1633. Random Thoughts—Group 57

• Emerson said “The world turns on hope.” He didn’t go far enough. Respect for one’s fellow human inspires tact, and tact is the KY Jelly of social intercourse. Without it, hope doesn’t take a person very far. Ergo, progress depends more on respect of others than on one’s hope.
• Kids and teachers complain about parents as if nothing else matters. I wish to ask both groups, precisely what do you contribute to the home? Child-defined ‘goodnesses’ and good intentions seem to satisfy teachers and kids. But how do they know the problem? Parents want help with their self-identified problems and not ‘solutions’ identified by sub-adults and those outside the home. If teachers want to help their students’ home life, let them teach children more about personal responsibility and how to inject it into the home and family. Parents can take it from there.
• Why do mothers treat teen boys as if they’re not respectful and respected? Moms dress in around-the-house wear, garage-sale bargains, unappealing tee-shirts, and flip-flops and take teen sons grocery shopping. Teen boys are in the process of learning that their public persona depends a lot on the attractiveness of the female they are with. A carelessly dressed mother signals that her husband doesn’t rank very high and neither does he, her son. Of course, moms argue “But I’m his mother, and that’s different.” To which I respond, you don’t know much about boys, enough about your son, and especially how to make him proud of both you and himself.