AR: “So what is your opinion of my blog?”
JT: “It’s current.”
AR: “What do you think I do?”
JT: “Report on current events.”
AR: “Why do you think I do it?”
JT: “To share your opinion about current events in a respectful way and inform people at the same time.”
AR: “Are there any current events you especially care about?”
JT: “Mrs. Obama influencing my school lunch choices… Justin Bieber getting caught again (snicker, snicker)… and Germany kicking the crap out of Brazil in the World Cup.”
AR: “What about politics? What do you think about politics?
JT: “They’re overhyped. So many people are stupid in politics, but we elect stupid people.”
AR: “‘Stupid’ isn’t a very respectful word.”
JT: “Yeah, but people aren’t very respectful in politics.”
AR: “Tell me how do you see that.”
JT: “They’re so one-sided, and they can’t handle anything but having their own way on an issue. No one’s willing to compromise.”
AR: “How could we fix this?”
JT: “Quit electing stupid people.”
AR: “Why do you think we keep electing these kind of people?”
JT: “Because they’re good communicators and they make you think they’ll do something when they really won’t. Some of them are lying; others just aren’t really focused or they’re unable to work with other people.”
AR: “Why do you think they’re unable to work with others?”
JT: “Because some of them come from a background where they never have to work with other people. Like those who are lawyers — they’re used to fighting everyone to get a certain result — to convince everyone in the room and get them to agree with their opinion. Lawyers don’t practice how to compromise or work with anyone else. They are better at defending opinions than running a country.”
AR: “Could you run the country?”
JT: “No. Too much work.”
AR: “So who’s the ideal candidate to run a country?”
JT: “Someone who comes from a background that knows how to manage people and handle a budget. Someone who knows how to run a big company. Someone who’s not whiny.”
AR: “Why not whiny?”
JT: “If the President is whiny, he’ll be like the whiny people in the world. We don’t need more whiny people.”
AR: “What about how relatable the President is? How important is it that to you?”
JT: “Like social media? In some ways he needs to relate to us, but that’s not the most important thing. Just because people think they can relate to you doesn’t mean you’re doing a good job. Every leader has supporters. They need to lead well regardless of how well they relate — regardless of whether people like or dislike you.”
AR: “Is there anything else you’d like to say to today’s readers?”
JT: [grin] “I’m available for babysitting.”
AR: “Is babysitting ‘too much work’?”
JT: “No. Kids are fun. It’s adults who are sometimes whiny.”
(As told by one blossoming, growing-in-wisdom, 15 year old boy…)
Respectfully…
AR
Insight that is right on and delightful as well! Let’s have more like him!