Mr. Know-it-all

I know that what I write on this blog will be seen as inflammatory by many.
In one sense, that is the purpose of what I write here.
These "editorials" are not meant to be feel-good material. They are my opportunity to "vent." Better here than in public where I might be lynched.
That is why the people who are most likely to read it are the people least likely to be able to hunt me down with a noose; people I meet online who know nothing about me.
There's one named Lois. I hope that's not her real name, that's it's only an alias she uses online.
She and I have traded meaningless pleasantries over the past year or so.
I told her about my blog, knowing she would check it out.
I was curious as to what her reaction might be. I was prepared for any of several possibilities, from "Hey, pretty cool!" on one hand to "What the...??" on the other.
This turned out to be an arbitrary polarity.
Here's what she wrote:

"I checked out thwe site. I'm not quite sure what I think of it. It kinda sounds like you think you have all the answers and all the rest of the world is doomed. that is a little too egotistical for me. Then again who am I that I could question you?"

I looked back over the last few posts to try to get some clue as to where she was coming from. And after giving it a lot of thought, I recalled something I read somewhere that goes something like this: "Some people hear the words - some people hear the tone." That goes for reading as well as hearing, of course.
When someone is offering an opinion, it can and probably should sound as if they think they mean what they say...that they think they have some answers.
All the answers? Do my posts come off as sounding that pompous? Somebody's been listening to too much Rush Limbaugh.
I pointed out to her that I refer to the entries as "editorials" for that very reason; that an editorial (in a magazine or newspaper, for instance) generally will take the tone that the writer thinks he "knows it all."
Her response?:

"that might be right. I think many people could be misled by reading articles like that. Are you out to make recruits to rebel against the political system?"

That's when it hit me.
What we're seeing here is not an example of someone who is uncomfortable with my opinions.
What we're witnessing here is someone who is uncomfortable with having opinions.
Opinions cause strife.
Opinions make people argue.
Opinions pit people against each other and lead to bitterness, competition, winners and losers, unrest at the dinner table.
All those dreadful things that can make our day so unpleasant.
"Why can't we all just get along?" as Clinton said.
He certainly wasn't "out to make recruits to rebel against the political system." The political system was the only thing keeping him out of jail.
In fairness to Lois, it must be said that this is the mentality that the vast majority of U. S. citizens subscribe to.
Best not to have strong convictions.
Best not to rock the boat.
From what I have read (meaning that it's not just my opinion - put down that noose!) most North Americans felt that way at the time of the American Revolution, as well.
Good thing somebody rocked the boat.