Wednesday, January 12, 2011

"Everybody's fault but mine."

So it's winter here in the sometimes downright arctic American north, and much to my chagrin I have found myself watching T.V. on a regular basis. Something that the warm days of summer, and crisp autumn evenings had successfully kept me away from.
I am in awe of the number of expertly produced commercials singing the praises of the latest pharmaceutical wonder, and (in a low frenetic tone) expose the dangers and possible side-effects -- many of which outweigh the symptoms of the original problem. Because it is indeed the symptoms that a majority of these drugs treat, not the cause. But in our current "someone else fix me now" society, marketers are only trying to give the people what they want.
Can't blame the commercials. Commercials are made to attract a specific demographic or buying group. Companies spend billions on identifying needs and finding trigger points to tune into those needs.
Fact is, we have become a society of victims. A society that blames everyone else for their problems and looks outside of themselves for solutions.
Have a weight problem? It's McDonald's fault.
Have anger issues? Probably your Mom's fault.
Even with the recent tragedy in Arizona (again, playing out to nauseating depths on the boob tube) the story has become more than a deranged, obviously psychologically unstable person committing a heinous act. It has become someone else's fault.
His parents. His friends. His fellow students in Community College. The media. Sarah Palin.
Really??
What happened to personal accountability? What happened to the notion that there are consequences for individual choices?
A Homer Simpson quote for me says it all: "This is everybody's fault but mine."