“This above all: to thine own self be true.”
This was the Hamlet quote I penned in the Rocker’s high school senior yearbook. It follows that if one is true to oneself, then telling the truth to others should come easy. Just like all those Republicans who have decided not to run for reelection are now spouting the truth. Of course Joe Biden won the election, although they may still follow that up with a conspiracy theory or two. Rep (R) Ken Buck of Colorado, who was evicted from his Capitol building office after voting against Jim Jordan for Speaker said:
“Our nation is on a collision course with reality and a steadfast commitment to truth, even uncomfortable truths, is the only way forward,”
False news and disinformation have become ubiquitous for this generation. Maybe that explains why the word of the year is, “Authentic.” It was 2023’s most searched word in this country, “…driven by stories and conversations about AI [artificial intelligence], celebrity culture, identity, and social media”, according to the Merriam Webster dictionary. They define “authentic” as:
… not false or imitation; true to one’s own personality, spirit, or character; worthy of acceptance or belief as conforming to or based on fact; genuine, bona fide, being actually and exactly what is claimed. authentic implies being fully trustworthy.”
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/authentic
Wouldn’t an “authentic politician” be an oxymoron? The Flapper certainly thought so; it was all downhill after FDR.
My son must have followed that yearbook admonition of over 20 years ago. because he and his wife Kiki are as authentically legit as it gets! We had the best quiet Thanksgiving week with them cooking, hiking, making music, playing board games and generally chillaxing. The Pumpkin is learning to shred a guitar like his Uncle, and the Bug wowed Kiki with her basketball prowess. The little emperor commonly known as Watson the Frenchie kept us all laughing while watching the National Dog Show. I was rooting for the Welsh Corgi of course!
When I was young, I’d hear girls say they could “be themselves” around some boy. A good sign I thought, to be able to trust someone else, to be vulnerable. But then, did that mean that most of the time this girl was not being herself? Being true to yourself is a high bar. Still, I wish todays’ young girls didn’t feel the need to conform, or compete with each other. Granted I was a knee sock, Weejun wearing preppy in high school. New penny loafers had to be blackened just so with polish before wearing; we all get to pick our own tribes. And for most of us, college and real life help soften the edges.
If we are all on a collision course with the truth, we better fasten our seat belts. There are still insurrectionists masquerading in Congress; in fact 147 Republicans (139 representatives and 8 senators) voted NOT to certify the election on the evening of January 6, 2021… after running for their lives during the insurrection. The ringleader of this kooky coup, Jordan, was nearly elected speaker! Plus, we have the many trials and tribulations of the Republican front-runner to suffer through.
So put your thinking beanies on everybody. Let’s check the facts, and vote like your life and liberty depend on it. Because they do.
MountainMornings 