Americans fail to keep up with important issues

If you're like me, change is not always easy to accept. Maybe it's my age or just the rural, conservative nature of my upbringing.

Regardless, I find myself a creature of habit -- or in a rut as my wife often points out -- but adapting to change is not always simple.

Take technology by way of example. I fully recognize that the world of technology is quickly outpacing my ability to adapt. But I also recognize, that I will lose the tech battle because change in that area often brings improvements in our lives.

Which in some strange way, brings me to Bruce Jenner, aka Caitlyn Jenner.

There are simply some changes that I don't understand nor do I care to understand.

If dear old Bruce wants to become Caitlyn -- as he apparently has become -- I couldn't care less.

But more importantly, his transformation has dominated what passes for news these days and therein lies the blame for our decaying society.

When the national news cycle is overwhelmed with Jenner's gender, we all are pulled into the cesspool that is defined as news.

When our national focus is Jenner and not the highly questionable Iranian nuclear deal, we have reached a point near the bottom of societal behavior that will haunt us well into the future.

There's lots of talk these days about low-information voters and the potential havoc their lack of engagement can produce.

Jenner is a prime example.

Far too many among us can recite in great detail the Jenner saga but are absolutely clueless on the issues of importance that will shape today and tomorrow.

There's talk about nullifying the gold medal won by Jenner in the 1976 Olympics.

Shut up! Ignore this strange man and his strange obsession. Pay no attention to this oddity and his story will quickly fade into the sunset.

But the national news media is heavy on style and light on substance. And they feed us this daily dose of garbage because it reflects the mentality of the average American.

I'm uncertain when we collectively reach this bottom of the trough. But rest assured, we have reached a dismal low level of intellect in this nation that will come back to bite us you know where.

If Bruce Jenner wants to make this change, let it be. But don't force his altered lifestyle into our living rooms as if this is somehow the new normal.

It is not the new normal. And God forbid if we accept this as the new normal.