The State of Society Today: Responsibility

By Skip
Created: Thursday, October 16, 2003, 10:37:27 MST

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Disclaimer:  These are just my opinions and ramblings.  Take them with as much salt as you need to.  I don't mean to offend anyone, but this is more a private journal, so I will be writing what I'm thinking.  You have been warned.

Responsibility

Ironic that the disclaimer I posted above tries to absolve myself of taking responsibility for my own words and actions.

In today's society, this is what is being taught and touted as "the way" things should be done.  TV portrays a society where violence can be rationalized, divorce is a way to solve problems, and parents are responsible for the decisions of their children, even after they become adults.

That last statement is partially a good thing.  Unfortunately, children are being taught to do what they want and blame their bad decisions on everyone else.  If a child kills someone, then it must be the parents fault, or their environment, or their friends.  Everyone is deemed guilty except the child.

What is worse is that, even though parents are and should be responsible for little children, even older children (15, 16, 17 year olds) are getting into the act.

Partially, the adults, and parents, are at fault.  If they do not teach the children at a young age to take responsibility for their actions and accept consequences, then they can be deemed to be at fault, in part.  But in the end, it is the child's decision to break or uphold the law.  It is their agency that the exercised, not their parents or their friends.  It wasn't their parents that exercised their agency for them.  It was their own decision.  It is their own fault.

Video games today are contributing to this malaise.  First person shooters, for instance, allow players to take the life of others, with impunity.  There is no immediate consequence for killing another player.  There is in fact, a reward and incentive to kill others.

Empire building games similarly teach that there is no responsibility.  A player has the ability to not only control the development of a society or community, but also to destroy it on a whim.

Violent games are helping to whittle away at the moral fiber of society today.  They foster a general lack of respect for life.  They encourage players to do as they please, breaking alliances and killing friend and foe alike.  They do not teach that there can be dire consequences since "it's just a game" and, in the case of FPS, players regenerate immediately or for the next round.

The media in general is helping to encourage some of the same attitudes by desensitizing youth through depictions of violence, indolence, disrespectful youths, immoral acts, foul language, and everything lascivious, vile and degrading.  In what other society and at what other time on the earth have shows such as "Sex in the City", "Will and Grace", "CSI", "Law & Order", "24", been toughted as the best prime time has to offer.  Movies are gradually getting worse.  Ratings are slipping in value.  The media in general is encouraging and condoning depravity and indecency as the way of the future and as acceptable now.

"Tolerance!" they shout.  "Freedom of speech!"  "My right!"  They bandy these phrases in their effort to bring the unseemely and disgusting to the public.  When will enough be enough.  When will single parents, mothers and fathers, grandparents, the good, descent people of society declare that "This is intolerable.  Stop poisoning my son.  Stop degrading my daughter.  Stop teaching our youth that divorce and adultery are common place.  Stop lauding immorality as "the way things are."  Everyone is not doing it.  Murder is still wrong.  Sexuality is sacred!  I will not allow or condone this filth any longer!"

It is the time to say "when".  Stop watching shows that don't uphold and teach the values and virtues that we esteem and wish to teach our children.  Stop allowing kids to go to see movies that are in appropriate.  It isn't wrong to monitor and curtail a child's computer usage, especially the Internet.  Be a parent.  Be a responsible guardian.  Take a stand against the onslaught that is threatening to overwhelm and drown our little ones in a tide of immorality, indecency and disrespect.

Control your children's media intake.  Control its caliber, content, and quantity.  Also, teach them.  Teach them that being moral is good.  Teach them to respect themselves and others.  Teach them to use good, plain language.  Teach them to value life and decency.  Teach them manners.  Teach them to be good.

We must each take responsibilty for our children, and in turn transfer to them responsibility as they grow.  Teach them that they must deal with the consequences of their actions and that no action or choice comes without consequences.

Love your children.  Love those you get to care for and raise.  Teach them, protect them, help them to grow strong and straight and true.

May God bless you and those you love and care for as you adhere to righteous principles and teach them.

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