Everybody does it. It seems like each person on the planet finds someone they find inferior to themselves and deride them for their shortcomings. The most recent of these, ignoring politics for a bit, is Chas being chosen to be on Dancing with the Stars on TV. The outcry of folk claiming it demeans family values and their religious beliefs has been overwhelming. It’s seems at best juvenile, something those stuck in jr. high might do. Oops, that was demeaning wasn’t it. Is it not the basis of almost all reality shows, folks finding ways a demeaning others so they can win. Dr. Phil, as good as his credentials are, has made a popular living by inviting people with significant problems on his show and then he condemns and demeans them in from of the TV audience and calls it therapy. I was always of the belief that therapy was to make folk feel better. And in his case, “tough love” my ass, he just abuses folk. There I go demeaning a fella human being again. We get all excited during elections which have become continuous, demeaning each others candidates then electing our favorites which represent hardly anyone and the demean them as “those politicians.” Oh, I demeaned the whole population of being stupid didn’t I.
Why do we do it? What is there, what is in our nature that leads us to such completely unproductive activity? Did demeaning ever really solve a single problem? Did it ever improve a person’s behavior. Why do mothers drag their children through stores acting as though their child as the most worthless thing in the world because they are acting childlike? Oops, another demeaning judgment on my part.
We know that praise works far better than demeaning in improving behavior in children and adults alike, and yet which is more common. I do think that today’s parents are the best we’ve ever seen; fathers participating more in child rearing that I’ve ever seen. I love at my granddaughter and her husband raising their children with more love and patience that I could ever have and stand in awe. That doesn’t mean they don’t condemn just along with the rest of us.
I have ideas as to why this takes place, but before I say anything I’ll just listen a bit for the ideas of others. You have no idea how hard it is for me to do that.
Tell me why we demean those who are mostly just like ourselves?
I think demeaning comes about partly because of fear of the unknown and feelings of our own inferiority because we "don't know it all". Its a sad situation but many times, we have such feelings of inadequacy that we mistakenly feel that we have to step on somebody else and push them down in order to keep ourselves up -- we know it doesn't work but we do it anyway. We are by nature "prone to all of this"..... watched a commentary a little about Chaz this a.m. I think it could be a good teaching experience of tolerance for parents whose kids watch the show but there are certainly some people upset about it -- but even bad publicity is publicity and will create more watchers for the show and perhaps in the process, a better understanding of what transgender is all about. These are the same people who don't believe there should be any sex education because then the kids will learn how to get pregnant too soon --- yah.... you betcha! We all know what ignorance does in that realm of life.
ReplyDelete