Great Responsibility

Soviet tanks face U.S. tanks at Checkpoint Charlie (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

During the height of the Cold War, there were certain people whose sole responsibility was to monitor the Soviet’s nuclear weapons, so that we would not wind up as radioactive ash in the wind. They too, had folks assigned to keep a hawk eye on us.
No one wanted nuclear war. We had really powerful weapons but everyone collectively hoped that neither side would use them. And, so far, no one has.
When I was little, everyone was still talking about Communism, and the Soviet Union was still our Great Enemy, and we were still hanging around waiting for the ‘big one’ when some nut case in their military complex had a breakdown and pushed the launch button.
I can still remember the Duck and Cover song they taught us in school to help us remember what to do when the bombs came. Not that hiding under my desk would save me from the blast. That safety measure was about as helpful as a seat cushion that doubles as a floatation device when my plane is crashing over Kansas.
Still, eminent destruction was always in the back of our minds. We were programed that way. We placed our hope in the responsibility of our leaders. Hoping that ultimately none of them was a nutcase who secretly wished for nuclear war.
Today, the Soviet Union has dissolved, the chief threat of Communism is lead in their paint, and trying hard not buying Cuban cigars.
Now, our main enemy resides among us, in the form of violence against one another. It’s become such a threat, that once again we’re having to learn new programming. We’re having to begin to think about the possibility of being shot to death in our homes, schools and workplaces. Police officers are trained now, to deal with loan shooters. Everyone has to know what to do, in case a person with bad wiring comes to work and decides to kill people. It’s like Duck and Cover, only the chances seem much more likely to be assaulted by a shooter, than it ever did for nuclear bombs.
Some people want to make this new reality about the availability of weapons to nutcases. Some people want to make this about the weapons themselves. Some think that the issue is violence being so prevalent in entertainment. And some think that it is rampant sin. There are tons of ideas as to what the root cause of this threat is, and lots of ideas about how to solve it. But there are no real solutions.
The real issue is not that there are guns to be had by loonies. Certainly, loonies can get hold of guns. But if we limit their availability in any way, those who are not loonies that wish to own weapons will cry foul.
So, then, what is the solution?
During the Cold War, we were taught to believe in our particular side, and remain vigilant against the enemy. We collectively stared threateningly at the Soviets, and they stared back, both of us realizing that we had big thunder to back up our respective ideologies. But both sides had done enough testing, understood enough about the destruction, the horror and the evisceration of human life that would result from those bombs, that neither one would be irresponsible with them.
That responsibility is what we lack today. We don’t care if you own guns, and we don’t care if you use them to defend your home or hunt game, or use them recreationally in other ways. It’s your right to own a weapon. If you have bad wiring and the person in the cubicle next to yours won’t stop popping their chewing gum and one day you go looney and take a weapon to work with the intent to harm that colleague, you lose that right.
But that’s not enough. If we pride ourselves on being able to keep destructive tools for appropriate use, then we must be responsible. It is everyone’s responsibility.
I don’t own a firearm. I know folks who do. If those folks would begin to act as though their wiring was faulty, I’d do my part to make sure there was not going to be a possible incident.
This problem isn’t about the right to bear arms, it’s about the responsibility that we have, if we choose to do so.
If we cannot be responsible with our freedoms, then maybe we don’t deserve those freedoms. If we want a solution that works, we must be willing to take collective responsibility, not just for ourselves and our families, but universally. Especially when the ultimate threat could be the loss of our own lives.

The Etiquette of Seclusion

Image via CrunchBase

People forget themselves on social media. Sometimes the best that you can do is to just get away.
My current office at work is in a back corner, near the newspaper archives. At one time, it was right off the main thoroughfare of our ‘behind the scenes’ work area. I was rarely able to get much work done, because someone was always having a chat about their favorite book, or talking over the cubicle barrier to me about their holiday plans, etc. So when the opportunity for me to move to a new office came, I jumped on the one in the ‘way back’. Now, far from the excess noise and distraction, and with a very polite and quiet neighbor, I’m able to concentrate for prolonged periods of time, with no interruptions. When I get curious about what’s going on, I walk out to the busy parts and visit. Then, I can go back.
Along the same lines, sometimes it becomes apparent just how deeply immersed I am in social media. I begin to feel inundated with other’s thoughts, photos and lives. I am so grateful for the contact that social media has allowed me to maintain, especially with family and friends who live far away. Yet, occasionally, I see the breakdown of my own etiquette and it becomes evident that I need to step away.
A few months ago, I had one of these etiquette breakdowns, and while I’m still a bit ashamed of myself, the end result was a realization that can be applied to social media and real life.
During the heat of the pre-election madness, a ‘friend’ on Facebook posted something that filled me with fury. I don’t wear my politics on my sleeve, however I do occasionally try to present an alternative point of view. It’s hard for me to shut-up when folks are being just plain ridiculous.
My mistake was thinking that any comments on my part would do anything but add fuel to an already out of control fire. Several hours and some pretty interesting commentary later, I realized that I had probably cemented my ‘friend’s’ opinion of me in the negative. I wrote a prolonged letter of apology and explanation, hoping to minimize the damages and try to stave off any further burns, but when I received no reply, it became evident that the damage was done.
I was sharing this unfortunate occurrence with another pal who had had similar issues with a ‘friend’ on his own wall. He suggested that before I go berserk over someone’s apparent idiocy, I take a step back and readjust their settings on my newsfeed. ‘Seclude yourself,’ he said. ‘You won’t read the crap, but will still get to see pictures of the kids.’ Super idea.
Now, when the urge arises to growl, bark and snap at ‘friends’ on social media who seem to have lost their common sense, I step back, look at their settings and adjust away.
Keep in mind, that it is also good to do a calculus of my own posts, now and again. Is what we put out there uplifting? Is it close-minded or hate-filled? Are we posting a whole lot of everything, every thirty seconds?
I try to be thoughtful about what I post as well as how I respond. It keeps everyone happier, and it’s a good habit for real life too.
In real life, however, you still stand the risk of getting a chewing out, if you’re being a nitwit and since there aren’t adjustments one can make in actual social gatherings, my hope is that we will all try to maintain a certain level of manners and politeness.
At least until I go back to my office.

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