It is amazing how, after the game is over, we all have an opinion of what went wrong. Some may have an idea of how a team will play and some will cheer and root during the game, but many more will come out of the woodwork to analyze the specifics of the players, coaches, weather, uniforms, cheerleaders, vendors, parking lot, shoes worn, ball inflation and commercials to meticulously diagnosis (with pre-bias) and declare their take on play-by-play review.
Like written history and verbal recollections, events are filtered by who views it. Like a crime scene, you need to know what you are looking for. Many have not participated in the events but are only by-standers. Some may have no background knowledge of the event or the participants, but are more than willing to add to the confusion based on personal preferences. Without our definition of what we saw, there would be no conversation around the water cooler.
The comments on movie reviews, ballgames, dances, television shows, fashion, music, hair styles, automobiles, government positions and actions are free to post and reply in this country (so far) and it seems we all relish being armchair quarterbacks. If it isn’t our original thought, we can copy a meme or photo or video that relates our opinion.
With the adage of “social media” everyone who can type with their opposing thumbs can post comments for all to see (fact checking not required). Some of the comments, taken as God’s given word, can become ‘viral’ (which means it is read by more than a dozen and perhaps spread with additional variations to a theme?). The (supposed) established and trusted journalistic news organizations will post stories of cultural celebrity’s views of the weather, foreign affairs, what to wear, how to eat or just getting old and the readers gobble it up. There is no basis that the subject at hand or the reporter have any knowledge of the subject, other than rambling on with whatever fills their head at the moment. Unfortunately, some of these ‘celebrities’ are political officials who can affect our daily lives with their opinions. Elected to become our tribe’s leaders, through charisma, charm, wealth, physical appearance or vocabulary prowess, we (the people) voted for them to make decisions on where to put our roads, how tall the buildings can be, how to filter the water we drink, toils, taxes, speed limits, school locations, air quality, security, what our kids can read in schools and where to go to the bathroom and now whether you can pray in school (or work?). You don’t remember their names but just check off a box on the ballot and hope for the best. You might remember the names of the quarterback and the head coach, but have no idea who the center or the left guard or the punter. Who is your state’s house of representative?
Doesn’t matter, for we want to declare what ‘WE’ would have done instead of someone else, after the fact. If the event wasn’t predicted and analyzed before it happened, the survivors get to pick up the pieces.
Our current trend in society is to make on-line comments on various sites that support your opinions to give a dose of dopamine and validate your view of life. Like reading a book, you can get lost in sci-fi, romance, history, mystery, fantasy, erotica, philosophy, psychology, mythology, theology, medical science, ancestry, musicality, etc.…
You wear it on your t-shirt and hat. You put bumper stickers on your cars. You put signs in your yard (along with seasonal decorations). At the local union meeting or the formal dining occasion, you will be known by your internet ramblings.
When questioned, few (from what I’ve experienced) have a plan to follow up their accusations or slurs with something that will get them off the couch and take action. Send a note to your city council (if you know their names) to vent your frustration. If so, engulfed by intensity, like group of individuals may organize and form a parade, with signs and bullhorns and chants, to protest whatever action they oppose. There are certain restrictions on such activities but with the proper permits the local authorities will tape off an approved area for your noise.
Armchair Quarterbacks just want to spout for the moment and then move onto what the next annoyance is. Rave on.
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