Categorized | Editorial

EDITORIAL: The Wimpy Nation

theprisonerFor the past few decades, children no longer can play dodgeball, bombardment or similar games in school. Parents’ groups feel that these games promote bullying and create a situation where tougher kids pick on the weaker ones. As a former geek, skinny and puny kid, I played dodgeball in school while I was growing up. Like in the animal kingdom, if you are weak and puny, if something is chasing you – you will learn to survive very quickly. I got hit many times in my face with that big red rubber ball.  The only thing I have to say is, “It hurts. Get over it! You will learn to “dodge it,” and be all the better for it.”

Are we becoming a society that is totally complacent and submissive? For example, if you play a competitive sport in little league – nowadays everyone walks home with a little trophy or medal saying what a great job they did. The theory behind this is not to make any of the children feel left out. But the bottom line is – this trophy means nothing but a token of participation.

In the British Television Series, The Prisoner, in the episode, “The Dance of the Dead,” No. 6 (Patrick McGoohan) said defiantly, “No game is worth playing if you can’t win.”

Isn’t the idea of a competitive sport for a team to work together and learn to win? In sports such as football or baseball one has to work as a team with their teammates to effectively compete. Our children are not learning these basic rules of survival. There are hard rough roads ahead of them.

Some colleges are now having trigger warnings when students read their assigned literature. These warnings are that they may find offensive, upsetting or violent material in upcoming chapters. I bet you that many of these students have played violent video games or have seen violent movies growing up. I can’t imagine going to a lecture class in college or picking up a mystery novel and being warned of violent content in upcoming chapters. It takes the fun out of reading.

Some European countries are now not allowing children to have a best friend in school because the teachers and school administrators don’t want the other students to be left out.

Like in many science fiction movies and novels, our humanity and everything that makes us human (passion, compassion, friendship, etc.) are being taken away. Many parents don’t want their children to experience pain, hardship or any discomfort in life. Guess what? – Life is full of these things – That’s why it’s called life. What are these children going to do when they’re grown and no one is there to fight their battles for them? This type of mentality is going to make it very easy for militant foreign countries to come rolling in and take over or destroy this country one way or the other.

Present day society is becoming a very scary place: you can’t compete; you can’t have a best friend in school and you can’t read a book without a warning label.

To quote from the movie, Fahrenheit 451, screenplay by Ray Bradbury: Montag (Oskar Werner) was asked by the Captain of the Fire Department (Cyril Cusack), “Montag, what would you do if cutting grass becomes forbidden?”

Montag’s answer to him was, “Just sit there and watch the grass grow.”

If it ever comes to this, let’s hope there will be someone with the courage to think for him or herself and mow that lawn.

P.W.W.

Leave a Reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Browse Current Issue - Click Here

Safety Announcement

We are taking safety precautions in the City of Perth Amboy, and emphasize that it is important: IF YOU SEE SOMETHING, SAY SOMETHING!!
Report Suspicious Activity – Be Vigilant – STAY ALERT! Do not think that any call or report is too small. Don’t allow the actions of a few dictate your quality of life.
FOR ALL EMERGENCIES, DIAL: 9-1-1
FOR ALL NON-EMERGENCIES, DIAL: 732-442-4400