WHy is it good to NOT CARE what others think?

[Reinbeau]

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?

That's a great question. And the essence of the problem today. Something that truly harms society is 'going too far'. Murder, theft, cheating, etc. is all going too far. Saying the wrong word because you may offend someone isn't going too far. It isn't nice, but there really and truly isn't an amendment, nor it is written into the Constitution, that thou shalt not offend. Sticks and stones should apply to the pc word police that exist out there today. But that's a whole 'nother rant!

I think another pertinent question is how much care do we have to take of each other? Where does personal responsibility end and society's responsibilities begin? This is a key problem with America today (I really don't care about the rest of the planet right now. What's going on in my own back yard is what concerns me). People will not assume the responsibilities they should for their own care, the care of their families, etc. Turning to the government for everything is what's going to bring an end to the great American freedoms we've all grown to enjoy.

So lock up people when they harm society - no bargaining, no time for good behavior, full sentences. Eliminate those who commit such a heinous crime against another - yes, I do mean the death penalty. Make it profitable to the individual to work hard and better themselves (the individual, here, the Gettysburg address spoke of a country Of the People, By the pPeople and For the People, not Of the corporation, by the corporation and for the corporation - therein lies another rant!). People need to work to feel good about themselves, they need to provide for themselves, it does a population no good at all to feed them, clothe them, house them, with no effort on their part, it causes rot, rot to the core of a society.

Am I not compassionate? Yes, I am, but not if you're milking the system, not if you aren't trying to better your place in life, I have no respect for that.

Oh boy, I'm running out of steam. Time to go out into the garden and pull a few more weeds!​

 

[Davaroo]

So we're thinking, I take it?

Goody. Nice break from chickens, WHEEEEE!

 

[Break an Egg]

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. I read a few more posts - and I left out the fact that I live what I consider a moral and ethical life, as the others said. 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.


By the way, Madonna is my fifth cousin. Not bragging, I just found that out. She was born in Michigan, not Queens, up in Bay City. I'm originally from Detroit. Two brothers came here from France way back in the early 1800's. One stayed in northern Michigan, the other went up to Alberta, Canada. She and I are descended from the Michigoose

It is very true. Prison isn't just for bad ppl, there are people in there that just don't care what the consequences are for their actions. It doesn't make them bad. It makes them a deviant from the "norm".

 

[Cassandra]

Quote:
Davaroo, first of all, my four year old asks why you are scrubbing your head with a cat.

(Please reply. He's very interested.) LOL

As to your original question:

My husband says I'm a libertarian. I don't know. I don't really "study" politics enough to know the difference. But he knows I'm of the opinion that "I don't care what other people do as long as they aren't bothering me. And likewise, I would expect the same from them." He says, "Exactly."

I know in this current world, it is really really hard to keep people out of your business. And it seems like the butterfly effect. Every stupid thing that someone does ends up causing problems for me.

For example, some people don't want to work. What do I care? I don't. But the government won't allow them to just live with the consequences of their decision. Nooooo. They have to take some of my money to give to them so they can live up to whatever minimum standards someone has arbitrarily decided someone ought to be able to live. (problem for me.)

I won't go on about all the things that people do that cause problems either directly, or through policy and laws, for everyone else. We'd be WAY better off if everyone would just leave everyone else alone.

Is that what "live and let live" means? I was never sure.

Anyway, I really do not care what anyone thinks about anything I do. I've already decided what's morally acceptable. I think it's the height of arrogance for someone else to think they know what that is better than I do. I purposely live my life in a way that doesn't cause problems for other people, because I have found, through experience, that this is the best way to get them to not cause problems for me.

In some cases (and I'm not talking about you, Dave!) I have seen other people use "what other people think" almost like a religion. They use others' opinions of them as a way to measure how well they are doing. In an ACTUAL CONVERSATION I was having with a guy, we were talking about what kinds of things you would do or not do if there was no chance that anyone would ever find out about it. And then, why you do things that are "right."

