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Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Overwhelmed by Self - Importance

Over the last few decades, American educators have instilled in our country the arrogance of self importance.  We are always in control.  Our desires are always paramount.  No one can do anything that might impinge on us.  Problems are always caused by our failures.  Think about it.  If there is a terrible snowstorm, it is because of man made global warming.  If there is a hurricane that hits populated areas, it is because of man made global warming.  If there is a terror attack on the USA, it is because of our past conduct.  If there is a killer shooting police and their families in California, it is because of our conduct in the past.  If there is a crazed mass murderer who shoots little children, it is because we failed at gun control.  Even if there is an asteroid coming towards Earth from deep space, we consider if it is the result of man's actions. 

This is a philosophy which is not only untrue, but also one which is extremely dangerous.  The American people need to understand that a great many things happen which we just cannot control.  There will be ups and downs throughout life.  Sometimes we will face pure individual evil as is the case now with the police shooter in California and as was the case in Newtown as well.  Sometimes we will face evil on a much greater scale, as we do today with North Korea and Iran.  On top of that, we will all inevitably be confronted with natural changes that we cannot even understand, let alone control.  That does not mean that we ought not try to do what we can to control our own destiny.  It does mean, however, that we all need to understand that no matter what we do, there are a great many things beyond our control.

The national character of this country was forged by people who had to deal with problems beyond their control.  Pioneers from the Pilgrims to those who settled here for centuries thereafter have faced drought, floods, storms, earthquakes, fires, and all sorts of natural disasters.  There were also disasters that arose from the dark side of mankind.  Americans had to face these problems just like every other society on the planet.  Indeed, the success of most societies has always been best judged by how they deal with these inevitable problems.  The measure of a person is not whether or not he or she meets rejection, disappointment or disaster.  The measure of that person is how he or she deals with those rejections, disappointments and disasters.  Put another way, standing around complaining about what just happened simply will not cut it.  Individuals and society have to come to grips with the reality of a problem and to deal with it.  Folks need to understand that we will all face trials throughout life and we need to be prepared to actually deal with them.  At the moment, the educational establishment is failing our kids.  It is preparing them for a world that does not actually exist.  It is doing these kids no favor.


2 comments:

fastcarken said...

I was an athlete. It appalling that today they think every participant should get a trophy, just for participating.
Where has the desire to excel gone?
Unions--- They guarantee the same pay to members. No incentive to truly produce, takes away the Gift of having desire to achieve & succeed.
Our culture thinks everyone deserves everything.
Our culture has gone OVER THE CLIFF. SAD BUT TRUE!!! IMHO

fastcarken said...

From Newsmax-- Today

Tonight President Obama will deliver the State of the Union to a nation saddled with almost $17 trillion in debt and millions still unemployed. But instead of addressing America’s limping economy, the President will likely call for more taxes and more spending, the exact opposite of what the economy needs.

After four years of minimal growth and trillion-dollars deficits, millions of Americans are asking, “what economic recovery?”