Just Because We Can...

As Americans, we have a lot of freedoms.  Freedoms that make our country what it is. Freedoms we should be grateful for. 

But just because we can, does that mean we should?

In the everyday world, on social media, in the news, just observing people, sometimes I get the feeling that people just think “I’m important, I can do what I want with no consequence, and people aren’t allowed to think bad of my behaviors, and if you do, well, you are just uncaring.”

On the contrary, I care.  I care what my child learns.  I care how you are affecting others.  I care  that this nation has created not only math problems that our children can’t figure out on their homework, but that it has created the idea that the lowest common denominator is what we should strive for.

I care that we have demonized the meaning of the word “judgment.”  Yes, I said it.  Yes, I judge.  I judge everything.  I judge the quality of the food I eat.  I judge the priority of issues at my job.  I judge what is correct behavior from my child.  I judge where it is best I spend my money. 

I judge people.  We all do.  We don’t all admit it, but we all do.  All of us, every single one.

And I will form opinions based on the language you use, the clothing you wear, your life choices, and how clean your car is.  Everything you do tells something about you, and you know what, that is life, and that is OK.   I will tell you right up front, if you have to pepper all your arguments with curse words, I will not take you seriously because you can’t argue without trying to offend.  If you go to work in a skirt you can’t bend over with, I will think you have some self-esteem problems.  If you think you have to have a fistfight with anyone disagreeing with you, I will stay far, FAR away from you because you are too narcissistic for me.  My opinions may be correct, maybe not, but we’re all allowed to have them and part of the choices you make are deciding what people will likely think about it.  If you are OK with that, that is the most amazing thing.  If you are not, then maybe you need to figure out your priorities.

I’m allowed to decide I don’t agree with you, that I don’t like you, or that you scare me.  And you are allowed to do the same towards me.  That is what freedom really is.  It is not actions without judgment.  Everyone judges, and, well, that is an awesome thing to be able to do.

Don’t like it?  Well, just because you can, does that mean you should? That’s why they have wine.