Poke holes in my political theory...

[CJ]

or tell me what it's called if it's already a common one that I just haven't heard about. Add or detract, and please help me to clarify some of these meandering thoughts.

I feel that the majority of issues in America today all relate to PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY. Our society has made so sure that poeple growing up here learn that nothing is every their fault (look at the constant sympathy for the misunderstood perpetrators of crimes, for example) and everyone needs to feel good about themselves.

Sporting events for kids with no scores? You learn that my contribution really doesn't matter that much, so I'm not responsible. How many ridiculous lawsuits come out each year where someone does something stupid, and sues someone ELSE for it, often the group with the deepest pockets? A complete sense of entitlement (without having done anything to earn it) seems to exist, along with a wonderful inflated sense of confidence (after all, everyone's afraid to tell them they didn't do well...the might get sued!), ) leads to test scores behind many other countries accompanied by a sense of excellent performance.

In 2005, I believe Americans' spending EXCEEDED their earnings. There seems to be some belief that 'someone else will take care of me if things get bad enough'. Bam again...learning that personal responsibility isn't required since there's a safety net.

After responsibility falls, the 'me first' attitude starts in. Since I'm entitled to things, I'll fight for it. Watch the news on 'Black Friday' (the day after Thanksgiving when stores have large sales) for people pushing each other down in a crowd...over things like cheap computers.

With the lack of personal responsibility, I believe personal pride follows. Incidents such as the murder of a homeless man because the kids "were bored" seem to me a manifestation of a lack of personal responsibility followed by a decline of pride.

In my opinion about personal responsibility, America needs to both take it and apply it. The people shooting up schools? THEY ARE PRIMARILY RESPONSIBLE! Not the guns, the speed of the police response. The shooter.

Drop a cinder block on your foot? Guess what? YOU did it. Not the cinder block maker, the hardware store that sold it to you without warning you...YOU. (On the other hand, manufacturers DO need to take a level of responsibility such that a properly used item under normal conditions should be safe).

If you're still reading, please bounce thoughts, opinions, clarifications, etc. off me!

 

[wingman]

I agree with your "me first" theory, no discipline in households or schools, children now believe their adults at 12 and many treated as such. We have a greed ridden society from the top of government, corporations and continues down to average Joe's home. I do not have an answer or solution, however we need to find an answer as our population grows so will the problems.

 

[Rebeldon]

The Huxleyan nightmare, A Bold New World, is on the horizon.

 

[White Horseradish]

Aye yup. Just look at US Congress - thay can't accept the responsibility of starting a war, so they weasel out some "resolution". With role models like these, whaddaya expect from kids?

 

[the 22 junkie]

Do you mean a Brave New World? Oh and, wingman, I'm willing to bet $5 that I'm more mature, smart and "adult" than at least 30% of the US adult population. We ain't all untrustworthy irresponsible idiots, just a good majority.

 

[Atticus]

I think you're absolutely right...but it a fairly common belief. The "Me" generation has raised the "ME ME ME" generation. Observe the way people drive on the freeways these days. If someone isn't paying attention and nearly misses their exit, do they drive to the next exit and circle back? Noooooo, they cut across three lanes and nearly (or actually) kill other people, so they won't be inconvenienced.
How about store clerks and others in customer service jobs. They are so pissed off that they aren't millionaires that they pretty much hate all customers. Need I go on? No ...it isn't a unique concept.

 

[Standing Wolf]

I feel that the majority of issues in America today all relate to PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY.

Yep. Individualism has become anathema.

 

[MachIVshooter]

Your summary pretty much mirrors what I've seen.

I'll add that wayyyyy too many people have a "sunshine in my backyard" attitude. That is, so long as they can take home their pay check every two weeks and buy their plasma TV to watch the game,etc., they don't give a rats a$$ what is going on. Sure, they'll comment on the state of affairs-but those comments are generally verbatim (though usually poorly articulated versions) of what the media has been spewing.

People are too lazy to do anything about a given problem until it hits them squarely between the eyes. By then, it is too late. Many of our fellow gun owners are guilty of this; "Oh, I don't care if they ban those assualt weapons. I hunt with a bolt action sporter".

I think the best word for this epidemic is complacency.

 

[Rebeldon]

Do you mean a Brave New World?

Oops! Yes.

 

[orionengnr]

okay, flame suit firmly in place

IMNSHO, it started with my self-indulgent, know-it-all Baby Boomer generation. "We" thought we knew it all. Sex, Drugs, Rock and Roll. If It Feels Good, Do It.

