Any subject I address- for my CNJ columns in particular- ends up being necessarily abbreviated. I am limited to "around 400 words". Take my recent column, on people being forced to work on Thanksgiving, for example.
I had to stick with a narrow peek at one aspect of all the possible things that are related in some way to the topic. I couldn't really go into the nationalization of the holiday by Lincoln. I couldn't go into whether a day set aside for being thankful really makes sense, or whether it is necessary to believe in the supernatural to feel a sense of thankfulness.
I didn't address whether holidays are silly collectivist nonsense, or a necessary diversion for humans.
I didn't have time to address every detail of whether it makes a difference if you work for a corporation or a small family business.
I didn't go into the whole load of myth and misinformation that has grown up around "The First Thanksgiving Day" and pilgrims and "indians", or "the evils of industrial farming techniques", or whether eating meat is ethical or healthy, or... well, lots of other things that certain individuals out there feel are important to tackle every time the issue of "Thanksgiving Day" is discussed. And that's just on the Thanksgiving side of it. Anything anyone writes on a subject is going to ignore more than it addresses. That's just reality.
As hard as it is for me- and it really is difficult- I have to focus on a tiny part of all the potential tangents I could explore anytime I write on anything.
And it seems that some people always manage to mention what I didn't address rather than focus on what I did. Which is fine. More can always be discussed in the comments. Right?
But, maybe that's not enough. Blogs are free to set up. Whatever you feel is not being addressed by others may be calling to YOU to address it. Start writing. If I can do it, you can, too.
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