Okay, I know you are not supposed to say "I hate" anything. It is kind of odd and now we think of it as a "drama" statement. We know that it does not mean any form of existential hate or eternal hate. Still, as much as we whine about it, we all have some little things we "hate."
What got me started on this is an old problem. I hate big pick-up trucks. Hate 'em. How much? If I were President, I would set up a program to buy them all off the roads.
Where did these things come from? And why does anyone have them? Okay, I know some companies need large pick-ups for work, but why do all these other people have them? It certainly isn't because they are easy to drive or get great gas mileage. Men (who seem to love them) may claim to be hunters. "I need this to be a hunter or a fisherman." I am doubtful about this, because I have never seen a forest with a road that wide. Sure, you need good clearance on dirt roads in the woods, but you do not need anything else. Women delivering children to school do not need them.
There were no such trucks when I was young (I know, I was there). People drove regular pick-up trucks, which were fine. I have owned those (and would like to have another). Why did they gradually get so big? It is like the four-blade razor. Does the fourth blade really matter?
Is there anything more unpleasant than being caught in a line of cars between two gigantic, diesel pick-up trucks? Diesel trucks rumble and everything around them rumbles. The fumes are horrible. I sit in my practical and comfortable sedan, unable to see anything because of the mountains of metal around me, breaching their fumes as my car shakes around me. Lots of fun, for sure.
They cannot park properly, but always either take two spots or hang over a second spot so nothing but a Ford Pinto could park there. They cannot pull in to anything in a proper manner, but hang over other lanes. On my little two lane road, they cannot even stay in their lane.
I hate 'em.
I feel no guilt over this hate, but I am annoyed by it. Why? Well, two reasons. First, because (on the one hand) I think this is all nonsense that benefits no one, costs a fortune, and makes my life more unpleasant. All good reasons.
Second, well, I hate that I hate them. I do not like being a "drama king" about anything. I do not like the fact that I cannot see someone driving such a monstrosity without somehow being angry with them. I do not like the fact that I get angry at people for foolishly spending their own money on these things. What business is it of mine in God's economy anyway? I am sure I spend money foolishly as well.
Ultimately, hating these stupid trucks is the problem, not the trucks themselves. I can be mad about how they ruin parking and pollute my car's air supply, but all that does is hurt me. I cannot, cannot, insist that everyone quit doing things that bother me (otherwise, what would the TV networks do?).
Given the options (universal persecution, concentration camps, disparate taxation, outlawing scripture, etc.), I can live with the trucks, I guess. I can even be happy to live in a time where God has so cushioned my life that I would worry about such things.
But, do not expect me to like them. Seriously. It just ain't gonna happen.
What got me started on this is an old problem. I hate big pick-up trucks. Hate 'em. How much? If I were President, I would set up a program to buy them all off the roads.
Where did these things come from? And why does anyone have them? Okay, I know some companies need large pick-ups for work, but why do all these other people have them? It certainly isn't because they are easy to drive or get great gas mileage. Men (who seem to love them) may claim to be hunters. "I need this to be a hunter or a fisherman." I am doubtful about this, because I have never seen a forest with a road that wide. Sure, you need good clearance on dirt roads in the woods, but you do not need anything else. Women delivering children to school do not need them.
There were no such trucks when I was young (I know, I was there). People drove regular pick-up trucks, which were fine. I have owned those (and would like to have another). Why did they gradually get so big? It is like the four-blade razor. Does the fourth blade really matter?
Is there anything more unpleasant than being caught in a line of cars between two gigantic, diesel pick-up trucks? Diesel trucks rumble and everything around them rumbles. The fumes are horrible. I sit in my practical and comfortable sedan, unable to see anything because of the mountains of metal around me, breaching their fumes as my car shakes around me. Lots of fun, for sure.
They cannot park properly, but always either take two spots or hang over a second spot so nothing but a Ford Pinto could park there. They cannot pull in to anything in a proper manner, but hang over other lanes. On my little two lane road, they cannot even stay in their lane.
I hate 'em.
I feel no guilt over this hate, but I am annoyed by it. Why? Well, two reasons. First, because (on the one hand) I think this is all nonsense that benefits no one, costs a fortune, and makes my life more unpleasant. All good reasons.
Second, well, I hate that I hate them. I do not like being a "drama king" about anything. I do not like the fact that I cannot see someone driving such a monstrosity without somehow being angry with them. I do not like the fact that I get angry at people for foolishly spending their own money on these things. What business is it of mine in God's economy anyway? I am sure I spend money foolishly as well.
Ultimately, hating these stupid trucks is the problem, not the trucks themselves. I can be mad about how they ruin parking and pollute my car's air supply, but all that does is hurt me. I cannot, cannot, insist that everyone quit doing things that bother me (otherwise, what would the TV networks do?).
Given the options (universal persecution, concentration camps, disparate taxation, outlawing scripture, etc.), I can live with the trucks, I guess. I can even be happy to live in a time where God has so cushioned my life that I would worry about such things.
But, do not expect me to like them. Seriously. It just ain't gonna happen.