"We" raised a bunch of sensitive, new age, mega-self-indulgent, me-first kids who never heard of The Golden Rule, and never learned that actions have consequences.

Now the little bastards commit God-only-knows what atrocities against society, and "we" blame...society, while making excuses left and right. I see it on the news every night.

Look in the mirror. Your kid is not "special", or a "victim". He is a murderer, a rapist, a serial offender of one sort or another.

You raised him.

You own the problem.

You... are the problem.

Face it, deal with it.

Do something about it...something other than blaming someone else.

 

[the 22 junkie]

Apparently the "Me" Generation only applies to "my" wants, not "My" responsibilities...

 

[Flyboy]

...children now believe their adults at 12 and many treated as such.

Treated as adults at a young age?

Horseapples.

How old do you have to be to buy a gun? Eighteen--unless it's this special kind, for which we require you to be three years into legal adulthood. Ditto with alcohol.

Drivers licenses used to be a rite of passage at sixteen; now many states have pushed it back to seventeen, often introducing "graduated" licenses that slowly increase in privileges. Some don't actually allow full privileges at all before the age of eighteen.

It took a Constitutional Amendment to get the voting age down to eighteen.

And all of that's just the obvious stuff. When you get right down to it, the government doesn't treat any of us like adults. "Oh, you can't make decisions about what to ingest; we'll take care of that for you." "Oh, you can't be responsible for your own retirement; we'll take care of that for you." "Oh, you can't be trusted to look after your own health; we'll look after you."

Adults? Bunch of damned nanny-coddled children.

Feh!

 

[xd9fan]

baby boomers

 

[Malone LaVeigh]

First of all, it sounds to me like your political theory is really a theory about crime. That's fine, but there's a lot more to the ways people govern themselves than that. Of course, there are political dimensions to the crime issue.

Second, if there is a link between the prevalent attitudes toward responsibility you talk about and crime, you would think that crime would be increasing. When, in fact, violent crime has been declining for years. Crime is extremely well-publicized, so it's easy to see why one might think things are a lot worse now than at some ideal point in the past, but the facts don't agree.

Third, when was there ever a time that crime was not about "me first?" There's nothing new about this. Criminals are generally sociopaths by nature.

Finally, I really don't hear a lot of people out there excusing the behavior of criminals. Can you give some examples of what you mean? I know that there are approaches that might offer more chance of rehabilitation for criminals than those that focus exclusively on tougher enforcement and sentencing, but the latter have had some pretty bad civil liberty effects, while not being a whole lot more effective.

 

[BobTheTomato]

Someone once said, "The republic will remain secure untill poloticians realize they can bribe people with their own money." That is what happened in this county with FDR and the new deal. There was this idea that the GOVERMENT was supposed to take care of you and your needs. I mean how often do we hear, "The goverment should do something or pass a law." I think that is the root of the problem. The problem has been made worse with the overexpansion of credit. You get what you want when you want and if you default someone else will clean it up. To try to keep this realated to guns I think this feeling extends to the whole police will protect me and I have no personal responsibility for my security. I could go into a whole rant about how in college I was constantly told men were agressors and women are only helpless victims who dont need to take steps to stay safe but I wont. So to sum it up:

The (police/goverment) should (protect me/pass a law). :banghead:

 

[Keith Wheeler]

Let's see.

How many presidents have been assassinated post baby-boomer?

The worst day of violence at an American school took place in 1927.

St. Valentine's day massacre.


Now, do I think that our glossy media frenzied society focuses too much on facades and not reality? Sure. Do I think too many people live selfish lives? Sure.

But this "things were'nt this bad before" codgeriferic line of reasoning is one of someone wearing blinders. Crime, irresponsiblity, even *gasp* sexual promiscuity all happened prior to 1959. The only difference was that then it wasn't politically correct to talk about crime.

Be realistic. Honestly look at history. Many US localities suffered severe crime waves during WWII, which is amazing, considering how the "greatest generation" never did anything wrong...

 

[Zundfolge]

The problem with your line of reasoning is that you seem to think there is a political solution to the problem.


Governments are usually at their most evil when they start to believe that it is their job to make people "better".

 

[mbt2001]

EDIT:

Read what Malone LaVeigh said.

Also,

People clamoring for holding folks / parents / kids responsible are giving rise to the Nanny State.

Get your megaphone. Get involved grass roots. Don't rely on the government to do fix this problem. You must help. This is our burdern.

We The People.

 

[Axman]

What it really all amounts to is upbringing and education.