I gotta get this off my chest

No, you don't.

Every once in awhile it bugs me. This thing of "I need to express" or "I have to say" or whatever. It's almost always followed up by something that the person doesn't really need to share.

How I feel about it is related to how I feel about a lot of people's notion of "support". Support should mean holding somebody up: helping them up when they fall. It shouldn't mean agreeing to every silly thing they say or do.

So, some thing should be shared. If you have pertinent information, yes, please share. If you're just looking at making yourself feel better about something, please don't. I don't like being conscripted to be your chorus.

Here's a good litmus test for what I mean: if it's something you could stand having somebody disagree with, chances are you're sharing. If you only want agreement, you're probably burdening the rest of us.

Now, of course, I've said and written some things that I'll brook no discussion over. I'm not trying to defend that. Just like everything that bugs anyone, there is a little hypocrisy involved. I could come up with defenses, but no, I won't.

But, I will leave you with a thought: what in the world ever gave anybody the idea that all opinions are equal?