When I was a boy, things were different. Sure as they should be, but this much? Things mattered to folks like family, neighbors, and just plain honesty. People looked out for one and another like their life depended upon it. A guy was willing to put in a hard days work for honest pay. A merchant charged just what he needed to provide for his family. Car salesman were always crooks and politicians always lied. A schoolboy respected his teacher and a cop didn't fear for his life on a routine traffic stop.
When I was a boy I didn't expect society to evolve this way nor did I care because life was so simple. We went to the movies when we were allowed and ate popcorn from our allowance and never watched R rated movies. Those were for BAD people. We went to church and believed the minister when he said we would all burn in hell for doing wrong. This was always in the backs of our minds when we choose to do something.
We did bad things. But the level of bad has changed. We might have snitched an apple from a neighbors tree but we would never dream of jacking a neighbors car for trinkets. We would never key a neighbors car because we respected property, especially that of others. We dreamed of owning property one day and wished that others respected it just the way we did when it became ours. We realized that without property and ownership, there was no society. Those thinking's were a part of us, our growing up. People owned things, People had things. You don't take or bother their things. You wouldn't want your things touched would you?
Nowadays, people feel the right to take from others. And others feel the need to protect their things because of this. Now you get distrust, No Trespassing signs, Keep Out signs and guns for protection. When I was a kid, the only time you saw a Keep Out sign was from a place that had been robbed before, now they are everywhere.
The root is the cause. The root is where it all began. The root is disrespect and and lack of responsibility. When a merchant, now a corporate giant, charges all that can be gotten away with, a patron has no ties to respect that merchant and may steal from them. Believing that the merchant can easily afford the shortage. When a cop pulls you over and approaches your car with his hand on his gun, you loose respect because he has already judged you. When a group of teens walk down the street and all you hear is profanity you judge them. When a stranger approaches your car at a red light and begs for money for food, you may judge them, deem them alcoholics and whatever you give them will go to the ABC store.
What if?
What if they were really hungry? What if you rolled up your window and ignored them like the last 50 cars. What if they went to sleep that night in the rain, hungry and even more convinced that alcohol is better than the kindness of strangers. What if actually that single dollar you handed out your half rolled up window actually went to a McDouble for their daughter that night. Does it matter that the possibility exists that the dollar may have gone to a can of Colt 45? Does it matter?
What matters is that by dropping that dollar you could change their prospective. You could feed a child that you don't see. You could be indirectly buying that Colt 45 but who are you to judge? If it were you on the other side of the window, and you hadn't had a bath in weeks because you lost your house and job. How would you ask for help? Would you tell them that you have a son and a daughter that are hungry and this if for them? They wouldn't believe it, would they?
Simplicity.
I had an older looking woman approach my car at an intersection once. She didn't utter a word as she got closer, only pinching her fingers in her palm and bringing the empty fingers to her mouth as if eating. This was universal for "I am hungry". I handed her a five which I didn't go hungry with it's disappearance. She may have fed her toothless self or she may have bought a bottle. I don't care. I come from a generation that still has a heart and still cares for our fellow human being.
When society no longer functions it breaks down. In that breakdown we loose ourselves. We become Dog Eat dog at every aspect of life even at a lemonade stand when the little girl packs a glock to protect her earnings.
Extreme?
To me, this current society is extreme from my childhood and I can't begin to imagine the form of society that my grandchildren will have.
Judge and be Judged.
I'm off my soapbox now.
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