Imagine that, mocking someone because of their beliefs or their ignorance. I’m glad that doesn’t happen today, especially in MODE. We at MODE pride ourselves in presenting the most accurate, informed editorial in the region. We painstakingly check and recheck our details before publishing an article. We try never to mock or make fun of anyone… unless, of course, they deserve it.

Actually, once in a great while, MODE goes out of it’s way to make sure that a particular group of people are made fun of. Mocked, if you will. And you know EXACTLY who you are, too. You’re the ones who take the media for granted. You sit there day after day, sucking in the dribble force-fed to you. You believe everything the newspaper or television presents to you as gospel, never questioning or doubting its origin or purpose. You reel in horror when you find out that media may have lied to you one time or another. Hello! (knock knock), everyone who believes Tim “The Tool Man” Taylor is a real person raise your hand.

Please put on your reality glasses and press the CHECK button once.

I’m going to share with you a little advice my father once told me. It’s simple,
I hope you can remeMber it. It goes like this: “Believe only half of what you see and none of what you hear.” Run that one past tomorrow night’s newscast, and let me know if you can SEE the videographer’s handiwork, or HEAR the copywriter’s skilled inflection. Did you ever stop to think that if it didn’t sell ads, it wouldn’t be on TV? Heck, look at the trouble PBS is in, and that’s perfectly honest TV.

My point to all this is that sometimes you have to question. If you don’t, if you just accept it as the truth, eventually you’re going to get burned. And shame on you for not being prepared. Blame and ridicule me all you want, but deep down you know that it’s your fault for being gullible. Where is the line between gullible and victimized? Right behind you. It’s always been right behind you.

Am I giving away this month’s secret? Probably not. Besides, no one reads all the way to the end anyway.