Jan 19, 2010

The following is a rant, pure and simple. Take it for what it is worth, and do not expect that there is any real logic involved. I'm sick of being treated like a rube at a Patent Medicine Show. Plus, I don't like self-congratulations. If you aare wonderful, I'll figure it out on my own, I don't need your help. The last line of Garrison Keillor's description of Lake Woebegon is, "...and the children are all above average." Have you ever noticed how many people and organizations these days are above average, I mean way above average? Here in Hooterville, the University Medical Center advertises that their health care includes, both renown doctors and award-winning nurses. The problem is that I don't know what 'renown doctors or award-winning nurses' really means. Oh, I get what they are trying to say, but it comes across like mindless self-congratulations to me. I get that no one is going to make a below average hospital their first choice, but does vague happy talk really make a difference? Obviously, they think it does. Despite all our advances, we are still susceptible to be dazzled by shiny objects. The woeful Hooterville Unified School District is forever promoting one or another of its programs as "nationally recognized". What does that actually mean? Hell, the underwear bomber is nationally recognized, Al Capone was nationally recognized. Nationally recognized is not a superlative. Tell me how that translates to a benefit to me. If your town is like mine, (and I don't see how that is possible), you may have an annual ritual that goes something like this. Out here in the sticks, our movers and shakers run annual events in which they name their particular hero of the year. By hero, I don't mean hero in an actual heroic sense. More of their Man of the Year. For instance, each year some organization here in town names a Father and A Mother of the year. The winners in this event are invariably well-to-do folks whose main child-raising issues involve hoping that little Emily's Beemer isn't acting up or that Ethan gets his problems with his long irons cleared up in time for the sectionals. The father working two jobs to keep his five kids fed, in school and out of trouble? Never heard of him. I'll take the latter over the former any day. But it is not limited to my town or yours. Ask yourself, do you really care about the Emmys, the Oscars, the Espys, or any other of the million other events where the elites congratulate themselves? I don't. I sure don't see Hardware Guy of the Year on the tube. Anyway, next time you actually pay attention to what we get fed in the media, stop and ask, "Does it actually mean anything?" Usually, it doesn't. I was thinking about carnival barkers and then about Mr. Potato Head and Toy Story and finally this. I love this song. Things in this blog represented to be fact, may or may not actually be true. The writer is frequently wrong, sometimes just full of it, but always judgmental and cranky

7 comments:

mouse (aka kimy) said...

geez, you should hear what the cleveland health care organizations say about themselves!

personally, I've always found humility was a very attractive trait.


excellent rant!

Barbara said...

It is unfortunate that we come from a culture where being average is like getting a failing grade. It was always tough when I had to dish out performance ratings and some poor soul had to be average so my ratings were acceptable. Who are we trying to fool?

Megan said...

Bread & circuses, my friend. Bread and circuses!

But you'll always be an Above Average Hardware Guy to me...

Coffee Messiah said...

Oh man, you should have heard our
state of the state" last night ; (

Heard some blurbs, lots of razzle dazzle, but a sinking ship is a sinking ship.

BTW, local news here is always the best.

Bet yours is too. ; )

Cheers 2 you and yours!!!

a. said...

A very enjoyable rant to read, anyway.

Drink the Koolaid.

Kurt said...

Ah, Randy Newman.

I get sick of "Academy-Award-nominated actor..."

edward said...

what about them blogs of note winners?