young Archives

The Parenting Extremes

For as long as I can remember I’ve had complete freedom when it comes with what I can do with my life. My parents have rarely, if ever, said I can’t do something or hang out with certain people. For as long as I can also remember, I’ve never met parents that are anywhere near as lenient as my parents; many of my friends parents hover over them in one way or another.

My parents didn’t think twice letting me drive and take my friends to play paintball

If you ask my parents why they give me such freedoms, their answer will be that they trust me completely. I’ve never given them a reason to not. I don’t come home drunk or on some drug(s), do reckless things, hang out with the wrong crowd, or be a total numb skull. This trust is what lets me leave late at night, come home even later, have my own car, promote for clubs, sleep over a girlfriends house and hang out with friends they have never met.

Now you may think my parents aren’t involved much in my life if they give me such freedom but, that would be wrong. I love hanging out with my mom and though I can be seen as a tougher kid, I’m not ashamed to say that. Sure me and my dad may get on each other nerves sometimes but, we still have a lot in common that keeps us close. I really do enjoy being around my parents and hanging out with them both.

I was trusted with a car as soon as I got my license

On the other side of the spectrum, most of my friends parents still have a tendency to hover over them as if they’re twelve years old. Their parents control who they hang out with, don’t trust them when they’re out, check in on them constantly, to sum it up they baby their teenage son or daughter. They seem to shelter their kid from the world as much as they possibly can, the same world they’ll one day be on their own to live in.

Ask these teens if they can’t wait to get away from their parents thanks to college or to just be able to move out one day and they will all say “yes!” These same teens usually go totally rebellious once they are free of their parents since they can finally choose their own life to live.

I am not a parent nor am I claiming to be one in anyway. I’ve never raised a kid and don’t plan to for many years to come. I am only a product of how I was raised by my parents; I was raised in a way that I believe every kid should be as well. We all need to be able to experience the world when we’re young, the world we will one day be on our own to live in.

The Young, The Poor, The Blacks And The Stupid

As we near the time for the gathering of soothe sayers, spin doctors and corporate-made shills to throw their hats in the ring for the circus of illusions that the 2012 presidential elections promises to be, I’m reminded of a technique commonly used in marketing. The target consumer’s tendencies, mood and environment are studied and well-known by those merchants whose livelihood depends upon consumers viewing their products favorably. Careful consideration of wording, colors, slogans and exterior design of packaging is taken to ensure that the product is not only noticed, but that the product and its insignia or logo is remembered.

There will be jingles, there will be catchy phrases and celebrities who speak on behalf of a product that may or may not be beneficial to the consumer. If our favorite reality show star is the spokesperson for a brightly packaged processed meat product, it may just slip past us as to how much unhealthy sodium and fat content is inside the beautifully designed package.

And so it is with our political leaders. Not a hair out-of-place. Teeth freshly installed for the occasion. Talking points memorized and ready…or for one poor soul copied onto the palm of her hands. Every couple of years locally and every four years nationally, we are presented with the same warmed over, refurbished campaign rhetoric in a different suit.

Fellow Americans, we have been studied well.

The architects of this illusion we have of participation in the direction of this great nation, know us better than we know ourselves. Figuratively speaking, the political saturated fats and artificial ingredients will be disguised as organically grown, sun-kissed health food, just as sure as the marionettes of the super wealthy disguised as public servants, will be packaged to appear as if they actually have answers. The sincere and well-meaning political leaders who serve faithfully their duties are like a faint background noise in comparison to the cartoonish officials that get media play.

So as the political circus of campaign 2012 begins be careful what you consume, the contents may not be as beautiful as its wrapping.

In the words of an R.J. Reynolds tobacco company executive “WE DONT SMOKE THAT SHIT, WE JUST SELL IT. WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO SMOKE TO THE YOUNG, THE POOR THE BLACK AND STUPID”. You do the math.

Son of Man