I should use a different word than “idiot”. Idiots get defensive hearing the word and all hope of explaining why they are an idiot is lost. Let’s say “unsmart’. You are unsmart if…

1. You use the word “libtard”. Basically, you’re unsmart if you don’t use your own words and thoughts in civil discourse. What’s unsmart about libtard is it shuts down the flow of conversation, much like idiot does. See? An extensive—but not complete—search of online comments has not found, yet, a liberal version of libtard, though many writers have tried, proving liberals can be unsmart, too, just not as creatively as conservatives.

• You get your news from one source. While conservative sources are unabashedly biased and untruthful, it takes a more discerning mind to see where liberal news sources fail us. Look for snarky, unneeded adjectives and adverbs. (You are definitely NOT unsmart if you recognize those two words.) Liberal news will soon be as bad as conservative news as griping and complaining about everything is a proven ratings getter. Liberals are about a decade behind, but gaining fast, inspired by our 47^th President.

• You think you understand ANY of what’s currently happening in politics. Americans have always been, um…lazy in their election choices. Until their person loses. And the American Billionaires are constantly searching for new ways to divide us and raise profits. Google “Model Pricing” and see how companies are using it to make more profit per sale and reward the CEO’s better. Musk?

• If you think you understand our economy. Federal Debt, Deficits, Expenditures, Outlays, etc. DOGGIE (sic) is currently trumpeting “the finding of billions of dollars of waste and fraud” when all they are really doing is stopping spending. Of note, every single dollar of that spending had been “approved” by at least one level of government so go after your elected reps, whoever they are, for the ones responsible. Look for long-term reps like Pelosi and McConnell. Google Pork, too. Rather, Pork Barrel.

• You think fraud and waste are being discovered and prevented. They kind of are by virtue of NOT spending approved money, but what about the money already spent? I’ve talked with a number of business friends, and we all agree fraud is very rare in business, but waste is rampant. See, fraud is illegal if you get caught, but waste just makes you look stupid, if caught. One you go to jail, the other, you retire, buy a boat and Sail the Gulf of Trump. A smart, capitalist “entrepreneur” will choose waste, anytime, and it’s easy enough to do, just pay yourself more. Again, see Elon, he knows.

• You think anything our government has done in the last eight years was to help you. If you benefited it was the “trickle down effect”, the leftovers the billionaires didn’t want. FYI: the preceding years were no bonanza, either, but how many remember?

• You believe in SPECIFIC conspiracies. There are conspiracies out there but by their very nature we will never know about them. (Unless…you’re part of it?) So, if we do “know” about them…hmmm…wonder if some unsmart citizens are being manipulated? PizzaGate? Q-Anon? Eating cats and dogs in Ohio? The Kennedy assassination? Look away from those and try to find the real ones right under your nose. You won’t but at least you won’t be manipulated like sheep, either. Ignorance is bliss but it is easier to ignore something you don’t know about than worry about something you shouldn’t.

The whole deal is to KNOW you are not as smart as you think you are. Soooo many people today know everything about everything they stop learning, paying attention. And they don’t care if they are proved wrong. See: The Big Lie.

I guarantee if you think you are just smart enough, you’ll find a way to navigate normal life. And if you really, truly are smart, none of this matters, anyway, does it.