When I watch or listen to political talk shows (on any network regardless of left or right slant), often the host and guests make the watcher/listenter out to be the “dumb one” in the arena. You know, like we’re lucky to see/hear such experts solving our dilemmas. Yet, I often wonder who is really the fool: those listening or those talking? I think I got my answer in Proverbs 10 one day when I was reading the various contrasts of the wise person and the foolish person. Take a look at how Solomon describes foolish talking.

Incessant. (v. 8, 19) – “babbling”
Deceptive(v. 10) – “wink”
Divisive (v. 12) – “hatred/strife”
Rebellious (v. 17) – “rejects”
Immoral (v. 31,32) – “perverse”

Wow — that basically decibes most of the talk shows on the tube, eh? Notice what is not listed — the word “hear” or “listen.” Yep, a fool only runs his mouth, and the end result is not a conversation, but combat! Solomon even uses words like violence, division, and perversion to describe the end result of talking to a fool. No doubt that’s really what it’s like when you engage with a fool’s mouth – it’s like entering a war zone!

The sad reality is that most talk shows are nothing more than a “war of words” between multiple fools babbling on and on and on and on and on and on and on. Uhm…No wonder there’s carnage everywhere.