Don't be stupid

 There is a local YouTube sensation named Megan McGlover.  She starts out reporting (ranting) about the weather, then she goes off on tangents about other things in the news.  She usually ends her report with "don't be stupid".  She's got a point.

Fifty years ago, Mr. Richard Eggers was stupid.  He was about 18 years old and he made a cardboard dime and used it to operate a washing machine. His "stunt" as he describes it landed him in jail for two days.  As far as anyone knows he has been a law abiding citizen ever since.  However, Wells Fargo, the bank Mr. Eggers worked for fired him for the 50 year old stunt. There's a whole bru-ha-ha about new FDIC laws about having people with criminal activity working at banks and banks being overzealous in weeding out
these crooks (and ignoring the big-wigs stealing our money), but that's a conversation for a different time.

The sticking point for me is that young people have to realize that we now live in a society where your mistakes will haunt you FOREVER.  There is no wiggle room for "boys being boys" or "sowing your wild oats".  Make a mistake now, and fifty years later, you will lose your job. ... unless you're famous, then it's art.  Just ask Shia LaBeouf who admits to dropping acid for a movie role.

Anyway, I feel like it is all about how we raise our kids. I have always been a stickler for avoiding gray areas... probably to a fault because my son is all black and white only.  He's not interested in anything having to do with Shades of Gray.   I feel like we let our kids get away with minor infractions, that we are just leaving the door open for big honking infractions later.  For example, how do we let them find $50.00 in a store on the floor and keep it?  It should be turned in to the front desk, or something... it is not theirs.  If we let things like that happen, how could we be surprised when they are accused of jewelry theft, or worse?  But that's just me.

Speaking of stupid, people keep asking me how colleges and such will know that we haven't cut corners in homeschooling.  I.E.  How do they know we didn't give artificial grades kids didn't deserve and let them lounge around giving only minimal effort.  Personally, these are things I never considered.  If I am going to homeschool, I am going to be serious about it to a fault. After all, it turns out that the person who accredited my daughter's homeschool portfolio clearly felt I had been overzealous and probably requested too much of my daughter as she assigned her more credits for her completed work than I would have.  But for those who are not having anyone check behind you, you should know that an inferior education will come back and bite your kid (and you) in the butt later.  Inability to continue their education or be gainfully employed later will be the end result.  So... don't be stupid.



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2 comments:

Happy Elf Mom (Christine) said...

Yeah... wow... punishment should fit the crime. 50 years later, one wooden dime. Crazy. And like you said, it's totally legal to lie, steal and cheat people out of their retirements, their investments, and what happens to them? They get a freaking bailout.

Oh I am disgusted with all our politicians.

It also strikes me that lower/middle class people have less room for mistakes than people who can buy attorneys or just look more "presentable" to the cops when a problem comes up. I lived in a rich area and I knowww some of these hoodlums got to go to the Ivy League. Officer never bothers the rich kid, it never even goes to court. They can do (almost) anything!

Usethebrains Godgiveyou said...

When I was a kid, I found 2 nickels (2 candy bars!) on the ground on my way home from school. I was so excited! Mom said it didn't belong to me, and made me go back and give it to the landowner. I thought she was being silly, but here 50 years later it is a lesson I never forgot.

12 grade year of homeschooling, Finishing Strong

We are almost done with my college prep series. There will still be a video on completing the transcript.    Stay tuned... meanwhile, ...