Prattle is all the rage

Friday night is the night for discussion shows on television.  For a while, I watched  some network discussion about presidential candidates during which some people registered their attitudes about Joe Biden and Donald Trump.  There was much talk about age and how it affected ability to do the job.  I was struck by the absence of any facts about what the candidates have done or not done.  There was mention of both of the men visit\ting the southern border and of an immigration bill that is floating around Congress, but there was no reporting on what the bill proposed or what issues were being raised about it.

So, I turned to the Northern State University channel, and four professors were chatting on the same subject.  They were sprawled in easy chairs around a coffee table in very casual clothing.  Very casual, hell.  They looked downright unkempt.  Although that was appropriate for the level of discussion.  It seemed to have no point of examination.  It consisted of asserting some contentions, but were expressive of the attitudes of the speakers, not the characters or accomplishments or lack thereof the candidates.

We, the general public, used to refer to such exchanges as tavern talk.  But this session didn't offer the compensation of a cold beer.  It did inspire a trip to the refrigerator, however.