Writing Boots

On communication, professional and otherwise.

Opinions are like assholes: Even Jack Nicklaus has one.

05.24.2016 by David Murray // 1 Comment

Golfing great Jack Nicklaus came out yesterday for Donald Trump. In other news, President Obama announced that, when holding a golf club, the Vardon overlapping grip is superior to the interlocking grip.

“I like what Donald has done. I like that he’s turning America upside down,” Nicklaus said. “He’s awakening the country. We need a lot of that.”

As if someone was sitting around trying to figure out who to vote for, and wondering, "Gee, I wonder what the Golden Bear thinks about American politics?" (Or Susan Sarandon, for that matter—although I at least expect Sarandon has read a few good books, while Nicklaus has probably written more books—all on golf, and all ghost-penned—than he's read.)

Of course, it's not just celebrities who appoint themselves Pundits of Things They Know No More About Than the Next Jamoke. We all have friends who wish they were national political columnists and who are always Facebooking their views "for the record"? Which record? Oh yeah, the one that doesn't exist.

When I was young, it was a bad thing to be called "opinionated." In one generation, it became a bad thing not to have an opinion on everything.

Now that everyone feels obligated to opine on everything, "opinionated" has all but disappeared from the language. Every article you read gives you a blinking cursor that asks you and convinces you you should know: "What do you think?" You're going to read the article and not even tell the writer what you think?

But the honest-to-God reality is that nine times out of 10, you don't know what you think.

And so you look to Jack Nicklaus.

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Comments

  1. Glynn says

    May 24, 2016 at 6:11 am

    Consider the bight side. Miley Cyrus has said she would leave the country if Trump is elected.

    Reply

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