Strong opinions don't make you right...

Let me remind you of an Uncle Tommy-ism right off the bat. Your opinion doesn't make you right, sometimes you are just a loud wrong. Opinions, we all have them. Hell, we are all entitled to them. It's a free country, say and feel whatever the fuck you'd like. Just don't scream "FIRE" in a crowded theatre, right? Seems simple. However, since we now have a profusion of folks that think that social media seems to invite our every thought to become public, there's a shit ton of you who think your opinions are fact. Why, I can't imagine. Putting something in print doesn't make it so. Ask anyone who writes for a living. There are fact checkers, editors, rules, disclaimers...I could go on, but you get the point. If I like the color lime, that doesn't mean it is the best color on the planet and everyone should now love it and wear it, paint their walls that color, and buy lime green cars. Personally, I couldn't give a fuck less if you like what I like. You are you, which is NOT me, by definition, and therefore, have your own likes and dislikes. Even intense beliefs, those are all yours. Mine are all mine. Should they be similar, wonderful. If not, it doesn't change my day in the slightest.

Pan over to a typical day in social media land. Everyone is announcing the minutiae of their day, what they ate, how they feel, the mundane tasks of housework, all of the things we'd all rather not know. But fine, tell me what you washed, where you drove your kid for the umpteenth time, and that you have another stuffy nose. I may not care, but you are free to clog my feed with whatever nonsense you see fit. Part of our freedom of speech. Let it out, let it all out, baby. But bear in mind this one simple fact, your opinion is not the gospel truth. It will not affect how I live my life in the least bit. Don't expect it to. If you want to be on a totally organic vegan diet recommended by some guru you found on the internet, go ahead on with your big, bad self. Announce it all over every site you belong to with gusto. Do NOT expect me to follow suit. I will not do what you say just because you think you found Jesus in your new obsession. I am a highly educated, extremely intelligent woman. I do not need someone to think for me. Should you decide that you disagree with the President of the United States, you are free to do so. But, you must refrain from calling me and everyone like me an asshole for supporting him. There is more than one political party for a reason. Differing opinions about how the country should be run. Right, wrong, or somewhere in between...we, as a nation voted this man into office. Raging up the left and down the right isn't going to change my opinion about Mr. Obama.

So many topics upon which you've become an expert. So many ideas you want to shove down my throat. Being gung ho about something doesn't make it right for everyone. There's the parenting arena, one I threw my hat into many years ago. We all have our own way of doing it. Starting from pregnancy to childbirth and points beyond. Don't tell me I can't eat pizza and Chinese food every night of my gestation. How do you know what my baby wants? I didn't give birth to a hippo, so I guess it was fine. You want to wear your child like an accessory because you believe it's the only way to bond? Have at it. I didn't, yet my child is as close to me as any only daughter could possibly be. Hmm, is your way the best way...the only way? Not really. Breastfeeding. I could go on for hours about my opinions on the subject. I have very strong opinions against it. I think it's a savage way to feed your child. Do I care if you do? Hell, no. They're your ta-tas, do whatever you want with them. I have no say over that territory. My boobs are mine, all mine. You cannot tell me what to do with them. If I choose to keep them in my bra, rather than whipping them out for all to see in order to feed my child, it's MY choice. I am not a bad parent. My child will not have asthma, allergies, food allergies, lowered immunity, be overweight, or insecurely attached. She will not be mentally stunted nor have learning difficulties. Oh, that's right...she's 19 and has none of the above issues and never has. Bottle baby all the way. I didn't even pump. So, suck that, breastfeeding Nazis.

Anti-vaxxers! Holy fuck they are everywhere. "I'm not vaccinating my child because immunizations are dangerous, untested, cause Autism, and death." What the fuck? Can you prove it in your own neighborhood? At your child's school? In your house? I can prove otherwise right in your mirror. You, like me, like everyone else our age and older, were fully and completely vaccinated. Are you Autistic? Did you die? No? Then what is your proof? I'm not even going to remind you that there are vaccines that aren't even around anymore. Why? Because we've eradicated those diseases from our society. But let's put that aside for a moment. We are a living testament to the fact that they work and cause no harm. You disagree with me. Excellent. Do not vaccinate your child. Prevent them from being protected against disease. That is your choice. And that's okay with me. My child is and always will be protected from as many diseases as possible, so the fact that you want to expose yours to every funky ass bacteria that could cause serious issues, including death doesn't affect me...or her. Trust that I won't go all redneck crazy on your ass, filling your feed with my opinion, telling you how wrong you are to have made the decisions you have. I don't care enough.

You know what? It's not even lack of caring that prevents me from pounding you with my opinions, attempting to sway you to my way of thinking, my beliefs, my concerns, my likes and dislikes. No, it's not that at all. I truly believe that I am more evolved than you. I can live and let live. My life is not changed by how you live yours and I naturally assume yours remains unaffected by my choices. Somehow, I think you may know this already. Sadly, I don't think you care. Cro-magnon thinking, knuckle-dragging, pushy, opinionated cunt buckets haven't a clue that the rest of us don't give a shit. We don't base our decisions on your mindless, brainless rantings on social media. You do realize that, don't you? You can't believe your incessant jabber matters, can you? Are you friggin kidding me right now???