When I was younger, I spent a lot of time listening to other people. Having no real thoughts of my own and a thirst for knowledge, I soaked up what everyone had to tell me.

People seemed to have a strong opinion about many ideas and I was always amazed at how much they knew. 

My nose was also in a lot of books and while they taught me a great number of ideas, the people I was listening to either disregarded what they had to say or countered what was written. 

So, I kept listening.

It only took me thirty five years, but I’ve come to the following conclusion:

Most people are full of crap.

I’m very discerning now on who I listen to and if a new person wants my attention, they better have something substantial to deliver. The good news, I’m told, is the older you get, the higher your BS meter registers with everything you hear.

It’s not that you should stop listening, it’s that you should demand better speakers.

“You are not entitled to your opinion. You are entitled to your informed opinion. No one is entitled to be ignorant.”
― Harlan Ellison