I'm sometimes asked why I am so hard on government or stupidity. I've given this significant thought over the years. The answer I discovered surprised me.

I am upset when the government does something wrong or corrupt because I actually expected better. I don't mean "expected" as in "they should" (although they should know and do better), but I mean "expected" as in "anticipated". I find myself shocked when somebody does something stupid--almost every time. I find myself shocked when government demonstrates its corruption. When I'm shocked at these things, I get upset because my expectations were not met. My sense of right-and-wrong has been offended.

It seems I have some kind of learning disability, though. I see stupidity, corruption, and evil all the time. I'm surrounded by it. This is a sick world. However, with all that evidence and experience, I still believe the next guy will do the right thing. I expect the next driver to consider traffic law, the next cop to be a model citizen, and the next politician to serve the people. In essence, I assume others want to do what's right and am disturbed when they blatantly choose to do wrong. Apparently, all my experience has steadfastly failed to teach me to be cynical enough.