HAD NO DESTINATION
Tonight's episode of 'Glee' was pretty cool. It is one of my favourite new shows and it is pretty cool. I am thinking it will get better as it goes along ...
Earlier today, I watched a 'College Humor' video of Pete Holmes doing stand up about the reality of being young as opposed to being an adult. He used the line where an older person say my age or a little older, tells a younger person of 10 or so about how good it is to be a child. There is some profanity, but it is in context of the humor. Anywho I think it is a perfect precursor to the 'you should have done better in high school' line that the show 'Glee' seems to encapsulate.
You have the delusional girls who are in various states of their own image of themselves, the pure nerds and weird kids who are tolerated more than truly befriended. And then there are the jocks who are losers in denial, the notion of how few actually make it anywhere via athletics still lost on them...
... and it made me think about how much we put on our young people. With the current news you could make a case that it is harder on children than ever before. The crap Dad in Colorado, the missing girl from the Metallica concert, Haleigh Cummings ... you could go on and on about it.
Before I can be convinced that it is something more widespread, I want to know when did all the pedophilia, the violence and disrespect towards women, actually begin? Most of the concerns that are expressed today sound a lot alike the ones I heard when I was a child.
That is something that I think Pete's humor uses ... when has it EVER been that great to be a child? Unlike the issues being a woman, which is one that you can conceive of finding a solution, being a kid is to be vulnerable. When I think of all the things you can legislate as far as human behaviour goes, what kind of legislation do you have for the micro moments like a child leaving a toy in a fast food restaurant and not realizing it until the car is a few blocks from home.
Have you been in that situation? What do you do? And even if you do go back for both your sanity and your child's well being, how many parents do you know that are always willing to go that extra mile? How many times are YOU willing to do that?? There are times when I read Alaina's travails in her profession, how lucky anyone is to have such a person fighting to help them with their children.
And it crosses all social boundaries. It isn't only in the crap impoverished homes that this notion that it is worse now for kids than it is in 'our day'. Getting real, it wasn't that cool back then. I don't know how different the Oakland County Child Murders would sound now than it did back in the day.
Maybe because of Man's ego, he can't rationalize beyond the moment. How much energy has been expended in getting someone to think of tomorrow, as consumed as people are with today? It is the same thing in my mind when we think of how 'tough' it is for kids and how poorly things actually change in how we raise them.
Why do people think like that? Is it better to be an adult now than it was in the 50's? 60's? Or was it the 70's? If it was up to Trent Lott, he would take us back to Strom Thurmond's presidential bid as a segregationist, is that when it was better for a kid? Bet Emmet Till would have liked to argue that point.
I guess I don't think something can be 'worse' when it is a legacy. Maybe we hear more about individual cases, but some of that has to be due with increases in population. But I do think that people want to believe that there was an idyllic period in their lifetime, so that they can believe that something better is yet to come.
How many people can say that things aren't too bad right now? Imagine, I can take a written test, get a license to drive and like the stand up implies, take $50 bucks and get keys to a car. Can't do that at 10!
Nope, I like the present just fine, thank you very much. Yesterday is gone and tomorrow will take care of itself. What we have is the moment we are in and in a few more moments, I will go to bed and sleep next to my best friend ...
... after I eat a Butterfinger!
5 comments:
i personally think being a kid sucks, regardless of the era or time frame.
thanks for the shout out. this is an excellent essay and i think you should pursue publishing it.
xxalainaxx
like Alaina said, it does "suck" to be a kid, especially with some parents that kids get "stuck" with. there are kids though that have it "good", raised by loving parents who teach discipline, manners, etc. the rest of us are dysfunctional ourselves and struggle with raising these little ones entrusted to us. I think every young parent needs a mentor in their life to help them with child raising; I think every young person needs a mentor; I think the majority of us need someone walking alongside of us who's been there, done that, and can help us weather this journey called life
yum on the Butterfinger :)
betty
Glad you have your Butterfinger comfort food :o)
I think there are many that look back on childhood with fondness. I remember the carefree days, when I was not yet a teenager.
So, childhood good, teenager adolescence, bad :o)
I liked your take on that piece! It was quite a funny video, and I think your commentary is right on. Hugs, Beth
An old friend wanders into the room.... :-)
Hello, Big Mark!
I absolutely love this piece. I agree that you should consider getting it published somewhere.
My kids used to talk about wanting to stay kids because adults seem to have so much responsibility. I quickly explained how much more I love the freedom of adulthood. I may work for money... but I can also spend it without asking permission. I may have a car note... but I can also get in that car and drive somewhere without permission... The list goes on and on.
And a footnote... The ability to sleep next to your best friend is a precious gift. Enjoy the Butterfinger and your friend. :-)
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