For Certain Reasons

"For certain reasons" is, in my opinion, the pinnacle of rhetorical crutches. Its meaning, for me anyway, originated in a 100-level communications class I took at Grand Valley State University. The professor had very little control over the discourse, which subsequently veered sometimes wildly off-topic. His name escapes me, but one of the students in the class liked to hold the discussion hostage with his rambling, ill-informed opinions. The mysterious source material for his arguments was always "certain reasons:"

"The government wants to privatize social security, for certain reasons."

"Flag-burning is un-American, for certain reasons."

I guess if you reference "certain reasons," no further citation is required. "For certain reasons" is my precursor to Ms. Teen South Carolina's "such as" and Sarah Palin's "also, too."

Over the last 3 years, my worldview has changed pretty drastically. I deconstructed virtually everything I thought I believed, and put it back together based upon reason and critical thinking. It's something I think everyone should do...although it should probably be done before you make huge commitments in your personal life, career, etc. My commitments are still very much intact, but changing your worldview in such an environment certainly doesn't make things easier.

As one of the founding members of FreeThought Fort Wayne, I'll do most of my "freethinker" blogging there. Living in (latest presidential election aside) bright red Indiana and working in the construction industry, I have to chose carefully when to push my progressive opinions, so they will find a home here. I'll also write about pop culture as the mood strikes.

Thanks for reading.

m