JMO - Pundits

Pundits aren't smart or intelligent, just loud, often obnoxious and mostly wind disgiused as words. At least nature's wind doesn't disguise itself, it is what it is and you're left to stand there and feel it. Pundits, on the other hand, try as they may, espouse opinion as fact and experiece and universal. They're neither, just words better left to fall into space never heard, a waste of energy listening to a waste of their breath.

Tough? Well, I sometimes listen to KUOW's Weekday from 10-11 am, which is the forum for local journalist to talk about the local, national and interntional issues (9-10 am is the topic on the Web page). Some of them are interesting, but some are just plain idiots.They're excellent examples of someone with a little bit, and sometimes incorrect, knowledge is dangerous as they believe themselves to be smart.

They're not complete idiots, like us all, they're smart and intelligent on some issues, but we, of most of us, don't go around writing and talking as if we're smart on every issue, and after some initial research believe we can talk about any issue. That's why they're idiots. The old adage about sometimes it's best to be silent and speak and prove yourself stupid.

One of the ones on this show today (8/1/08) talked about the issue of the Makah Tribal members who illegally hunted and killed a whale. His postiion in his column about the subject and on the show that week missed the whole point of the issue with these indians and the issue of Tribal whaling, including misunderstanding the original treated signed with the US Government and the Makah Tribe.

And in an e-mail exchange he continued to assert his view, despite sending him the link to the original treaty where it refuted his view. In only goes to show, me at least, he didn't really investigate the issue, but simply espoused a view as fact, and incorrectly at that, even in the face of the truth the basic tenet in his argument was false.

So am I picking on him? Not really, because I don't read his column and rarely listen to him on the radio. So, am I wrong? In part, yes, by focusing on a few issues I have read or heard his view. Except those I have read or heard, seem to show he cosistently misses the point for a personal position. It's almost as if he likes to see his columns or hear himself talk.

But let's not forget, verbal diahrea doesn't make you smart, just prolific. But the real point here, and yes I'm being a pundit for a minute or two, is that I should stop reading and listening. But then I would miss the chances to get angry with idiots disguised and pundits and write about them. Like me.