Everyone says.....

August 21, 2019

Leadership Notes

Last month, there was a kerfuffle at a Tecumseh School Board meeting. A guy who's been a thorn in the side of the school board {a description, not a value judgment}, was told by the school board president that everyone in town was tired of his B.S. {what Barbra Streisand has to do with it, I'll never know, because certainly someone at a public school board meeting would never stoop to such vulgarity}. At that point, a member of the local media, covering the meeting, chimed in with a declaration backing the B.S. comment. "Everyone," huh?

Anyway, the instructive piece here is the usage of the all-enveloping "everyone." As people of faith, we want to speak honestly, graciously, accurately. I have never liked the opening, "Everyone is saying," or "Everyone thinks," or "Nobody is happy with," or "Nobody likes it." When someone opens with that, it's like white noise to me. I know what follows is not shared by everyone or everybody.

Here are six observations on "Everyone is saying…" that will help us avoid this trap:

1. It is an unbiblical cop out. It is both dishonest and bearing false witness.

2. It is usually magnified beyond reality.

3. It is very much like an anonymous letter.

4. It causes dissent and disunity.

5. It is a diversion from what really matters.

6. It is cowardly.

I can only share my opinion or what I believe. I have no business roping in an unnamed hoard to make my point. Everyone is saying how right I am!

Be of Good Cheer,

Richard

Coming Up - "Cancel Culture" and its chilling effect on free speech.