He complained that he did something really cool at work and no one seemed to notice or comment on it. I said that happens to me all the time. I don't care. I do cool stuff at work, number one, because they usually make my job easier on me, and two, I get enormous satisfaction out of doing something that *I* think is good and right. I don't need other people to let me know and wouldn't really give a poop what they thought about it anyway. I asked didn't he ever just do something just for the satisfaction of doing a good thing, even if you aren't going to get an praise for it from someone else. He scoffed, in all seriousness, and asked, "What's the point of doing it if no one else is going to notice."

His opinion and my opinion on that topic are completely different and unfathomable to each other.

As far as Madonna goes, I think we are all being a bit naive. Madonna and her "people" are marketing geniuses. **Didn't care what other people think--my a$$.** Everything she has ever done has been extremely calculated in the effort to advance her career and make her money.

Cassandra

 

[Break an Egg]

Quote:
Oh no, I had always heard I was going to He@@, because of my attitude, now I am gonna go to jail too.

You just might

 

[Davaroo]

My greater point in all of this is that we owe one another a decent behavior, one that respects others. Yes I said "owe." Another way to look at it is that it is your duty.

It really isn't about doing this or that, or even doing what you want. It's about that fact that what you do affects others. EVERYTHING YOU DO.

Get drunk and stay home - you dont affect me right? Wrong.
Your drunkeness could spill over in all sorts of ways, from domestic abuse to a burden on the medical system.
You might not make it to work because of it and I will have to carry your load. And so on.

Consider the closet pedophile, too. Does anyone think he is okay because what he does in private isn't bothering them?

Because you have the blessing of living in a society like ours you have a duty to give back in ways that are beneficial.
Oh, dear, there I go again, using words like 'duty'.

Someone asked did we need Morality police? Well, yes, and we already have them - YOU and ME. We decide what is good or bad, right and wrong and is of common sense.
Again it's part of our duty to be discerning.

SO I say, wearing your pants around your knees, posting your fight vids on YouTube and flipping off the society at large because you want to be unique and 'self expressive' is shirking your duty - and aint cutting it.

Thanks, Madonna, for your inspiration.

 

[SewingDiva]

Sad but true.

It does seem that narcissism and hypocrisy are in ample supply in this era of history. I see it everywhere at all social and economic levels. Like the people who park in a handicapped spaces when the disabled person is nowhere to be seen. People who don't put shopping carts back. People who don’t let passengers of the elevator off first. People who won’t do every other car in merging traffic. People who won't offer their seat to a senior, disabled person or a pregnant woman.

The small things like that really bother me.

"Its all about me" really does seem to be the personal motto of many many people.

~Phyllis

 

[Reinbeau]

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. <snip.>

It is very true. Prison isn't just for bad ppl, there are people in there that just don't care what the consequences are for their actions. It doesn't make them bad. It makes them a deviant from the "norm".

You are and continue to be wrong. People who end up in prison are most definitely bad, I can't imagine how you could think otherwise. Saying someone will end up in prison because they don't care what others think is just plain so off base it's laughable. I am a wife, mother of two good boys, 52 years old and have never been in trouble with the law. So go ahead and believe what you want of me. Because I really don't care what people like you, who want everyone to conform to their norm, think. Not being argumentative, just stating the facts as I see them.

And from the other responses to this thread, thankfully, I know I am not alone.

 

[PurpleChicken]

 

[All about the EGG]

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. I read a few more posts - and I left out the fact that I live what I consider a moral and ethical life, as the others said. 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.


By the way, Madonna is my fifth cousin. Not bragging, I just found that out. She was born in Michigan, not Queens, up in Bay City. I'm originally from Detroit. Two brothers came here from France way back in the early 1800's. One stayed in northern Michigan, the other went up to Alberta, Canada. She and I are descended from the Michigoose

It is very true. Prison isn't just for bad ppl, there are people in there that just don't care what the consequences are for their actions. It doesn't make them bad. It makes them a deviant from the "norm".

Are you serious? That has got to be the most unbelievable thing i have ever heard!