A Declaration of Rational Human Rights.

“You can speak your mind
But not on my time”
Billy Joel

Does everyone have the right to express themselves? Yes. Does that mean that everyone has something interesting or intelligent to say? No. So why is it that some people think that to have the means to broadcast their opinions on Facebook, Instagram…etc. means that they have something interesting, or intelligent to say?  Why is it that if anyone says that some people have nothing interesting or intelligent to say, as I’m doing here, we get accused of being arrogant, and somehow denying people their right to expressing themselves? Their usual response is, “but I have a right to speak my mind”; yes you do, but like Billy Joel says “not on my time”.

You see, I also have rights. I have the right to not be exposed to idiocy, irrationality, and just plain lying. I have the right to be selective and choose intelligent company and conversation, without being accused of being an elitist, or racist, or prejudiced. I have the right to call out ignorance, and most importantly, I have the right to hold people accountable for what they say. I have the right to tell people that they lie when they lie and are wrong when they are wrong. I have the right to protect my mental health by refusing to incorporate into my belief system arguments that are irrational, illogical, or ignorant.

I have the right of not being blackmailed to have to listen to the opinions of every idiot that has one, by the threat that if I don’t accept their idiocy as valid, I am guilty of being closed minded. Again, the fact that you can broadcast at large, doesn’t mean that you are not responsible for what you broadcast. If you broadcast shallowness you will be perceived as shallow, if you broadcast ignorance, you will be perceived as ignorant, regardless of how you try to spin it after, or how much you accuse the people calling you on it. So keep speaking your mind, but not on my time.

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