Yesterday's entry was just too damned touchy-feely really. Let me correct this today as I feel oh-so ranty right now.
First, I'm no professional though I have schooling in psychology. That having been said, I think this ADD and ADHT and ADDLMNOP and sometimes Y and all the attention deficit related syndromes are the biggest racket going. I am sure that there are a certain number of people who do suffer from this out there somewhere. But really now.
I have a friend who has a little boy who was acting up some in school. The teacher advised the child be looked at as a candidate for medication for one of these syndromes. Why? Because he was acting like a five year old? They wanted to do a battery of tests yada yada. This is so damn insane. You can't spank or discipline kids in school or at home anymore. They try to "deal" with their feelings and emotions. THEY ARE FREAKING LITTLE CHILDREN THEY DON'T HAVE ANY CLUE WHAT TO THINK UNTIL WE F'ING TELL THEM YOU MORONS!! THEY DON'T HAVE OPINIONS YET! sorry. got carried away there.
Then because this all gets messy they just drug these kids into submission. There is a commercial on that is so inadvertantly funny that it's well not so funny. It's for whatever is the submission drug du jour and the kids in this ad have this loopy drunken smile on their faces. My God!
Back when I was a kid and had to walk through snow and ice for five miles everywhere I went 12 months a year, it was so different. I see these TV's they have in SUV's now to keep the kids calm. When I was a kid on a road trip if you started getting squirmy and acting up you'd get your ass beat at some point. And you knew that so tended to behave. Same in school. They could actually paddle you in school. And you know what? It made you think before you acted up. I'm not saying that beating the hell out of kids is the answer, but I think it's a lot better than drugging them into quiet submission. In fact, I think it is the great travesty of our generation. "Time Out" didn't work for the twenty odd years it was tried but give them a little pill and you'll have no trouble.
Now the adults who can't keep a job or relationship or what the hell ever because of the adult version of this little game? Please, please. I say stop coddling them. Hunger and lack of shelter is a great cure my friends. The one out of a 1000 who really needs the help, give it to them. Stop giving the rest an excuse.
Look, I'm no poster child for any damn thing. But if I ever crash and burn I can promise you I will blame no one but myself.
The only real freedom in this life is total responsibility for yourself and for you own well being. No government handout or enforcement, no medication, just you.
Whew. I feel better now. Nothing like a nice rant in the afternoon.