There are so few celebrities left whom I respect. Years ago, there were so many. Perhaps that is part of getting older. Those heroes we once held in awe have grown old and died, or developed ‘feet of clay’. 

Today, many of the movie heroes of my youth are considered misogynistic bores. Clark Gable, John Wayne, and worst of all, Charlton Heston, all are from a different era. Their beliefs would not fly today.  I think today’s men are often rather soft, something no one would ever say about the three I’ve just mentioned. These men feared nothing physical. And the idea that words could hurt them would have sent them into fits of laughter. Words?

Now, everyone is scared to death to say anything for fear it might offend. This is madness. And worse, it is dangerous to our future. I love the quote attributed to Warren Buffet: “You will continue to suffer if you have an emotional reaction to everything that is said to you. True power is sitting back and observing things with logic. True power is restraint. If words control you, that means everyone else can control you. Breathe and allow things to pass.”   Whether he actually said this or not, it is great advice.

We simply must begin to have a sense of humor.  It’s important to have a sense of what constitutes a joke or a random opinion, versus what is a threat. If something said is in poor taste or simply goes too far, ignore the author. But don’t have a meltdown. And don’t call the ‘thought police’. They may come for you, next.

It all reminds me of George Orwell’s famous book, 1984. I read that book when I was twelve years old (because my mother told me that I was too young to read it). https://www.amazon.com/s?k=1984+by+george+orwell&i=stripbooks&crid=2JY1TVE9680VX&sprefix=1984%2Caps%2C120&ref=nb_sb_ss_i_6_4

How much will you give up to be “safe”. And what exactly is meant by “safe”? Would you, indeed, want the government to control every aspect of your life? And if it did, do you suppose you would really be protected from bad things happening to you or your family? Ask a Native American how well that worked out.

EVERYONE should read 1984 and internalize the lessons in it. How much freedom do you want to give up?

Copyright  2019 Bonnie B. Matheson

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