🚀 go-pugleaf

Jim & Kiva wrote:
> 
> Why does this all sound familiar?
> 
> 25 years ago, my parents generation bitched about kids and their long
> hair, bell bottom jeans, bare feet, etc.  All these were (of course)
> indicators of drug use, sexual activity, and so on.
> 
> They were partly right.  As a group, long-hairs were smoking more dope
> than short-hairs.  As a group, dope-smokers were more likely to be
> long-hairs.  But there were a lot of exceptions on both sides of the fence
> and most of us who did smoke dope went on to become decent parents and
> good, productive citizens.
> 
> I don't think the situation today is much different.

Jim,

I agree that the situations are analogous.  However that does not mean
that the parents of yesterday were wrong.  My parents wished me to not
identify myself with those who were "smoking more dope".  Since they
were particularly good parents they were able to transfer this attitude
to me.  Therefore, despite the peer pressure, I avoided both the life
style and the dress code of the druggies.

And it was amazing.  After I grew up I found that my life had not been
maimed or broken by identifying myself with morally upright people. 
Contrariwise, I found that I had less problem gaining the trust of
society's mainstream.

Now I'm sure that many who chose a different road than myself also
managed to put together a respectable, successful life.  But their
youthful choices were more likely to hinder than to help their success.

I hope to raise my children in a similar way.  If they choose to
identify themselves by their clothing, I hope that they will choose an
identity which I and they will be proud of.

Contrariwise, if they choose to group themselves with  the dregs of
society, I will use whatever authority I have to forbid and discourage
that practice.

Of course, I will also be concerned with WHY they would make such and
choice and work on the disease as well as the symptom.

Dale