Spouting an opinion used to require actual knowledge about a subject. There was a time when people demonstrated humility when asked about unfamiliar topics. In fact, it used to be completely acceptable for someone to say, “I can’t comment until I learn more about that.” Moreover, the discussion in the Country used to be informative; we used to hear debates between knowledgeable experts. Those days, sadly, are long gone.

Today everyone has an opinion about everything. Today everyone feels obliged to assert their arrogant ignorant condescension into the public debate. What is worse is that the media provides a platform for these buffoons, and wastes our time analyzing what the newest village idiot says. In an era where polling data has been touted as news, people who actually provide real insight about a subject are often eclipsed by the “glittering gems of colossal ignorance.”

Yes, the debate in this Country has certainly hit rock bottom, and it is likely to get much worse. When Laurie David, the wife of comedian Larry David, is put on a pedestal as a Global Warming expert and publicly trashes a world-renowned M.I.T. Climate Scientist, Richard Lindzen, it may be time to reevaluate where we get our information. When the media elevates Rosie O'Donnell and Charlie Sheen to engineering experts on steel, and do not denounce their assertions that George Bush blew up the World Trade Center, we have hit the black hole of debate. When Ward Churchill invents a new-fangled meaning for the 9th Amendment, claiming an inalienable right not to be offended, one must worry about the future education of this Country.

It should not come as a shock, however, that the media continues to revert back to these blowhards; ratings increase when celebrities publicly make asinine statements. Furthermore, it is very inexpensive to report polling data instead of conducting hard research. Ultimately, this trend will continue, at least until the mainstream media realizes that this is a main reason why they continue to lose well-informed audience members to the Internet and talk radio. But, I wouldn’t hold your breath.

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