Month: August 2021

To the Best of My Knowledge

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Vain Jangling
To the best of my knowledge…no one told me or I didn’t know.

In truth, no one knows everything. That is a given. Such is why we have a wealth of knowledge in written form, along with parents, teachers, preachers, coaches, trainers, supervisors, and the like who help us read, study, understand, and exercise wisdom found in the vast information.

It is also a given, that there are times one can desire, even intentionally, to ignore, reject, or go so far as to try to silence that which ones does not want to hear, learn, know, believe, or be held accountable to. In direct contrast to one having a learning disability or mere laziness.

Examples would be…

A child who refuses to heed the wisdom of their parents or to pay attention to the instruction of their teachers. A Christian who refuses to read the Bible, lest they come under conviction for their fellowship—or lack there of—with the Lord. A politician who refuses to do what is morally best, because of arrogance or to evade the appearance of being too close to the other side.

Vain jangling is when you try to claim, “To the best of my knowledge…”
…but in reality you only listen to or allow one set of ideas, thoughts, conversation (and ignore, silence, reject any and all alternatives)…
…thinking you can (falsely) say you didn’t know or no one told you.

The Buck Stops With Me

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Vain Jangling
The buck stops with me.

This statement always sounds good. Someone standing up, in humble admittance, declaring, “I take full responsibility.” In contrast to one easily playing the blame game, allowing the criticism and consequences to shift to another, or, most often, to roll down rank to those most often in the trenches, usually just following the lead, direction, and commands of those appointed over them.

However, too often, such sentiment is filled with mere vain jangling. Meaning, it is words which lack substance. At least, any personal, genuine substance. This is evident when one comes across as defensive, evasive, wants to quickly move past the issue, finds ways to shift some (if not most) of the blame elsewhere (away from themselves), or even seems to hint at reasons as to why they were (at least in part) actually justified in their decisions (even if it did not go as planned).

Choices have consequences. But no one usually gets to decide the consequences. They come about both directly and indirectly to our actions or inactions, along with numerous variables one cannot possibly account for. Therefore, “The buck stops with me,” means little to those who are forced to live through (or die because of) someone else’s choices.

What are the consequences for the one who supposedly takes the blame, takes one for the team, takes the fall, for a poor choice? What are the consequences for those who know better, but refuse to stand up and let their voices be heard for the sake of right, moral, alternative, better judgement? Some do experience consequences by the loss of job or responsibilities, prison time, or worse. However, many remain right where they are, ready to move on to the next thing, in reality, having merely said, “Oops, my bad.”

“The buck stops with me,” is mere vain jangling if you’re bankrupt.

Vaccination and Masks

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Vain Jangling
If you are fully vaccinated, you no longer need to wear a mask.

In May 2021, Americans were told by the CDC and Biden that “they have concluded that fully vaccinated people are at a very, very low risk of getting COVID-19. Therefore, if you’ve been vaccinated, you no longer need to wear a mask.” From the White House transcript, where Biden states, “Let me repeat: If you are fully vaccinated, you no longer need to wear a mask.” [source]

In July 2021, Americans were told by the CDC that it “recommends you wear a mask when you’re in public and indoors, like work and in a grocery store. That’s true for both the vaccinated and the unvaccinated. Why? Because even if you’ve been fully vaccinated and protected from severe illness from COVID-19, you could have the Delta variant in your system and spread it to someone who isn’t vaccinated.” [source]

The vain jangling is not in the possibility of spreading COVID mentioned by the CDC, but rather the initial promise that once vaccinated you would no longer need to wear a mask. The reality is, both vaccinated and unvaccinated are getting COVID; therefore, both vaccinated and unvaccinated can be carriers (and thus spreaders) of COVID. It may be argued “We didn’t know” or “We were hopeful” because “we are learning” or “now we have a variant”, but the fact is these are professionals who are supposed to know or at least not make promises when they do not know. It only creates mistrust and more vain janglings.