility: Be Willing to Be Wrong Enter the discussion with the understanding that your current position could be flawed or incomplete. The goal is to refine your own views through challenge, not just defend them at all costs. Acknowledge valid points made by the other person.
3. The Principle of Charity: "Steel Man" Their Argument, Don't "Straw Man" It Instead of misrepresenting your opponent's position to make it easier to attack (a "straw man" ), do the opposite. Articulate the strongest, most persuasive version of their argument you can, and then respond to that. If you're unsure, ask, "So, if I understand you correctly, you're saying ...
