Common Sense

Happy Holidays!

Here I sit. Trying to get up the urge to go shopping. I know...I did it, again! Waited until the last minute, but what can I say? I detest shopping--any time. Throw in the little fact that it's Christmas and the mad shoppers making mad dashes to the sales items advertised by any of the economically-challenged retailers--I dread the thought. Even worse, I'm off from teaching my little darlings the next two weeks and CNN keeps giving me more topics on which I cannot resist to offer my insightful comments, and so, again I say: here I sit. Oh! And, did I mention the balding white guy running around the Metroplex, shooting people who are just minding their own business? Well, maybe that little detail can be taken off the table. The local news just reported a guy possibly fitting the description having been found shot to death. That's not a definitive, yet it's something. Since around 5:41 pm on yesterday, no one knew nothing past the meager description I stated above of the guy and that he was driving [they think] a cream-colored [or light] Ford F-150.

"What," you ask, "does this have to do with Common Sense?" Glad you asked me.

As a nation, we've lost our way, our reason or purpose, our minds, our very essential collective Common Sense. Most of us have hopes that with the new administration's installation, we have taken steps to regain it. However, like our quest for a rebound in our economy, it's more than likely, going to be a long, hard battle before we will lay claim to victory.

I have grave concerns, though. Gravest among them is our need to blame others for so many of our faults. We hold up the mirror and then refuse to see ourselves in the image reflected back to us. I ask, as I have since I myself was but a wee child, Why? What frightens us about admitting we have made a [or some] mistake(s)? We are but human; humans make mistakes. It's in the admission that we can truly expect to recover and excel. It's in the admission that we find the path clear so that we might go forward. No wonder so many of us expect the worse in others...it's what we reflect back from the looking glass we hold up to examine ourselves. We cannot expect more from others than we expect from ourselves, can we?

Where did this train of thought get its beginning today? Today, as I sat here, debating and delaying my inevitable last-minute shopping trip for my holiday tidings of joy, why did I embark upon such morbid musings? That fault lies with CNN and Joe Johns' segment with a casual panel of millennials [aka gen-Ys, the Net Generation, Echo Boomers, iGeneration, and Google Generation (generally believed to be those born in the years between 1980-1999, though some believe it to include those born from mid-1970 but before 2000; most all consider them to be the last generation of Americans wholly born in the 20th century)]. Whoever they may be, I for one truly believe them to be a collective group of takers who feel no need to explain themselves nor their taking. This group of 75M+ in America have shown us, without apology, they are "entitled" and watching today's CNN broadcast with Joe Johns, I almost retched (of course any gen Y reading this--assuming of course they are even interested in such mundane ramblings--will probably be lost here: "Like what is 'retched'?"). They had the nerve to blame everything on the generations before them, particularly the Baby Boomers. They never considered that they got all they had gotten because of their over-indulgent parents (or in some cases their over-indulged parents) who were either baby boomers or the offspring of baby boomers. Most all baby boomers I know wanted only the best for their children: wanted them to be happier; more accepting of others just because those 'others' were people, not because of their race or economic genealogy; wanted them to have more than they, themselves, ever had; and they were bound and determined to give it to them, even if it killed them to do it.

Now these little snots were looking down their noses at their parents or grandparents. They were indignant that they (these little takers) might have to actually push up their sleeves and do some real work! Oh, my goodness gracious, perish the thought! And, God help us if it should have to come to that. Let's hope that President-elect Obama (last of the boomers or first of the Gen Xers, depending upon to whom we listen) and his new administration takes care of all this BEFORE we're all left at the mercies of these merciless little materialistic grubbers who must always be the star of every show, have the biggest or best of any and everything, have got to be the prettiest and 'quick, if you please,' and make sure it doesn't 'hurt us or bore us or make us think, read, write, or solve any problems or any of that old fashion stuff, ya know?' Oh, let's not forget they're not willing to work for any of it...not if it can be gotten 'just because I am' of course.

Well, I've so much more to say on this subject. I've just winded myself and must stop for now. This rant/rave to be continued...

For now: HAPPY HOLIDAYS and

Season's Greetings, to all!!!

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