Hi son. It's me, your dad again. How's everything going out there in the world of the future? You guys got flying cars yet? Do they still use cell phones or has everyone moved on to chip implants? How about global warming? How did that one turn out? Are you and mom watching this on your houseboat? Ha ha. I hope not.
Anyway, this here is the second of what I hope will be--I don't know--a lot of videotaped messages from me to you. I'm sure your mom has already told you all about me and what happened to me and why I'm not around, but I wanted to make these tapes for you while I still feel strong enough and have them be my way of giving you fatherly advice before I go off to the great unknown, I guess you'd call it.
If you recall, the first one I made for you was all about advice on dating and finding the right woman and all that. This one here is going to be all about advice for dealing with, well, everybody else, in a way. I'll apologize in advance if this rambles, but I think you'll get what I'm going for and I hope you take it to heart.
Basically, son, it's a big world and there are a lot of people and a lot of ideas out there. And basically, I want you to listen to people and hear what they've got to say, even if you don't agree with them. It's OK to disagree with somebody, by the way, but be respectful. Even if you're sure you're right. Because the person you disagree with is probably sure he's right, too. And then what?
Try to listen to him, because basically, you're never going to know everything there is to know about a particular issue. Have enough faith in your opinion to hear the other guy out, and then maybe he'll do the same for you and then at least you'll have given each other's opinions a fair shake.
I wish more people would do that now, but all too often it seems like they don't have the time. It's a lot easier just to make up your mind and have that be that, but if you ask me that kind of oversimplification and rush to judgement can get you in trouble.
And by the way, if you are ignorant about any given issue, do yourself and everyone else a favor and keep your opinion to yourself. Seems these days some of the most ignorant people out there are the ones who have the strongest opinions and are the most outspoken about them. And some of the things that come out of their mouths are just plain ugly.
Speaking of ignorance and also racism and bigotry, here's a quick test: If you say something about some group that you wouldn't say if there was a person from that group around, there's a pretty good chance that what you're saying is bigoted. Just something to think about.
On that note, resist the temptation to make generalizations about any group of people. I promise you everyone out there is a lot more complex and multifaceted than you might think at first.
And on another related note, any angry and hysterical and irrational person you see on the news is on the news because he's angry and hysterical and irrational. Don't assume that everyone who is part of his 'group' feels the same way he does.
It all comes down to my 90/10 rule, which is: 90% of people in the world are good people who just want to live their lives. And the other 10% of people in the world are assholes. Sorry to use that kind of language, but by now I'm sure you've heard worse. Anyway, 90/10. Most people are just regular people trying to live and let live. But unfortunately, the 10% who are assholes are really assholes. They'll try to screw it up for everybody else any way they can, be it through violence, hatred, cheating, whatever. But no matter how assholish they get, remember: Yes, they might be loud and yes, they might do a lot of damage, but they're still the minority. Don't let them bring you down to their level.
Sorry if this all sounds preachy, but during the time I recorded this message it seemed like things were getting pretty ugly in our country. Lots of otherwise reasonable people were getting fired up and pissed off about a lot of things and trying to blame everything on whichever group it was that they weren't a part of. I don't want you to be like that. I don't want you to be angry, I want you to be happy. And when you encounter somebody new, I want you to see them as a person, not as part of a group. Now, that takes a lot more time and patience, but maybe if you do it, other people will do it too.
I like to think there's a big reasonable middle ground out there and that the reason we don't hear from them is that they're all still trying to figure it all out and want to hold off on getting pissed off until they've heard all sides of the story. Maybe we need more of those people to speak up and tell the loudmouths on both sides to quiet down and act like adults. Who knows?
I hope these kinds of problems are gone by the time you watch this, but unfortunately, I have a feeling they won't be. People believe what they believe and they can be mighty stubborn about it.
Just like I was afraid of, I'm rambling. Sorry about. Nothing worse than a rambling, preachy father yammering on and on from beyond the grave.
Anyway, just keep a cool head I guess is what I'm saying. Be smart. Talk to people and listen to people.
Like I said, I hope that by the time you get this message you'll be rolling your eyes about how upset I am about the current state of affairs. Hopefully you'll be watching this in a much more nuanced and enlightened time.
Either way, I wish I could be there to talk to you about these things and everything else. That's the understatement of the century, little man.
Wow, I guess this one was kind of a downer. I promise I'll try to make the next one more fun and lively.
Until then, I love you, son. Go give your mom a hug.
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You take good care and be there to have that conversation with your child.
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