Posted by
ARestlessMind on Thursday, August 23, 2007 8:46:09 PM
What happened to playing by the rules? The talk radio airwaves recently were full of discussions about cheating and the lack of a moral compass in the U.S. The impetus for this discussion was the infamous home run number 756 of the even more infamous Barry Bonds.
Hosts and callers moaned about the loss of integrity. They wailed about the sad state of affairs within the younger generations. They lamented that cheating was accepted as the norm in classrooms at all levels. In addition to mourning the loss of basic decency in our country, they pondered the question. How did this come about?
Sociologists, psychologists and Dr. Phil will argue that many of society’s ills are the result of family of origin issues. They will postulate and pontificate that the lack of two parent homes is the root cause of the problems. Or, they will claim the problem is due to dysfunctional two parent homes.
There is a problem in this country. People seem to feel rudeness, cheating, self-indulgence and insensitivity are character traits to be coveted. Likely, family problems, school problems and the lack of good role models contribute to the sad shape in which we find our society to day. However, these items may be symptoms and not cause.
In law enforcement there is a concept known as the "broken window syndrome." Basically, it postulates that if a broken window in a building is not repaired, eventually all the windows will be broken. In macro terms, it says that failing to address little things, vandalism, petty theft, etc, will lead to larger problems.
It is hard to believe that ignoring a broken window can lead to crime in the streets. Still, anecdotal evidence supports the theory, and many police agencies and other entities use it to improve life in the communities in their care.
This concept can be applied to situations beyond crime prevention. It can be applied to societies rules, or lack there of. Consider the anarchy that reigns in the doorways of America today.
As a first year baby boomer, I was raised in a dysfunctional, heterosexual, two parent home. Yet, I was learned to be polite, considerate and thoughtful, at least to a degree. I learned to open a door for a "lady." I learned to for my elders to enter ahead of me, unless they ushered me in. Most important, I was learned to enter and leave through the right side of the doorway!
I know that sounds silly. It sounds especially silly in today’s world. Regardless, the next time you have the chance, watch people walking into and out of the local convenience store. How many do you see barging in ahead of someone else? How many do you see pushing their way in through the "out" door, or out through the "in" door? How many do you see holding the door for someone else, and if they do, how often are they thanked for their courtesy?
Where did I, and others in my generation, learn there were in and out doors? Where did we learn that you entered through the right side of double door, and exited from the right side as well? No, I am not contradicting myself! The right side in is opposite of the right side out. As my drill instructor said many times, "Your other right stupid!"
Some of us learned from our parents. Some of us learned from our teachers. However, we learned more quickly from complete strangers. The kind of stranger who gave you "the eye" if you pushed in through the out door. The kind of stranger who said, "What would your mother say young man!" Or, young woman for the PC crowd. We also learned because things worked better when we walked and entered on the right. When we lost that concept, we started down a slippery slope toward the anarchy we see growing this country today!