America is a sick society

[Bob Butler 54]

(12-25-2016, 07:05 PM)TnT Wrote: Yes, we are a sick society.

But then, what should we expect?  For the last 65-70 years, we have turned over the development and maintenance of our societal values to commercial television.

I had a merry little Christmas.  For the most part, I spent time with my Nephew’s family.  They have three kids, aged toddler to third grade.  Nice kids.  As it is easier for the world to travel to the kids rather than move kids and all their Christmas stuff about, everyone goes to the kids.

One of this years notable gifts was an iPad tablet computer for the toddler, with earphones for everybody.  As my nephew explained it, the toddler really doesn’t need a tablet, but car travel is so much easier when there are no fights over who gets the iPad.  The earphones are similarly not as much a gift for the kids as a gift for the adults in the front seat.

I tell you, we Boomers never had a computer for everybody when we travelled in the family car.

But the true function of iPods is to repeatedly play “Let It Go” from Disney’s Frozen.  In the midst of Christmas morning, the kindergarten aged girl held up a small plastic slender doll and called out to the toddler.  He of a very small vocabulary cried ‘Elsa!’ and rushed to take possession of the poor helpless piece of plastic.  Meanwhile, I was getting a bit tired of the constant replaying of ‘Let It Go’, usually on only one iPod at a time.

I might have gambled, but I have a copy of Frozen on my computer at home.  Once or twice a week I’ll open up iTunes and play the video myself.

But still.

The reason for having a sister who is a retired first grade teach is to ask the pertinent or silly question… why are kids so obsessed with ‘Let It Go’?

It turns out that kids at the age of Disney are displeased by constant discipline.  Elsa in the movie has great power, and with that comes a great responsibility to keep it under control at all times.  Her parents regularly push her to keep it all in.  In the song, as Elsa is singing “be the good girl you always have to be” she shakes a finger at her imaginary self.  The oppressive concept is of always toeing the line.  Let it Go is about releasing the discipline, enjoying the use and abuse of power, about being able to ignore the rules, do as one wants, enjoy the power while forgetting the discipline and responsibility.

My teacher sister noted than when most kids sing the song, they will shake their fingers at that point of the lyrics too.

So why am I telling this story in a post about America as a sick society?

I don’t see it as just the kids who want to let it go, who want to disregard virtues and responsibilities in favor of playing with the neat toys our culture can provide.  The planet is warming?  Frack it.  The deficit is growing?  Cut taxes.  A lack of regulation contributes to economic collapse?  Cut regulation.

Somewhere near the bottom of things is a childish desire to disregard discipline and virtue, to build a snowman under the pretense that there won’t be repercussions.

In the movie, love is the answer.  Maybe.  Maybe no.  Still, if love is the answer, we need to work on that too.