SIGNIFICANT EMOTIONAL EVENTS

Like fellow blogger and friend Harry, the editorial pages hold a real interest for me.

Harry goes one step further by submitting, and having had published in the newspaper, his interesting observations.

My interests and process for reading the paper have changed drastically since my approach when a much younger guy back in Pittsburgh.

Then, it was first, the sports pages, second, the comics, and third the entertainment section of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. It was as an afterthought that the editorial/opinion section was opened.

Sometimes even that didn't take place until reading and laughing at my daily horoscope and the prediction that my birth sign guaranteed a balanced approach to life.

Why the change in my reading habits?

Perhaps, it's because the USA Today - my current newspaper of choice doesn't contain comics.

That is unless you conclude the musings of Christine Brennan, Dewayne Wickham, and former publisher Al Neuharth may apply. That dynamic trio are often the source of some controversial opinions regarding current topics of interest - some possibly more worthwhile than others.

The fact their opinion was often 180 degrees in the opposite direction from my own did not keep me from sometimes finding each of the writers conclusions fascinating.

It was also my belief that many of those views, if placed under a microscope, might not stand up to careful inspection and were based upon what appeared to me to qualify as faulty logic.

Yes, the opinions of the above appeared to be a little extreme at times; but does that make them any different than those of readers like you and me?

Many of us - not unlike those three individuals - hold views that may or may not be based upon our life experiences.

It is my opinion - and just an opinion -the conclusions expressed by the editorial staff of the USA Today, as well as the views of readers who respond to Opinion Page articles, might possibly be traced back to significant emotional events (S.E.E.'s) in their life.

We've all had them. Sources are varied. It could be nothing more complex than strong parental convictions that may still influence us to this day. Perhaps, They're based on conclusions that our parents weren't always wrong.

Some other S.E.E's include having been a member of a truly dysfunctional family, birth order, being the victim of child abuse, having been bullied in school,or maybe, having suffered the loss of a loved one.

Even more common are those S.E.E's related to raising a family and our puzzling decision to impart each and every one to our kids who have their own progeny to raise.

Other S.E.E's?, Possibly our physical appearance, our perception of self, our religious teachings, or having had an unexpected injury that required us to make difficult choices in sports or life.

Additional S.E.E influences include being fired from a job, and/or losing our- you know what- in the market. Some are no doubt based on our work or career choices and experiences, perhaps either as a member or leader of a union or a management team.

So called experts often suggest the Union work involvement causes us to forge an alliance with the Democratic party and the latter leads to an overwhelming strong affiliation with the G.O.P. - a premise that obviously lacks universal application or acceptance.

The awareness of the above S.E.E's often causes me to pause as an avid reader of the editorial pages or even as a participant in a conversation.

If the former, questions arise like: "Is that the way this guy really feels or is he just a conveniently appointed shill for some political, business, religious, or environmental group that is currently under attack?"

If the conviction and passion of the responding letters appear to accurately adhere to the writers true beliefs - there is a certain fascination-not withstanding considerable questions of my own.

The same applies to some of the conversations in which I have participated: I ask myself, "Why is it so important to this guy or gal that they be perceived as having the only "right" answer"?

Prior blogs have contained references to my amazement as to how, as a co-editor of a column on insurance Ethics, the views and opinions of the contributors to the monthly piece differed so drastically as to their position on the Ethics question posed in the previous month's issue.

But, that's exactly what made the column one of the favorites in that publication. We all are attracted to controversy -sometimes more so - as our life circumstances dictate.

S.E.E's are not indifferent to the shaping of our views and writings. They can be a major influence - but are not without some malleability potential.

Certainly Al Neuharths business acumen - his S.E.E's and his guts in founding his USA Today newspaper- influence his short weekly column.

"Growing up a Brooklyn Jew" - as often alluded to by writer and interview host Larry King - no doubt had influence on his views.

One can also wonder at the life experiences of being black or female - as are the other two USA Today writers - and how much that influences their views.

Comparisons can also be made with the insignificant output of this (sometimes) humble Irish blogger as to how the S.E.E's of his life -some of which are referenced above- may have shaped my writings.

It is not the views of those published responding opinion writers - many of whom appear much more informed and erudite than myself - that causes me grief.

Instead, my primary concern is the suspected intolerance of so many of us who fail to recognize or try to respect and/or understand the basis for those views.

Too often we ignore the S.E.E's that have shaped our own lives, our beliefs, and opinions; but still expect others to be more compassionate than us - as we too insist our conclusions are the only ones having value.

Someone very close recently wrote to inform me of some of the changes he was making that may impact both the quality and quantity of his life.

Taking a few moments to examine why we feel as we do - might be time well spent - whether or not we decide to make a change as a result of that introspection.