I Feel This Way

I feel the same way as Erick Erickson, as described in this article. There is too much "I'm right, you couldn't possibly add to the conversation." When is our country going to get "real" and focus on solving the problems that exist, though, I guess the first step is to get all involved to agree that a problem does exist in the first place. It's remarkable how that element - agreeing that there is a problem - defines so much of daily life.

Speaking generically, if Alex (who at 16 is almost as tall as me, but not quite) says, "Dad, it's a problem that we're not going to every single hard rock concert that comes to Iowa," and I look at the check book and say, "No, it's really not a problem," we haven't agreed upon the problem even existing. How likely am I to, for example, take up a second job in order to go to every hard rock concert that comes to Iowa so that I can fix a problem only he sees as existent?

Speaking of an existing band that I may / may not end up playing in, their current drummer is the problem. I'm told that the current drummer doesn't do his homework and learn a song prior to a rehearsal. Because of that, he needs to be replaced. The current drummer's perspective seems to be that there isn't a problem. After all, the band has gigs lined up with a full set list. Why learn more songs? On the flipside, the other three think that it is a problem because they want to play newer songs or different songs or more easy songs or more challenging songs, meaning, in some way, they want to change.

Life is about agreeing that there is a problem.