Sometimes I Think In Essays

One of the hazards of blogging is that I sometimes write blog posts in my head.  I think about things in essays.  While this is not a bad thing, it is sometimes weird when I a speaking to someone else and I go into essay mode.  I defend actions and positions in my essays that appear in my mind.  Most of them don't make it to the blog.

Lately, I have had thoughts about politics, marriage, divorce, The Church, housekeeping and mending, painting the deck, and the like.  But some of these thoughts are very private, some are semi-private and some I fear sharing because I might be misinterpreted or hated by people who disagree.  I wonder what has happened to the world when someone who disagrees or holds an opposing position is vilified?  Once upon a time I thought that it was polite to listen to others and maybe agree to disagree at the end of the discussion.  I know that I have learned a lot of things from people who held opposite opinions.  I may not agree with them, but I see where they are coming from.

It seems like a better world if we try to see where people are coming from, maybe not murderous dictators in third world countries or people who lead gangs or really, really bad people who do not in anyway conform to the norms of society.  But, people we talk to, people we know, why can't we listen to them?  It seems as though some people, maybe a lot of people want to stereotype someone who holds an opposing view as a bad person who then believes a host of other bad things.

I wish that I could feel free to express my opinions without fear that I might be stomped on, maybe hacked or even arrested or threatened because I expressed an opinion.  I wouldn't mind honest criticism or a debate of sorts in the comments, but I have seen and experienced it going farther than this.  Reality is, by writing this blog I am stating a public opinion and publishing something.  In our society today, that would mean that I am open to potshots and whatever anyone else wants to say or do.  I can control the comments, but I can't control things like referrals from bad sites and hacking.  So, better not to engage in public airing of my thoughts.

I have a lot of thoughts that I express in essays, but today, most of them don't go up on this blog.  I am more and more thinking that perhaps it might be better to get off all media and go dark on the blog and other social sites.  I find that privacy and security and safety might be a better option.  But, for now, I will continue essays that are safe and defensible and won't attract too much attention.