What’s wrong with setting the standard?
This is a question that enters my mind frequently. There is so much tit for tat today. Who can one-up the other first. But in one respect, it’s always been this way. Mom: “Cut that out.” Kid: “He started it.” Yeah, it used to be the kids. Now it’s also (what should be) the adults in the room.
National political leaders, YouTubers and just ordinary people. And media, social or otherwise, amplifies it. Media organizations live off of our eyes and ears. That is just how they make their living in a free society. I respect their right to do that.
But now we have social media out there also to blow off those daily frustrations we all have. We get to deal with everyone else’s frustrations that used to be limited to those who were just immediately around them. We’ve watched this steady decline in people’s behavior toward one another for some time now. Now indignity rules. I wonder, is respectability dead? Can it be revived?
When I was in junior high, I was at football practice when coach lined me up across the line from my best friend, who was a good bit bigger than me. I pulled off a really good block on him, and while I was walking back to the huddle, he charged me from behind and almost knocked me down. I wasn’t happy, so I struck back. Yeah, we laughed it off later, although it really wasn’t funny at the time. But that’s just human nature. Strike back when struck. But continuing to strike leads to loss of respect for damage done. And with every strike, that damage multiplies until it becomes incurable.
But this brings to mind a number of important questions to ponder: Exactly who in our society is going to lead? Do we just leave it to someone else? As a society, have we devolved into just a group of kids trying to justify our behavior to Mom? Does no one believe in setting the example anymore? And if it’s gotten this bad by now, what does the future hold for our kids?
Which leads me to one final important question: What is wrong with respecting one another even when we disagree? Think about it.
Ron Bolton is a retired career law enforcement officer who currently serves as State Representative in District 61 of the Alabama House of Representatives.
