The Metal Crypt - Feature: Priorities

Priorities

The other day I was sitting back watching the news while cleaning the lint out of my bellybutton and all of a sudden I started thinking (trust me it was a shock to me as well…heh) about the world we live in. The news was droning on and on with its endless tirade of stories of violence and what they thought the root causes of all this was. It’s the violence that kids see on TV says one report, it’s the violence in video games that kids play says another, it’s the violence in the music that the kids listen to says yet another. I was simply shocked by all the blame that was being circulated and not that TV, video games and music was this violent but rather that no one ever mentions that maybe just maybe the fault should lie directly in how these children are raised. Everyone is quick to blame outside himself or herself because they know that if they had to take a close hard look at themselves they would find the answers for all of this violence that seems to be so prevalent.

Now I am not saying that all of this is simply bad parenting but it certainly needs to be addressed. This goes beyond parents that physically or mentally abuse their children since I believe for the most part people try to do the best they can for their children. The problem lies simply in what they consider their priorities.

In today’s society I hear all kinds of people saying that both parents need to work simply to survive and this is absolutely and unequivocally absurd. This statement is the reason that these parents give for not being aware what their children are into and how they were not aware that there was a problem. Like I said before this is simply a case of priority and what you consider to be the real importance in your life. Considering that this is a very consumer oriented society then maybe you have fallen into this trap. Do these people need that $250,000 home in the nice suburb right next to the country club? Do these people need that $40,000 SUV and $35,000 Minivan parked in the driveway? Do these people need the designer wardrobe that has them paying $125 for a pair of denim jeans just because they happen to say Hilfiger on them? I would have to say absolutely not!

I have a job that pays me quite well and yet I drive a 1991 Camaro and my wife drives a 1992 Taurus. We bought a house in a small town almost 40 miles from where I work simply because the price was $75,000 and the same house inside of town would cost almost 3 times as much. We have only one credit card, which is used only for an emergency. Could I afford more than this? I could but COULD is the operative word here. It is simply a choice of what I consider to be important. I have two daughters ages 3 and 9 and I believe it is more important to be there for them rather than being forced to work a load of overtime just to make ends meet. My wife works at a daycare just so she can be with my 3 year old and is home when my 9 year old gets out of school. She could easily get a higher paying job but again it simply boils down to priorities. My job has a lot of overtime since I am on call but I have an agreement with them that states I will not miss anything concerning my kids such as school plays and soccer games and the like. On those occasions they know that I will not be there if they happen to call. This has cost me some grief as well as a possible promotion but again it simply comes down to priorities. These things that I have done and done without have given me more than a simple possession or more money could ever give. I have two well adjusted, well-behaved daughters that I know for a fact that I will never have trouble with. How do I know this for a fact? Because I am there for them every step of the way.

The next time these people start to blame TV, video games, music or movies maybe they should look in the mirror to find the true source of their current pain and maybe they would not be wondering how something like this could have happened. Now if this rant offended anyone then maybe you needed to be offended so maybe there is still time.