The truth is that consequences are no longer effective deterrences for illegal or immoral actions. What’s the worst that could happen? Politics has replaced law enforcement as well as moral values. Comedy has died because comedy needs steadfast truth and predictable consequences.
For example, I used to tell an old joke to illustrate what happens when one compromises moral values. An old rich man propositions a young beauty to sleep with him one night for $1 million. The beauty says ‘yes.’ Then the old man asks whether she’ll sleep with him for $5. The beauty replies, “No! What do you thing I am!” To which the old man says, “We’ve already established what you are. Now we’re negotiating.” Several years ago after telling that joke, some of the younger adults rejected my point by saying, “Everyone has a price!”
I was shocked! More than half of them argued everybody has a price! Why? What are the consequences? Who decides what’s right or wrong? In essence, they believed there is no such thing as immorality. Can we even say something is illegal any more? What are the consequences? If there are no consequences for breaking laws, who would be deterred from breaking laws?
Americans have known for a long time that rich, powerful, and connected people live far above the law. Do you have any top secret documents? Jack Teixeira, 21, the Massachusetts Air National Guardsman posted top secret documents on the web for several weeks. Let’s see: Biden, Trump, Pence, Hillary…. How will these and other top federal officials be treated in comparison with 21-year old Jack. If you don’t know, then you don’t know Jack!
Truth has consequences. Many don’t believe that any more. We see people getting away with … well, even with murder and paying no consequences. Criminals are released too many times to go back out and do it again. When someone benefits from gaming the system, he’ll do it again.
What consequences has anyone payed for misleading us about COVID-19 vaccines and protocols? Besides hard working Americans, who has payed consequences for skyrocketing gas and commodity prices? How about the “transitional” inflation rate? Is anyone paying the price for perennially rising inflation?
Who has paid any consequences for abandoning Americans and our allies in Afghanistan during our withdrawal? How about all the brand new military equipment sitting in one of the largest air bases in the world? Who gave that away? Who is being held accountable for this evacuation debacle or for the shameful loss of 13 of our bravest military service people?
Why do kids pull guns and shoot others? What are the consequences? Why will people not go into some neighborhoods? What are we teaching young people? What are our young people learning outside of their homes? Young people learn what they believe to be true inside their own environments amid an avalanche of social media. How do they cope with the pressures of being teen agers?
The daily news reports the consequences of bad choices and bad actions. We can learn from consequences, but only if we believe in truth that transcends our own experiences. Learning from the mistakes of others may save us some hardships. Learning what’s right and wrong and choosing accordingly will also save us many heartaches.
8 comments:
DC is so viruntly leftist, no jury there will convict a leftist politician, so prosecutors, especially Soros funded prosecutors, don't bother to seek conviction and punishment of leftists under the law. Conversely, Conservatives are treated harshly because they have no "juries of their peers". Hence, unequal treatment thrives in DC.
There is no one blinder than he (or she) who chooses not to see. There is a human tendency to be selective about judgement of "right and wrong" ...casting blame for misbehavior on those whose ideology differs from our own; while denying, excusing or minimizing the same behavior and malfeasance by those with whom we identify and disagree. The truth is --- corruption, nepotism, partisan politics and an unequally applied justice system are not the exclusive domain of republicans or democrats, conservatives or liberals, the left of the right. Rather, it transcends ideology and is reflective of the human weakness. We often project onto others what we cannot acknowledge is a refection of our own behavior and beliefs.
At one time thugs, thieves, and murderers tries to cover up their lawless ways. Now it is so common that no one really tries to hide what they are doing. They know if you have enough money and are powerful there will not be anything done. You have a get out of jail free card. But you never have to go to jail or even be charged to use it. We may as well just face it, there are no morals left.
Boy, Professor Gardner has a way with words!
Moral
guidance is a side benefit of conscience, which moral arbiter is only an empty evil pit among criminal sociopaths.
One can use one's natural onboard radar/intuition to spot sociopaths/psychopaths, then act to steer clear of them and their environments. Perhaps intense drug therapy plus castration and lobotomy can make these savages less harmful, but that expertise is in the hands of professional others, not citizens seeking a peaceful existence.
The saddest part of DL’s monotonous drivel is knowing that he has a captive audience of students forced to endure it day after day.
There have been plenty of people warning Americans about this dystopia we are living under today. Y’all were just too busy worshiping Hollywood and sportsball to care. All by design.
"The problem with the world is that the intelligent people are full of doubts, while the stupid ones are full of confidence.” ― Charles Bukowski
Hence we get the equivilant of "Hold my beer and watch this" in all sorts of unwittingly unintelligent behaviors.
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