WHy is it good to NOT CARE what others think?

[The Chicken Lady]

Quote:
That is so not true. I'm not talking about Madonna, but I am talking about not giving a fig what others think. I don't. I do what I know is right, what I need to do, I walk my own path, and I really don't care what others think about it. That's what the phrase means to me. No, I'm not raising my middle finger up to you or anyone, but if you think I should paint my house a different color than I choose, that's a big fat hairy problem for you, not me, because I don't care. I rode a motorcycle (and wasn't a biker sl*t or anything like that), had two kids, and I know people around here looked down their lofty noses at me. Tough tookies for them. I had more fun

I raise chickens, honeybees, and I love to dig in the dirt. I can't tell you how many of my clients think I'm absolutely crazy for digging in the dirt (nevermind the other two!!). I don't care. It's my life and I'll do with it what I want - and I'll never end up in prison because of that attitude.

You've got the positive side of "not caring" going on. You're doing things that benefit you as a person and feed your soul. You aren't showing any disrespect to anyone who really deserves it due to their relationship with you.

I think you're headed in the right direction; don't worry about jail for you!

 

[coloradochick]

I say "BFlippinD" where most "Celebrities" are concerned. I'm frankly very tired and disgusted with the "jet set", the "movie stars". Really who cares if she turned 50? And who cares if Jen and Jon broke up this week? Or if MK and Ashley Olsen are now renting out a NY apartment for 50,000 a month? Our society has gotten very sad as far as these people go.

 

[Davaroo]

Of course, Ms. M is just the trigger - this isnt about her specifically or other celebrities, except as an outward sign of our society.

No, it is more about why do we think it is good to say "F*&k you - I'm doing what I want!"

 

[nnbreeder]

Why should you care what other people think? Are you living your life for them? Or for you? As long as you respect the rights of others around you and show consideration what does it really matter?

 

[The Chicken Lady]

Quote:
It probably has something to do with the history of our country and the values our country was built on. Our country was built by people who valued breaking away and rebelling, people who wanted more personal freedom. We were built on the "pull yourself up by your own bootstraps" mentality, where what you have is primarily due to what you've accomplished by yourself.

In the early days of our country, this attitude was great to have if you were going to move West, settle the frontier, and make a name for yourself. This attitude kept people going in the face of extremely difficult challenges and TONS of hard, backbreaking work. As well, there were stricter moral boundaries and a lot harsher consequences if one took the idea of freedom too far.

Today, we still have that attitude, but it isn't tempered, for the most part, with hard work or severe consequences. "Freedom" doesn't seem to mean the same thing it meant in 1776, unless one is *specifically* talking about patriotism.

"Freedom" is an excuse to feel entitled to walk all over other people, to ignore the needs of one's own self and (horrifically) one's own offspring. "Freedom" allows murderers to live out their lives with free food and cable TV, or a pretty painless, tortureless death after being given something to help them fall asleep.

I don't think most of us understand exactly what "freedom" meant to the founding fathers. I think they would be shocked at what our country has become.

 

[Reinbeau]

Quote:
It probably has something to do with the history of our country and the values our country was built on. Our country was built by people who valued breaking away and rebelling, people who wanted more personal freedom. We were built on the "pull yourself up by your own bootstraps" mentality, where what you have is primarily due to what you've accomplished by yourself.

In the early days of our country, this attitude was great to have if you were going to move West, settle the frontier, and make a name for yourself. This attitude kept people going in the face of extremely difficult challenges and TONS of hard, backbreaking work. As well, there were stricter moral boundaries and a lot harsher consequences if one took the idea of freedom too far.

Today, we still have that attitude, but it isn't tempered, for the most part, with hard work or severe consequences. "Freedom" doesn't seem to mean the same thing it meant in 1776, unless one is *specifically* talking about patriotism.

"Freedom" is an excuse to feel entitled to walk all over other people, to ignore the needs of one's own self and (horrifically) one's own offspring. "Freedom" allows murderers to live out their lives with free food and cable TV, or a pretty painless, tortureless death after being given something to help them fall asleep.

I don't think most of us understand exactly what "freedom" meant to the founding fathers. I think they would be shocked at what our country has become.

Please, don't allow the twisting of the definition of the term 'freedom' the way you've done here. I and many others out there know exactly what freedom means and meant. The original intent of the founding fathers was exactly as you first wrote. Personal freedom, building your lives by 'pulling yourself up by your bootstraps', that's still what it means. Take care of you and yours. It's the liberal mindset that's committing the crimes against freedom you outlined. There are many of us who are watching the decay of our nation with fear, but it's hard to live by your own beliefs, take care of your own, be responsible for yourself - it takes guts, courage, and determination, and that is what's missing in society today. Too many have gone soft and look to 'the government' to take care of them, and they're told that's their 'right' by the liberal media and way too many in positions of power. Freedom still means what it meant. We're just not free anymore (unless we work darned hard to remain that way).

 

[Rosalind]

What Reinbeau said, word up.

I don't care much what the majority thinks, because very often the majority is WRONG. And often the majority changes their minds as to what is right and wrong.

Sometimes the majority thinks you should have a certain religion. Pharoah Akhenaten, Jeshua bar Joseph, and many others disagreed and believed as they felt was right. Sometimes the majority thinks that something morally wrong, such as slavery, racism or sexism are OK, and lots of people disagreed and fought wars because they knew rationally that it wasn't right. I don't think there's anything wrong with folks like John Brown, but then again I don't think there's necessarily anything wrong with being imprisoned by a society whose laws are not always just. Martin Luther, HD Thoreau, Martin Luther King Jr., and a whole slew of extremely moral people went to jail for having unpopular sentiments, too.

On the contrary, I often see people who DO go along with the popular sentiment about (whatever) on major issues, who thereby avoid going to jail on other issues. There's a whole raft of politicians who have undoubtedly committed treason, embezzlement, graft, RICO violations, bribery, harassment, assault, war crimes and so on who are somehow not in jail because they are popular for other reasons (religion, make good speeches, too wealthy to go to jail, etc.). But they wear suits everywhere they are supposed to, speak politely for the most part, and I bet they go to church regularly, too.

Madonna's goal, as with most celebrities, is to make a big deal out of herself in new ways lest some pretty young thang steal the spotlight from her. Her entire livelihood depends on NOT being like anyone else and shocking people to get their attention, so I'm not sure she's a good example. Another economic issue, rich people can be mass murderers and they are merely "eccentric," not "sociopathic," although probably sociopathic is a better descriptor if it were applied without respect to financial status.

IMHO, what's in your soul and your heart and your mind counts for a lot more than what you look like or what anyone else thinks you should do.

 

[cluckychick]

Quote:

I thought you were gonna say John Edwards illegitamate daughter, lol.

 

[The Chicken Lady]

Quote:
This was a great post. I enjoyed reading it.

So....to add another facet to the discussion (and this question is for anyone)...

When does personal freedom go too far? Who should be responsible for deciding what "too far" means? Do we need someone (police, government, etc.) to decide that for us?

How do you teach your kids to defend their own freedom while walking the delicate line between "jumping through hoops" set up by others to be successful in life and being their own person?

 

[EweSheep]

Good topic, David!

I am nodding my head at all those topics, I agree with most of you!

Applause for everyone!