Who gave out so many soapboxes?

I remember as a child of a place in London at Hyde Park called Speakers Corner where people would congregate (or in our case accidentally walk past) to hear a bunch of self important windbags rattle on about religion, politics and the sexual preferences of Margaret Thatcher – this was a few years ago. These over opinionated blowhards would stand on a soapbox and rant and rave to the assembled throng just because the throng was there. I do recall my parents telling me to get away from the weird bearded man speaking in tongues (at least it seemed like he was) and to generally ignore the vitriolic speeches that reverberated across the North East corner of the park.

My how things have changed.

Now people no longer need to stand on a soapbox to vent their opinions, they have a virtual soapbox that gives them the ability to say something, usually without fear of repercussion. Back in the day you could express your disapproval to a soapbox stander by booing, walking away or throwing some rotten vegetables. These days the virtual soapbox gives people the ability to copy and paste someone else’s opinion to either support it, decry it or pretend it is their own. The ability to post or comment without physically being near the people that they are posting too has given many people false bravado. Sure it is our right to freely express our opinion but sometimes our opinions are just, quite frankly, fucking ignorant and misinformed. Even worse using this virtual form of communication has led to cyber bullying, cyber stalking and cyber douchebaggery.  The next development in cyber soapboxes needs to be a hand that reaches out of the screen to slap the stupid out of some people.

When everyone has a soapbox there is no one to listen. People are just shouting over each other to be heard when they don’t really know what they are shouting about, just regurgitating what they saw on Fox or Rachel Maddow. I am not sure how many people actually have their own opinions any more, well at least an actual researched and defensible opinion – just because some fucktard real estate speed hump media whore says something, doesn’t make it anywhere near true.

Now, you may think to yourself, James (as that is my name) you are writing about the virtual Soapboxes when you are standing on one yourself pontificating about useless crap that no one really cares about.

Sure, you are correct, I am a virtual soapbox whore, however I am not spewing hatred (unless we are talking about the thieving mongrel bastards from the prison island) and I am not preaching or trying to convert anyone. Soapboxes can be used for good if the intent is there. I am just sharing my opinion that is only backed up by my eyes, ears and hands.

It seems to me that the fact that virtual soapboxes are so readily available has given the silent majority the ability to express their previously silent opinions. In doing so the vocal minority has had to express themselves far more dramatically and radically which makes them seem, well, even more fucking annoying than before. When the ability to communicate your opinion is free and easy you need to be even more radical to be heard. Critical thinking has been killed in society, as society gets dumber and dumber. We look for guidance from people who we would normally never even talk to. If you are famous for making a sex tape you don’t need to tell me how to live my life, raise my kids or take a selfie. Actually those sorts of people don’t tell me shit as I choose not to listen, but it is getting harder and harder to sort the wheat from the chaff.

So what can we learn from all this?

I don’t know, this is simply an observation. Don’t be a sheep (especially not in the convict colony) and try not to succumb to mass hysteria. Get your news from multiple sources before you form your opinion. Read a book, phone a friend, phone a couple of friends and think about what you post before you post it. Having a soapbox used to be something that people worked to attain, whether their opinion was drivel or not. Having a virtual soapbox doesn’t make you smarter or more interesting, but since you have it use it well.

As always the opinions expressed here are solely mine and bear no resemblance to any person living or dead and any similarities are purely coincidental.

So work hard, play hard and earn your inspiration.

Happy Poets Day