The average American man wakes up in the morning and goes through a routine series of events. He may brush his teeth, or put on the news. He may kiss his son on the cheek and send him to school. He might even pick his eldest daughter up from soccer practice and take her out for ice cream. Or he may just lay in bed next to his wife cuddling, waiting for the sun to rise so he can start his day. There are also a few things the average American will not do during his day.
The average man does not go overseas
Hold his daughter's hand and drop to his knees
Whisper in her ear "I'll be back soon"
Then say his goodbyes and exit the room
This man doesn't sacrifice his life everyday
For his wife and his daughters and the U S of A
The Average man's son sleeps cozy at night
While the other guy's son sleeps with pure fright
One man sleeps countries away
While another gets to go home everyday
Average Joe's wife swears "love till the end"
While G.I. Joe's wife sleeps with his friend
Some work the office from nine to five
Others work full time... "staying alive"
I doubt he would sleep with his head in the sand
Then jump to his feet on urgent command
I'm sure he'd rather be home with his wife
Than holding his friend while he loses his life
He'll never know what it's like to bury a friend
Who fought like a beast and shed blood 'till the end
"Son, college is by far your best bet"
"But Dad, you haven't even heard me yet"
"I have a college degree and look at my life,
a house, two cars, and a beautiful wife"
"Dad, objects and money only get you so far
With your boat and your house and your six figure car.
You may think big, but I think bigger
Its not just a uniform and a gun with a trigger
You may do okay, but when I get older
I refuse to be average, I'll be an American Soldier
Monday, July 25, 2011
Generation Lazy
-In 1955 if you had told a hard-working, middle class man that over the course of the next fifty years his beloved United States of America will turn into what we see it as today, he may not have only showed disbelief, he may have even laughed in your face. It may sound crazy, but as a country we welcome... "Generation Lazy".
While sitting on line at the market, attempting to spend my hard earned money, I overheard a young mother on her four-hundred dollar iPhone explaining to her fellow listener how she had misplaced her food stamp card and therefore could not make her purchase. I nearly missed the irony in the situation due to the fact that one of her four children was persistently kicking me in my left shin. I have never fancied myself an eavesdropper, but at that point I listened a little closer and opened my eyes a little wider.
The situation at the market opened me up to several truths about today's American. The mentality of our people today compared to that of mid-twentieth century folks is disgustingly different. Earlier decades produced strong-willed, physically tough and self sufficient young men and women. There was a certain level of respect that a man had for himself. It seems now that there is absolutely no shame in allowing someone else to pick up your duties. It's as if you have accomplished a small moral victory by dodging your responsibilities and letting the sucker to your left or right take care of it. Some might say its due to the overwhelming amount of technology we have today. I agree...to a point. There are just certain things that cannot be blamed on technology.
For instance, the fact that over forty percent of the U.S. is obese. The only part technology played there was the television that was being watched as the individual ate pizza and grew larger. Instead of eating right and exercising daily, some individuals are under the impression that if they get heavy enough they will qualify for a surgery to make things right.
Obesity is not the only evidence of laziness in our country. Something as simple as a young man putting in an honest day of work seems almost unrealistic today. I hear so often people complain of poverty within the U.S. Understand this, if at any moment you can walk up to a car with a rag, wipe a window for thirty seconds, and leave with a dollar, you are miles away from the face of poverty.
This disease is contagious and is passed down from mother to child. No, I don't mean biologically, I mean socially. Today's youth and their actions are direct reflections of a parent's failure to commit. The word discipline all of a sudden seems foreign. It has become a harsh word used in the military or behind the walls of a prison. In the mind of a parent brought up in "Generation Lazy", it is easier for a child to raise himself as opposed to a parent to taking on the "task". If the kid can't do it someone else will... No worries.
They say history repeats itself, I don't know who "they" are but I hope and pray they are right. Hopefully, in time our society will do a one-eighty and head back to the days when men worked hard and stood tall, and a mother and father took pride in the children they raised as opposed to being ashamed of the way society raised their children for them. If we as a country fail to make it back to the good days...Oh well, someone will come and bail us out.
While sitting on line at the market, attempting to spend my hard earned money, I overheard a young mother on her four-hundred dollar iPhone explaining to her fellow listener how she had misplaced her food stamp card and therefore could not make her purchase. I nearly missed the irony in the situation due to the fact that one of her four children was persistently kicking me in my left shin. I have never fancied myself an eavesdropper, but at that point I listened a little closer and opened my eyes a little wider.
The situation at the market opened me up to several truths about today's American. The mentality of our people today compared to that of mid-twentieth century folks is disgustingly different. Earlier decades produced strong-willed, physically tough and self sufficient young men and women. There was a certain level of respect that a man had for himself. It seems now that there is absolutely no shame in allowing someone else to pick up your duties. It's as if you have accomplished a small moral victory by dodging your responsibilities and letting the sucker to your left or right take care of it. Some might say its due to the overwhelming amount of technology we have today. I agree...to a point. There are just certain things that cannot be blamed on technology.
For instance, the fact that over forty percent of the U.S. is obese. The only part technology played there was the television that was being watched as the individual ate pizza and grew larger. Instead of eating right and exercising daily, some individuals are under the impression that if they get heavy enough they will qualify for a surgery to make things right.
Obesity is not the only evidence of laziness in our country. Something as simple as a young man putting in an honest day of work seems almost unrealistic today. I hear so often people complain of poverty within the U.S. Understand this, if at any moment you can walk up to a car with a rag, wipe a window for thirty seconds, and leave with a dollar, you are miles away from the face of poverty.
This disease is contagious and is passed down from mother to child. No, I don't mean biologically, I mean socially. Today's youth and their actions are direct reflections of a parent's failure to commit. The word discipline all of a sudden seems foreign. It has become a harsh word used in the military or behind the walls of a prison. In the mind of a parent brought up in "Generation Lazy", it is easier for a child to raise himself as opposed to a parent to taking on the "task". If the kid can't do it someone else will... No worries.
They say history repeats itself, I don't know who "they" are but I hope and pray they are right. Hopefully, in time our society will do a one-eighty and head back to the days when men worked hard and stood tall, and a mother and father took pride in the children they raised as opposed to being ashamed of the way society raised their children for them. If we as a country fail to make it back to the good days...Oh well, someone will come and bail us out.
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