OpEdNews - Page 3 of Article: Tell your children, a paradigm of dope, part II

We are all just critters in this forest-covered rock spinning deep in the middle of a nowhere galaxy even deeper in a nowhere universe. There is no one person better than any other. From the ethereal existence that is arguably the human spirit to the piece of meat in which we dwell, every part of us is flawed. Since we were born into the midst of chaos, it only stands to reason that we are as positive as we are negative, both on an individual and group basis. We are white noise, born of a genetic crapshoot. Therefore, there is no other human who can stand up and claim that for some capricious and arbitrary reason, they are better, more righteous, more deserving of life than any other of their fellows.

When we woke this morning, we all had to pay a visit to the bathroom; some to pee, some to poo, some to do both. If we forget to breathe long enough, we turn blue, our heart stops beating, and we get cold and stiff. Until such time as a human comes along that no longer needs to take a leak after guzzling a few pitchers of beer, or a few cups of tea, there is no such thing as one person being better than any other.

Live And Let Live

I know it's trite! I know it's a cliché! However, contained within that slogan is the truth by which I try to live my life. It's also the root of my political ideology.

Life is far too short to have someone dictating to you how best to live yours. I take the Wiccan Rede very seriously: "That it harm no one, do what thou wilt!" Isn't that just saying, "Live and let live," in another way? If it's not the very heart that beats at the core of the Libertarian ideal, then what is it?

Life is enough of a struggle without having to deal with the inane; insane need some people have to constantly be wondering what you get up to behind your closed doors. If we put as much effort into living our lives as some do directing the lives of others, just imagine how much nicer society would be. We could pursue the happiness that is our supposed inalienable right. Hell, maybe we could even live in a society of individuals free to truly live their lives as they saw fit without the interference of others.

Ok, so that's admittedly my idea of Utopia, and I really don't think I will ever get to see it in my lifetime. Hell, I'd probably need three to five just to get close to seeing a glimpse of it...and that might be a really low number. Unfortunately, it seems that not unlike stupidity, do-gooder-ism is another genetic anomaly that we should work to eliminate from our species. It has infected society from the beginning of recorded history in a very negative way.

I sometimes wonder why this genetic form of insanity is so pandemic in humanity. What useful purpose did it serve in the past? Those who snore today can thank that source of nocturnal irritation for allowing their ancestors to scare animals away from the caves in which they dwelt. Those who are covered in hair from head to toe can thank that genetic trait for keeping their ancestors warm enough during the ice age to survive and mate. There were many other genetic anomalies such as these that have helped us survive the millennia from the time we banded together in societies.

What function did do-gooder-ism serve in those bygone millennia? Maybe it's simply a bastardization of some other required social skill. I honestly don't understand it.

I have always been the kind of person who prefers to be left alone by the world at large. No, I'm not incredibly anti-social. As a matter of fact, after an initial attack of shyness, I can turn into quite the Chatty Cathy. As far as what others get up to, for the most part, I really don't care. As long as my rights aren't trampled, I don't care what someone does with their own life.

Honestly, I have always been like that. That was one of the bones of contention between my mother and myself. She was unhappy unless she was being a busy body. Don't get me wrong; I love my mother. It's taken me a while to get there, but I can say it nowadays and mean it. But she was clearly a card-carrying do-gooder. I know she meant well, but...

It wasn't until like five years after my father died that she found another man. At the time, she was collecting a nice pension. My dad died fighting a fire, so he had a pension from that. He was also a Teamster and had a HUGE pension from them as well. All tolled, my mother got close to two thousand dollars a month. The house was paid off as well. Her tax burden was incredibly small, too. As long as she remained an unmarried widow, she was in Fat City.

Unfortunately, she met the man who was to become her third husband. It wasn't too long after they met that she started talking about getting married. I warned her against it so many times, I couldn't even count them. Sadly, she was more concerned with the opinions of others, and her own standing as a do-gooder. The pressure was too much, and she gave into the temptation.

She married him. She almost lost the house. She definitely lost the money. She was left with a mere pittance from Social Security and a military-related disability. That seems a high price to pay for moral superiority, don't you think?

Do Your Part

It's really easy to live your life without caring about the comings and goings of others. All it requires is that you stop turning the choices of others into issues of morality. Some people will have no problem at all living this way because they already do. However, to those who even view the suggestion as frightening, you have some work to do.

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