My mother and sister had a conversation in my sister’s kitchen earlier this week that wasn’t earth-shattering, but simplistic and interesting.
The discussion was over an interview where the person was asked a question where the answered was guaranteed to generate some buzz. The person could have shied away and said “no comment” or come up with some nonsensical response that wouldn’t make sense.
Instead, the person answered the question honestly. As expected, a lot of people didn’t like what was said.
I think you know which story I’m talking about. To be upfront, I have never watched the show. I don’t know the stars on the show, what they do, or how they are being portrayed.
Therefore, if you think I’m going to offer an opinion on what he said, I’m not the guy to ask.
If there is one thing I have learned in 2013 is this: don’t offer an opinion on something that you don’t know about.
There are a lot of people out here that will find anything to be outraged about, even if they have no connection or know nothing about.
Being outraged for the sake of being outraged.
Who haven’t said something stupid, insane, or one that people don’t agree with. We have this uncompromising idea of expecting people to say what we want them to say, in order to make us feel good. This world isn’t all white picket fences and being politically correct.
There are some hard truths and uncomfortable things we have to hear, read, and see, to remind us that world and people doesn’t evolve at the same pace as we do individually or as a society.
And for that matter, we shouldn’t try to force and rush people into evolving overnight for our own liking. Time and patience are the only tools that can do that.
Back to my point: I find it interesting on how “mobs” of people react to things, small and large, and many never read or hear the entire story or statement.
Recently, the New York Times did a “Retro Report” on the popular story of a woman who was awarded over $2 million from McDonald’s after her cup of coffee was spilled on her lap. The world reacted with such uproar, that when the Times went back to review the story, they found the more the story got traction, the more people ignored the actual facts of the case. They focused more on the $2 million “award” she was given.
All she wanted McDonalds to do is to lower the temperature that they were brewing their coffee at, which was 30 degrees warmer than what most national standards were set at (2:35 mark).
A cautionary tale of ignoring the facts and the rest of the story in our zeal to react to it immediately without consequence.
2014 might end up becoming the year of the “twitter mob” as marketing expert Ann Handley mentioned in her recent post.
I feel that I don’t need or have to respond or write about every story or topic everyone is talking about or offering comment.
There’s too much noise anyway.
Civility Is Not Dead...Yet 