Vinyl was once the king of media. Not those shiny garments or seat covers – all of which consist of vinyl – but rather records, more specifically LPs, or long-playing records, from days of yore.
It seemed as though every home in
As this arrangement spun the tone arm would reproduce the sounds from the grooves in the LP with the benefit of a needle inside the tone arm. The rest was purely magic.
Vinyl record player with an LP
LPs played at a speed of 33 1/3 revolutions per minute to recreate some of the most wonderful music, as well as some of the worst. Still, the sound was often full of static because of damage from the needle on the easily damaged vinyl.
Seasoned audiophiles can readily discern the difference of compact discs and LPs simply by the pops and hiss emanating from the hifi’s speakers. And there is no real comparison as to which sounds best. Amen.
Vinyl records were eventually discontinued from sales, summarily replaced by compact discs; the only available LPs were obtainable from secondhand stores, garage sales, or friends who were clueless about their perceived value.
But these classic records have recently made a commanding comeback, as have the record players and hifis. Instead of a few dollars each, these “re-pressed” records now easily surpass $30 each. Record players are commanding upwards of $150.
Still, the war over which sounds better remains up for debate. Personally, I never left the LP world, but still made the transition to CDs to remain up-to-date.
This minor bickering may not seem like a big deal to most people, mostly because we, as a society, have the right to our own opinions. I have opinions just as the next person, and the next, and so on.
And because I feel I’m correct in my opinion about LPs, I am not part of a crusade to stifle or silence someone else’s thoughts or opinions because they are just that: opinions.
Likewise, when the topic of conversation changes from LP vs. CD, I have no desire to demean or silence another person when we begin chatting about the intelligence of politicians, or veracity of podcast hosts, or the genuineness of climate change.
As we established, those personal beliefs are opinions, something everyone has.
However, it seems as though we, as a nation, have crossed the Rubicon of civilization. No, I’m not saying we’re headed down some sordid path to annihilation, rather I am saying we largely feel anointed to the point we can demand others think and feel as we do.
For some years, the public school
system has become flooded with fabricators about
We are reminded annually that
White Europeans overthrew the untamed land now known as the
We have been told that if was not for humans, the Earth would not be dying at an alarming rate: we have only nine-years remaining according to Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who said that as fact with conviction.
Our current situation of dire financial straits is because we are NOT spending enough money, according to President Joseph Robinette Biden.
Public officials allowed millions
of illegal aliens freely enter the
Newly elected district attorneys and co-opted judges are releasing countless violent criminals based on race, to the detriment of civilized residents and other victims of this sordid social experiment.
School children are being forced to wear COVID masks in class, only to be penalized by creating an inability to learn correct word pronunciation, as well as causing health and breathing concerns. Meanwhile, elected officials openly lie to their constituents by telling them they are not following the COVID mask rules because they “held their breath” to comply.
A podcast host is vilified for saying things that a smattering of his listeners deem inappropriate. He was subjected to a campaign to silence him for having an opinion, as was a stand-up comedian for his routine.
And so it goes, with wacky Marxist organizations like BLM, and other racially divisive gangs of thugs.
Speaking of thugs, school “educators” – have you noticed no one is a “teacher” anymore? – are now hell-bent on ensuring our children are subject to Critical Race Theory? That’s where educators separate children mentally and physically based on their race. Separate but equal?
Of course, most Americans are too busy trying to keep their heads above water to become involved in the mechanics of daily living. Others are complacent while feeling their children’s needs in school are being met. Yet some are concerned and becoming involved to stem this tide of immolation for the sake of transition to Socialism.
These are but a few examples of disagreements between otherwise sensible friends and neighbors that are now winding up with silencing the opinions of others.
People are quick to point out The Constitution, especially its Bill of Rights portion which contains the First Amendment of Freedom of Speech, as a means to silence the opinions of others.
Not unlike my opinion on the unique, unmistakable sound of a vinyl LP, my opinion is just as valid and important as to Christopher Columbus, Abraham Lincoln, Christmas, and ignorant or wanton actions directed by district attorneys and lame judges.
If you don’t have anything of substance to offer without attempting to punish dissenters, you are the problem. You are not creating anything; you are destroying.
And vinyl rules.
