CONDUCT MATTERS

“Ripple Effect” of Behavior Good & Bad


CULTURE UPDATE!

ELEVATOR VERSION

"It looked like others were getting away with it. I thought I could too." Words from a son who came minutes away from death, and whose train wrecked young life is just now pulling into the "smart car" station.

Does self-destructive behavior matter when cumulative effect is considered? A former President's personal conduct? Politicians of any party or stripe? Paris, Lindsey, Jessica, Brittany, and their male celeb counter parts—all in need of attention, publicity at any price and all looking for a quick and constant fix to pleasure addictions—all innocent children once, and all redeemable, are only the latest crop of brats on steroids that the public attention is turned to.

In an age where media broadcasts personal conduct, good or bad, for 6 billion eyes world-wide to see, the exponential effect and potential for one’s conduct to have an immediate ripple effect is over-whelming and incalculable.

Immoral behavior is expensive. Law breaking is expensive. Stories combining this with “bimboism,” – news worthy? I didn’t think so until I took my parental and hard-earned magnifying glass of expanding wisdom and examined the “bimbo out breaks” along with the media’s apparent fascination, more seriously. Let me "pitch” some examples of how serious a topic and unfortunately “news worthy” “bimbo-mania” is, and then you may decide if my argument has been worth your time…

PREMISE: Does amoral or immoral conduct have a ripple affect into society and what are those consequences?

STAIRCASE VERSION

Would distracting a President— the leader, and arguably the most powerful man in the “free world” – from his duties be considered harmless? Have no ripple effect upon citizens of his country and the world? If he were judged “improper” at the least in his behavior, using valuable national security time to do so, and then lied about it, covered it up, broke a few laws (even if minor) would it matter? How much distraction from the most important job in the free world is too much distraction? Does conduct really matter?

And what about “Bimbo Behavior?”— How does that tie in? Here’s how I get there.

Why Pay Attention: The “Ripple Effect.”

Why does self-indulgent, brat-like, permissive personal behavior intrigue us? Like a story where you want to know if the “bad guy” can really win, we hope for the best but prepare for the worst. We are a story driven culture. And it’s not about casting judgments, unless there is usefulness to it – and the only useful element is to determine if there exists a societal “ripple effect.”

I can tell you that with my two maturing children the effects of celeb appearances winning at bad behavior has had devastating ripple-down consequences. They aren’t out of the darkness or woods of immaturity and poor personal judgment calls on behavior yet. Picking my son up from an unfortunate and expensive (for him and family) legal event, one year after he almost died from a drug overdose, I asked him the big question again, “Why?”

His answer was simple and direct. “Because it looked like fun and that others were getting away with it. I thought I could too.” Now the truth is he has had marvelous role models and training in moral behavior and acknowledges that. He has a good heart but has allowed so many public influences to translate to "personal conduct." So has my daughter, very disappointed that she isn’t succeeding at becoming a “princess of privilege.” It breaks a parent’s heart to see such destroyed character, such lost and wasted potential. Youth sees consequences as something “others” suffer from. If they survive to 25 years old, they just might make something of themselves. But leaving behind a trail of disaster, pain, expense, disappointment, and poor influences upon others from amoral or immoral conduct is real; it does have an accumulated societal cost. It is expensive for all of us.

A parent in society today must battle against dragons never before sent out to defeat them in their quest to safeguard the sanctity of their castle. With so much multi-media attention focused on "girls gone wild" and a plethora of seedy entertainment choices, the effort to monitor encroaching communications becomes nearly over-whelming for parents. And for the youth without great experience or judgement? Enticements at steroid and speed of light levels of influence over immature minds and developing hormones find their ways into young lives along with the implied, "a little won't hurt," and "others are getting away with it, you can too."

On another blog the question of morality of “bimbos” and their effect upon us was questioned as to whether it is “news worthy.” Several bloggers, as tired as I am of talking about or hearing about bleach blond trouble makers and their dangerous shenanigans, offered alternative stories or “real news.”

My knee-jerk reaction was, “Yes, they are right. Enough of this.” My analytical mind went to work on the larger issue of “morals” and questioned if these temporarily insane over-paid youth do have an impact on society. As I connected the dots which included my insecure daughter and thousands like her who want to imitate these princesses of excess, the feigning of happiness cloaked in glamour, the attention and privilege seemingly given them, I realized that society is at stake, and things which lead to disaster, even wars, or declining economies are all inter-connected to “moral” or “immoral” decision making, ( a la, The Fall of Rome?)

Pop Culture effect: “Bimboismo” is just an“in-your-face” warning sign. It begs us to connect the dots of behavior judging if a society can withstand amoral and immoral behavior without consequence. I lived through the “Sexual Revolution" of the 1960’s. Did “free love” have no cost? Did, “If it feels good do it” have no ripple effect? Is “free speech” really free?

Ask the dead or physically handicapped – like some of my friends, Lenny Hernandez, Paul Rosenberg, Marty Miller, Carol Kennedy… the list could go on. These were not “privileged” youth but from blue-collar America buying in to the lies of a pop-culture amoral society.

Personal Costs: Every reader of this and other blogs can analyze the results of unchecked personal behavior. For me it ranges from dead friends and family to the hospitalized. From expensive treatments, to loss of jobs, family, homes. Impact on the economy? Only a blind person would disagree. Impact on society? The cumulative effect of amoral and immoral behavior (even if temporarily so and later converted to moral conduct) is expensive in terms of personal and societal health, welfare, finances, family structure, and national security.

National Security? I hesitate to share or dig it up again. I don’t really like discussing the seedy side of public figures. But let me answer the question of National Security compromise with one scenario alone. When an Arkansas Governor became President his main job was to protect and serve us, the citizenry. IF, for the slightest of moments he found himself otherwise engaged in a supposedly “private” or “closet behavior,” with another person where passion overcame reason, and then found the need to get his hands off one “thing” and onto another, let’s say the “football” – that black briefcase with the nuclear codes –

Would anyone argue that private amoral or immoral conduct does not matter? That it does not have a direct effect to “readiness” for national defense? That it could not be a recipe for national disaster? That it should not be a topic for national interest or debate?

Conduct does matter: Yours ultimately affects me. It ripples across the pond of society and creates a wave for civilization in one of many directions. Waves of compassion, love, humanitarianism, good conduct create peace, prosperity, and safety in society. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to show where waves of narcissism, self-serving needs, and law breaking behaviors lead to.

Debate if you wish… But “free love” always has a price. “Breaking laws” doesn’t work either – As our current list of “bimbo brats” find – you can’t “break laws" but you can "break yourself" against them.

And the cost of bad conduct? For several of my friends it has ended in tragically lived and short lives. For others lingering illness and expensive addictions. For those around them the pain and suffering of loving them but not being able to do anything about it is real. For society in general?

Ask yourself? “Is individual “bad conduct” news worthy?” Individual conduct ripples out into the lives of others. Ultimately, the destruction of society is just “one person” at a time. A very news worthy topic, and expensive, at the very least.

“Jim”
http://www.jmpratt.com/