Sunday, January 19, 2014

Medication, Minors, and Martyrdom

I have, more than once, been pronounced crazy, in need of psychoactive medication and therapy. Never has it been effective, in the long term, because I really don't want to tone down the light by which I see where I believe the earth of my grandchildren should be allowed to go.

My psychologist says that I am an enigma that will always be suspect in normal human interactions. He says that this is because I lead my life by very strict rules and boundaries while expecting very few boundaries of others in their behaviors. As a product of adolescence during the moral upheaval during the 1960s in the United States of America, I feel that my way is most appropriate to both growth and personal safety.

My biggest challenge is much like the judge who said that he couldn't define pornography, but he knew it when he saw it. I can't always say what I find abhorrent until it is right in front of my face. I am pretty okay with what consenting adults do to entertain each other, as long they keep their personal predilections private. I reserve the right, as a parent, to protect my minor children from any influence I don't feel prepared to handle for them. There should be no such thing as authority without responsibility.

So many in a "free" society seek to influence others to join in their behaviors or beliefs in order to justify their own actions. They too often do this with no commitment to address the consequences of the actions that they incite. As a parent and an employer, I had huge issues with this. many won popularity contests with those put under my protection by encouraging them to do as they wished. These same popular people (politicians) then expected me to take care of those they incited to act without any sense of responsibility to themselves or their communities.

Janis Joplin sang, "Freedom's just another word for nothing left to lose." This is often true. Humans are communal animals and we all choose which community we want to be part of. Where we fit is based on what we want to give; very few communities need any more demanding babies in order to meet their needs. We all want to be recognized for our efforts. In order to be long-term respected and welcomed, we must offer something other that the entertainment of our ongoing dramas.

BTW, Jesus, the joyful Jew, didn't generally encourage ongoing drama. He even asked his father whether he had to undergo the drama of his own death in order to get his message across. "Oy Vey!" his dad said, "Yes, son, or they won't follow what you have exemplified with your life." I hope for the day that we won't require martyrdom in order to follow those who deserve honor.