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| Rob's Soapbox | ||
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Congratulations!
You have finally landed on the one page on this entire site (and on the entire internet for that matter) that is purely without bullshit... my soapbox page. There are a lot of times during our show that, whether it's because of time constraints and other obligations, I don't always get to address some issues that I feel don't get the attention they deserve. There are even more times when I just don't feel like waiting until the show the next day to get some things off my chest. Thus, I have started the "Rob's Soapbox" page. If you have clicked on this page looking for someone to coddle your fragile sense of self-esteem, or tell you what you want to hear or to reinforce your outdated world view, then exit this page right now and go somewhere else. If you are in search of the last forum for reason and common sense left in the world, then sit back, relax, and enjoy. I make only one promise with this soapbox page... if you read long enough and often enough, you will eventually be offended. So here's my latest soapbox. Listen up, 'cause you just might learn something... |
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May 4th, 2009 HAPPINESS AS DEFINED BY OTHERS Our nosy, know-better-than-you society is continuing to creep into the daily lives of Americans. Thirty years ago, the joke was that we would all have cameras in our homes so that we could be monitored by local, state and federal officials; today the joke is, “what comes after the cameras?” Call it what you will; Nanny-state, behavior control, do-gooderism, projection, transference, whatever. The idea that people can’t mind their own business is nothing new on this planet. The idea that people insist that you think the way they do and behave the way they do is also nothing new. However, in the last half century we as a people have allowed the greatest level of behavior and thought control creep into our lives, all in the name of doing what’s right for “the greater good.” Whether it’s to protect people from things that have almost no likelihood of happening, or it’s designed to save people from “unhealthy”, though legal, choices, or whether it’s to decrease the burden on the public healthcare system, restriction after law after tax after condemnation after elimination has been imposed on and endless array of totally legal activities:
The latest lament of people smarter than you is telling you what a happy marriage must and should be. This should come as no surprise to anyone, not just based on the drumbeat of behavior control that has been bearing down upon us for decades, but even more simple reasons; how many times have you heard some elitist snob analyze someone’s relationship with the snide comment, “well, they may be together, but they’re certainly not happy.” Or the always popular, “they have been together for a while but it’s not a healthy relationship.” Ahh, yes, the sweet smell of judgmentalism is in the air and its sights are aimed right at you and me. For decades we have been lectured about the breakdown of the American family and our values. Yet, the ridicule and scorn has never found just one solitary target; in fact, it’s never found a consistent one which has led to seemingly everyone being told that they are unhealthy, unhappy, dysfunctional and bad for the culture. It’s amazing to me any of us stay together at all. Think about it; if you stay together for the sake of the kids, you are dysfunctional. If you divorce for your own happiness, you are a “broken family.” If you break up, your marriage has failed, yet if you stay together, you aren’t really happy. We’re told that successful happy couples can and should disagree, but then we’re also told how we can and should fight. Yelling isn’t ok, name calling isn’t ok, physically aggressive behavior isn’t ok…what the hell is a fight? We’re told that if things get too heated we should “seek solitude and calm down before continuing the disagreement”, yet we’re also told that leaving the room during an argument is “running away from the problem.” The greatest thing about experts is that they don’t have the slightest god damned clue what the hell they are talking about. Sadly, none of that stops society from creating what is called “a narrative,” which ultimately becomes the thing that people are told to say and believe. There is an acceptable way to be married, sadly, and it is defined in a way that no one can possibly achieve; not to mention there are plenty of people who would find society’s definition of an acceptable marriage to be totally dysfunctional. For those of you who are skeptical of the premise, equate it to parenting; there are a myriad of ways to raise a happy, healthy, functioning child. Some people use spanking, others use time-outs. The argument that one is better than the other when both are used in moderation is nothing more than closed minded judgmentalism; or, put another way, people demanding that you think the way they do. And what has happened in the past 4 decades in America? Despite the fact that almost all studies show that an overwhelming majority of Americans feel that spanking is an effective parenting tool when used in moderation, it is still demonized, looked down upon and defined in the “narrative,” as abuse. The vocal minority continues to win, and as a result, control. The latest proposal, already begun in failed foreign socialist countries and coming quickly to America, is to completely change our marriage laws. My prediction is that this will all be done under the guise of legalizing gay marriage in the next few years. While we’re at it, they’ll say, let’s not only let gays marry, but let’s set up some rules and restrictions about how you should all be married. Here’s the basic framework: - Marriage will open to anyone (for now) that meets the legal requirements. - Everyone will have to take “marriage therapy preparation” classes together and separately before being granted a marriage license - Everyone’s marriage license will be good for 5 years. At that point, if you want to stay married, you have to complete another round of classes and tests. If you don’t want to stay married, you both just walk away; no harm no foul. - After 10 years, you can choose to go through one more round of classes and tests and get your lifelong license. Color me single. Who of any self respect would put themselves through such torture and humiliation? Yet again, however, the idea is this; you don’t know how to be in a healthy relationship but the almighty town elders do. The great minds amongst us will teach you how to be married and then test you on your answers. Incidentally, this would be just the beginning. Once such strict absurd notions are in place, it’s easy to restrict former felons, anyone accused of domestic violence and gun owners from getting married. And on and on the list would go until marriage was a unique, rare privilege reserved only for those that are most learned and distinguished amongst us; y’know, the elites. The snobs. The behavior control Nazis who deem that there way is the only way. http://www.sindhtoday.net/business/90851.htm
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