Simplicituditivity.
Mar. 12th, 2002 11:40 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
the_gneechKids have it easy, in this respect: all they have to do is obey.
Granted, this isn't always easy in and of itself, but it's basically a binary decision: obey, or disobey. And assuming reasonably disciplined parents, it's a fairly easy choice, because to disobey brings punishment, while to obey brings rewards.
Adults, on the other hand, have nobody creating this easy binary choice for them. Almost every "non-crisis" decision adults have to make is made by weighing advantages and disadvantages, things gained vs. things lost, deciding if what they have to gain is worth what they have to give up.
I think this may be one of the reasons so many people look for strong authority figures -- why they want to invest so much power in government, why they flock to organized religion. Being an adult is hard work; people want to go back to the simplicity of being a child, and being told by somebody stronger than they are what they must do, and what they can't do. That takes the responsibility off of themselves. If the choice turns out to be wrong, well, it wasn't their choice, it was made by the social or cosmic Mommy/Daddy.
Oh well. Since I am pretty much damned if I do, and damned if I don't, I might as well just start picking some of the things I need to choose in my life at random. Ancient philosopher say, "Man who sit too long on fence, get a welt on his butt."
It would be easier if life were like writing ... that way, I could do a rough draft, then go back and revise once I saw how things turned out.
-The Gneech
Granted, this isn't always easy in and of itself, but it's basically a binary decision: obey, or disobey. And assuming reasonably disciplined parents, it's a fairly easy choice, because to disobey brings punishment, while to obey brings rewards.
Adults, on the other hand, have nobody creating this easy binary choice for them. Almost every "non-crisis" decision adults have to make is made by weighing advantages and disadvantages, things gained vs. things lost, deciding if what they have to gain is worth what they have to give up.
I think this may be one of the reasons so many people look for strong authority figures -- why they want to invest so much power in government, why they flock to organized religion. Being an adult is hard work; people want to go back to the simplicity of being a child, and being told by somebody stronger than they are what they must do, and what they can't do. That takes the responsibility off of themselves. If the choice turns out to be wrong, well, it wasn't their choice, it was made by the social or cosmic Mommy/Daddy.
Oh well. Since I am pretty much damned if I do, and damned if I don't, I might as well just start picking some of the things I need to choose in my life at random. Ancient philosopher say, "Man who sit too long on fence, get a welt on his butt."
It would be easier if life were like writing ... that way, I could do a rough draft, then go back and revise once I saw how things turned out.
-The Gneech
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no subject
And just because I feel somewhat rebuttalistic, I'd like to say I did not "flock" to organized religion. Instead, I am the driving force which carried my family to church because I recognized the importance of having God in my life. He has rewarded me by making His direct Presence known to me on more than one occasion.
Besides, I ain't no sheep! Ich bin der I still say your moral code is deeper than you think, especially if you are having trouble with decisions like this. Perhaps if you sat down and pondered out your basic rules on the matter, it would be much easier for you to make decisions.
And just because I feel somewhat rebuttalistic, I'd like to say I did not "flock" to organized religion. Instead, I am the driving force which carried my family to church because I recognized the importance of having God in my life. He has rewarded me by making His direct Presence known to me on more than one occasion.
Besides, I ain't no sheep! Ich bin der Übermensch! :)
Children and adults...
Date: 2002-03-12 12:30 pm (UTC)Life is NOT a static THANG
Date: 2002-03-12 01:21 pm (UTC)I like being an adult. I like being in control (however illusory some might argue) of most aspects of my life. There are days I enjoy it less than others, but I wouldn't trade it and be a kid again. I take responsibility for my own actions, and there lies the crux with many people. Religion, well, that is just another direction to me that is highly personal but not necessarily a responsibility issue (with some it is)
It is time for you to ass some structure in that tapestry that is your life. Some things, yes, you cannot go back and "erase" but almost everything is "fixable" to an extent.
MLD
Re: Life is NOT a static THANG
Date: 2002-03-12 02:03 pm (UTC)And MLD, I LOOOVE that pic. Been wanting to say that for a while.
Re: Life is NOT a static THANG
Date: 2002-03-12 02:55 pm (UTC)...ACK, didn't know I'd typed ASS instead of ADD...(grin)...MLD
Re: Life is NOT a static THANG
Date: 2002-03-12 05:46 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2002-03-12 06:18 pm (UTC)Re: Children and adults...
Date: 2002-03-12 06:19 pm (UTC)Re: Life is NOT a static THANG
Date: 2002-03-12 06:24 pm (UTC)(Wha-huh?)
Seriously, tho, I like being an adult, too -- but that doesn't make it any less work. :) And in my case, I purposely fast-forwarded over a lot of my formative years to get out of a barely-tolerable home life ... so I have spent the past few years going back and trying to develop late a lot of skills that most people naturally gain during their late adolescence and/or early adulthood. Growing pains are all the harder when they come a decade late. :) -TG
Re: Life is NOT a static THANG
Date: 2002-03-13 12:25 am (UTC)