by Susie Lofton

What is being objective? For one thing, it is not placing blame or pointing a finger. Using some old-fashioned cooking terms, it is forming a pinch of unbiased opinion, a smidgen of having all the facts and a dash of wisdom.

I heard a cute, but partially true joke recently, it goes like this: "Ever since the beginning of time, man has sought to place blame or fault on someone other than himself whenever something went wrong. Adam blamed Eve, and Eve blamed the serpent, and the serpent didn't have a leg to stand on."

According to the Bible, Adam took placing blame one step further. When God asked Adam if he had eaten of the tree which he had been commanded not to eat off of; Adams response was, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree." In other words, he was saying, "Hey, God, if you hadn't given that woman to me this would have never happened. So, God, I guess it's your fault."

That's one way of looking at it, I suppose, but there is more than meets the eye here. Eve "the woman" had not yet been created when God gave Adam instructions concerning the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. So, it could be deduced that Adam, did not instruct, teach or inform "the woman" in regards to the tree. He did not even try blaming her, nor she him. However,  Adam was let off the hook, so to speak,

when she told the serpent that they could eat of every tree except the one in the midst of the garden. Alas, ladies, she knew better.

Placing blame on another is nothing new, it started a long time ago. One has to consider several things when accusations or blame are being implied against another. Being objective to a conclusion requires details, diplomacy and wisdom. First of all, do you know all the details as opposed to a few scattered self-serving innuendoes? It is easy and often convenient to draw conclusions when one has heard only one side of a story, or when one is already biased in favor of one side over the other. It is far easier to unquestionably take one side in a matter than to scrutinize all possible aspects in any given situation. No one likes being on the wrong or losing side. Having a clear and true understanding will help save face in the end.

Paul Harvey, a well known commentator uses an intriguing format for his commentaries. He gives the details of a subject, highlighting the unusual details; then breaks for a commercial telling his listeners to tune in for "the rest of the story." After the commercial, he concludes the story with a brief summary before he reveals the mystery character, then his famous quote, "Now you have the rest of the story."

Secondly, while having an opinion or taking a firm stand on an issue is appreciative, but doing so does not mean one has to be abusive or rude. There is a radio program we listen to occasionally where callers can express their opinions on a subject. The commentator is quite knowledgeable, but if he doesn't share your opinion, he will belittle your views and cut you off before you can respond. Of course, he does it supposedly while trying to answer as many calls as possible, which is hypocritical if not cowardly. Occasionally, he says something I agree with, but it is his demeanor the rest of the time that irks me to the point of turning off the radio. He would be far more persuasive if he used some old-fashioned decorum, but I doubt that word is in his