The Most Powerful Force In The World

Is the ability to laugh. At yourself, at the world, at the lunacy and double standards we see everywhere. I'd have gone off my rocker years ago had I not been able to retreat into the lunacy of my own mind. I mean, planet Earth is mental, right? It's like we've thrown several billion cats and alarm clocks into the same sack and then let all the alarms simultaneously go off. It's fireworks everywhere, a clown show. And I love it. I know that I spend a lot of time picking holes in ideas I can't deal with, and its here when being funny keeps me sane. It's either that or I become so perplexed and bewildered that I just end up sat in my rocking chair (I don't actually have a rocking chair) and just squeak back and forth with a pair of bright red knickers on my head and breadsticks up either nostril. The world is mad and getting madder. We're deranging ourselves and those around us. And there's no end in sight. Was it always this way? Nah, course not. This is all about the internet. In a few clicks we can be up in everybody's face and oh boy hasn't that worked out well? We have a 24/7 connection to crazytown and we're all along for the ride. From time to time I mentally overheat, which is to say I get so caught up my obsessions of the moment that I kind of enter this hyper attentive state. In short doses this is OK, but if I don't step back it leads to burn out. So I step back. And maybe you should step back, too? Do any of us pay much attention to how long we spend in the virtual plains on any given day? A check of the phone here, a sit down with a Chromebook there? What's your poison? Instagram, Tik Tok, Facebook, Porn Hub. Mine's Youtube. I've lost hours going down those rabbit holes. I mean, did I really need to spend between the hours of 0100-0300 listening to Dolly Parton, or a US political debate, or marvel as a man devours several pounds of burger in just over 12 minutes? Nope. But I went and did it anyway. Be under no illusion, I am NOT speaking as a virtuous actor here. I'm as mad as all the other cats in the bag. I love a good internet rumble and I spend way too long having fun with people's sensibilities. I'm a kind of non malevolent troll when I'm at my best (Worst?). I'm all about pressing people on what they really meant when they ejaculated some meaningless insult onto a discussion forum. I do have rules, though. Principle amongst these is never to be critical of people on a personal level, but rather focus on their bad ideas. A cheap insult is just that and pretty much signals to the world that you're not up to the task of having an actual discussion. So thanks for the heads up. What is interesting to me is how wedded certain people are to the ideas they have embraced. People can make a religion out of anything. And when these ideas get faced with better ones then it can be quite a thing to behold. Pro tip; never enter into any discussion unless you're brave enought to entertain the risk of your mind being changed. If you cannot meet that baseline principle you are not a good faith actor. And when people speak listen. And if you don't understand something they have said seek clarification. And don't be too quick to assume malice. Oh heck, I've gone done it again. Started a blog with the intention of talking about humour only for it to turn into something else. I'm a bugger for that. . .