It's Just My Opinion

Why do some of us blog? This is a question I have often pondered. Blogging generally, but not exclusively, seems to be the preserve of the more mature individual. Why should this be?

There came a time in my life – I think it was in my late 40s - when I reached the inescapable, but misguided conclusion that I’d seen and heard just about everything. Following a period of introspection (aka redundancy) I developed well considered, yet totally worthless opinions on virtually every conceivable issue. I was aided in this by having no intellectual distraction occasioned by work.

People stopped coming to my dinner parties, as I would bore the shit out of them with said opinions. Naturally, a number of these guests were a lot less interesting than me and would have no real opinions of their own, merely absorbing them piecemeal from professional opinion makers in the popular media, much like hoping that adopting a certain designer style will make you look sophisticated. I would take great delight in asking uncomfortable questions to flush out the biases and prejudices underpinning many of their vacuous opinions, which made me few friends, as no-one likes having their irrational prejudices exposed – especially to themselves.

I decided I needed a platform from which to shout my worthless opinions to a more appreciative and less discerning audience, especially as Hayley simply ignored me. A very few reach this stage of life in their 30s and 40s and go on to become journalists, politicians or religious extremists. I ended up here, eagerly looking forward to being a cantankerous old git. Basically it’s all about me.

Enough of talking about you, let’s get back to a much more interesting subject – my worthless opinions:

The GP bonus system has been called into question after research suggests it has had no real impact on the stagnant housing market. Family doctors are paid bonuses - worth up to a third of their considerable basic pay - for hitting certain performance targets, or as we experts call it, doing their job. It was erroneously thought that such huge bonuses would encourage them to move house and provide a much-needed stimulus to property prices.

Teenagers in Melksham, Wiltshire, have thought of an innovative use for Facebook – arranging knife fights for the entertainment of their mates. When I was a kid, such activities were limited to the playground. This brings a new dimension to this activity and could feasibly herald the introduction of an international element. I feel they will be rewarded with some technological or entertainment award.