Rush to Judgement
By Charles E. Kraus
Years ago, during my LA days, I occasionally listened to a radio psychiatrist called David Viscott. His advice fit into the category of life coach. A ‘here’s how you handle the situation’ whispered into the ear, though of course, a rather loud whisper that blanketed the Southern California broadcast market, potentially reaching the patient’s friends, enemies, coworkers, family members, parole officer, and the public at large.
I often wondered how the hell this guy had the nerve, the gaul, and the confidence to hear thirty seconds of a caller’s calamitous situation, then make a diagnosis. David was obviously one of those “got it” people who, after a very brief first impression, believed he understood oh so much.
These days, I find myself making similar snap judgements, perhaps not as profound as the good doctor’s, which seemed at the time hasty and outrageously irresponsible. (Actually, I’m sticking with my assessment). This was back when I sadly found a kind of entertainment value in other people’s attempts to achieve a little peace of mind by revealing their troubles to radio therapists.
Instant, dare I say, spontaneous analysis as a technique is now part of my daily routine. Yours too, I’ll wager. We’re over scheduled, bombarded with information, required to make decision after decision on the run. Is the stranger you are about to encounter deranged, merely exotic, or just a fan of full body tattoos? The waiter needs your order. You getting the French toast or the pancakes? He may not be back to your table until he services six other parties. The optometrist says, this or this, this or that, which is clearer? She’s presenting lots of choices and wants you to get on with it. Her next appointment begins in five minutes. The signage on the freeway is confusing but you’ve got to make up your mind before you run out of road. What will it be, South East West Street, or East West South Street?
We send one another articles and links. Peruse CNN, Associated Press, The New York Times, Washington Post, BuzzFeed, local news sources, glance at Fox, Huffington Post, The Daily Beast, Google News, Yahoo News and more. Select stories that might be of interest just as others, unsolicited, parade across our screens, their audio blasting. One click and we are on our way to providers we’ve never heard of and don’t know whether to trust or run from. Endless ‘Breaking News’ banners appear, often contradicting one another.
The fact that I can scroll down and down and down, never reaching bottom on many a site leaves me wondering if there is a bottom. In any event, there is no time for me to read in depth. I absorb headlines and opening paragraphs, do what Dr. Viscott did, get a first impression. Got it; more rockets were fired. Understood; more racial tension. Agreed; gas prices are sky high. Additional evidence the country, make that the world, is coming apart; acknowledged.
