It sounds like I'm just trying to use some big words to make myself sound smart...but, it's a proper way of saying: Say smart things, and people will know you're smart. Say stupid things....and you all get the point.
I bring this point to my audience for one reason alone...not from the demise of intellect as we know it, but because I heard a woman (with wrinkles) standing in front of me at Ralph's and speaking to someone on the other end of her Blackberry and after a 3 chuckle spasm says "O.M.G.!! He did not say that?!"
Yes, dear friends, someones aunt/grandmother abbreviated "Oh my God!!" in an attempt to appear younger than her years.
I find myself having to dumb myself down from time to time to actually be able to carry on a conversation with friends. I have an eclectic variety of friends of which I am proud of, but the majority of them are not well versed in the art of conversation.
Take for instance my UFC addict friends. "FUCK MAN!! DID YOU SEE LIDELL PUMMEL THE SHIT OUT OF THAT GUY THIS WEEKEND?!?!" Of which I either can get into the vibe and carry on my meathead side, or I can just ignore it and reply with a simple. "No man, fuck, I missed it." These friends are the ones that you cannot speak to about politics, religion, or current news related material. ESPN, UFC, NFL, MLB.....they have it all covered, but if you say..."What are your views on how Obama is doing?" they'll more often than not reply "Man, I don't discuss politics with friends, because it ruins relationships." Which means one of two things. 1) They are Republican and most Republicans don't like to talk about politics in California for some reason. Or 2) They know absolutely nothing about the topic, and rather than admit to the amount of empty space in their head, they'd rather move on to the next sport topic.
Then, you have the polar opposite. The friends that watch FoxNews, CNN, and CSPAN for fun. They read the New York Times, Washington Post, and the BBC News online. These fellows are more than happy to give you their opinion on Obama, Israel, Iraq, or whatever controversy there is to be shared. But, then you mention that your favorite sports team has a game on that afternoon they look at you like you just farted in their face.
Look, to me, this world has a vast amount of intelligence to be shared. Sports, Culture, Travel, Books, Religion, Politics....what have you....these are all things to which we can fill our gray matter in our heads to the brim with, and still have room for more. We shouldn't have to dumb our vocabulary down, or spice it up for one person or another. As humans we should desire intellectual conversation that allows us to learn more (after we've left school) and to share our knowledge of whatever subject with one another in HOPES to learn something new. Don't try to rule a conversation to "sound smart", but dumb yourself down to "appear as one of the guys".
It's simple, life is one big lesson after another. You're a baby...you learn to not put a fork in a power outlet. You're a teenager, you learn that girls don't like you if you stink. You're in college, you learn that drinking until you pass out gets you written on with a black marker.
We are the accumulation of lessons we learn. Whether it be of love, life, or the spaces in between...we're always learning, and those we call friends should be those that we share these lessons we believe to be important to us.
In short. Learn, share (without limits) and BE the person YOU are...not what society thinks you should be. Then, you're not living your life...life is living it for you.
Stay smart my friends,
I'm going to go kill some brain cells with a beer, and then listen to Frank Sinatra....
Mix some ASS with some CLASS,
-Johnny
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