I Have a Real Problem With This...
When I was a young adult, the music I listened to may have been considered "rebellious" in nature. One of my favorites was and still is John Mellencamp's "Authority Song." Some of the lyrics are:
When I fight authority, authority always wins.
When I fight authority authority always wins.
Well, I've been doin it since I was a young kid and I've come out grinnin'.
Yeah, I fight authority, authority always wins.
So I call up my preacher
I say: gimme strength for round 5
He said: you don’t need no strength, you need to grow up, son
I said: growing up leads to growing old and then to dying,
And dying to me don’t sound like all that much fun.
Okay - so Mellencamp and the young adults of my generation had a good time being "rebellious", but did not blame others for the consequences. Yeah, I fight authority. Yeah, I get in trouble for it, but it is worth it. I say that is a fair assessment. Decisions = Consequences, good or bad. Do what you want as long as you are willing to accept said consequences. Cool. Now check out the lyrics from a more contemporary group:
Does anyone see the same thing I see? "I make my choices but everything I feel & experience is someone else's fault." Nowhere in the song is it mentioned that the poor, suffering soul has done the very thing they are accusing others of doing. How could you love me? How could you hate me? You hurt me hurt me hurt me...and nothing about the hurt that person has inevitably caused someone else somewhere.In the dark with the music on
Wishing I was somewhere else
Taking all your anger out on me, somebody help
I would rather rot alone
Then spend a minute with you
I'm gone, I'm gone
And you can't stop me from falling apart
'Cause my self-destruction is all your fault
How could you, how could you, how could you hate me?
When all I ever wanted to be was you?
How could you, how could you, how could you love me?
When all you ever gave me were open wounds?
I see two truths here: The 'current' generation is listening to this crap and learning to become a bunch of whiny, blame-throwing pseudo-victims rather than taking responsibility for their actions. Secondly, people hurt people. Sometimes on purpose, and sometimes without trying to. Sometimes, we ask for the hurt we experience because of our words, actions, deeds, or lack thereof. The key here is to take responsibility and forgive. People need each other. We spend entirely too much time blaming, hating, and being angry instead of working toward the common good.
It is past time for us to wake up.
posted by Lady Constance at 10:13:00 PM
4 Comments:
But doesn't that go with the current climate? You're not to blame for spilling hot coffee in your lap, McDonalds is. Fall off a ladder, just sue because there aren't enough warning labels. In my profession we are often told not to admit if we make a mistake or we leave ourselves open to lawsuits. If I'm fat, it would hurt my self esteem to tell me so, even if in the long run it would be in my best interest. If I am hungry, it's your fault for not feeding me, if I am naked, it's your fault for not clothing me... And never say you are sorry and never forgive. I guess I'm strange in that when I screw up, I know it, accept the blame and try to say I'm sorry. Who is to blame for the current state of affairs? I guess I am, and you are, and everybody is for the way we lead our lives and teach our children. For allowing TV to raise our children. I'll be the first here to admit I'm guilty of my part and I'm sorry. How do we change things? Well you've got me there.
-Chet
This post sounds a little biased. I mean there are plenty of "rebellious" songs that the "current" generation listens to that dont blame everything that they come in contact with for their problems. Also there were plenty of people (and songs) from the beginning of time that always looked for someone else to blame. There are people on this earth that really and truly go through life and never blame anyone but themselves for the mistakes that they make...BUT they are few and far between. "I beat my wife because my dad beat my mom." "I cant hold any close relationships because my mom/dad didnt love me." "I cheated on my spouse because they werent showing me enough love." These comments dont just come from the "current" generation...We have heard these comments for ages. So yeah we do need to wake up BUT this is nothing new!
I have to agree that people tend to blame anything and everything but themselves but I am not sure it is just the generation of today. How many kids are growing up with only one parent in the house? How many marriages are broken because one person decided to quit? When will responsiblity not be a bad word? It has become so acceptable to break up a family, show inappropriate behavior, sex or foul language on tv and call it entertainment, or tell a teacher that it is your job to train my child when a parent is called in for misbehavior? Years ago there were Civil service programs put into effect to help those in need, I am not sure FDR would approve of how they are misused today and how it is everyone elses fault!
Most of your thoughts are addressed in the next entry. As for FDR and his "widows & orphans" program...I'm sure if he could, he would roll over in his grave.
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