The governor of Maryland announced yesterday that all county schools could go back to in person classes. That was met with some surprise. Some were happy, others were upset. As with everything else today, it seems a lot depends upon your political affiliation. He did say it was still a county decision, he wasn't ordering anyone to do so. I haven't heard what Caroline county, the one I'm in, has decided, probably won't hear that until next week. My feeling is you have to start somewhere at some time. The "numbers" if you can believe any of that, say it is safe to do so. Personally I have no faith in those numbers either way, I believe you just have to take your chances, as we always have in the past when it comes to such things. Yes we get a flu shot but let's not forget over forty five thousand people a year die from the flu every year. But, people say, so many more would have died without that shot. How could you know that? Truth is, you can't, it's just a guess. How many times can you cross a busy highway without getting hit? Some people do that every day and some get hit on the first try. That's all I'm saying. But whatever the case, in Maryland everyone can go back to school, if their county supervisors allow it.
You could look at that as a step back to normalcy. I didn't hear him say whether masks were going to be required, I'm assuming they will be. I don't remember when it happened but I do recall when hand sanitizer started being a thing in schools. Back in my day the best you could do was use that liquid soap in the bathroom. But somewhere in time hand sanitizer became a thing and it is the normal, expected thing. I'm wondering if these masks are going to be the same way. Will the kids be wearing masks with the school mascot on them? Will mask wearing become a normal thing in America the way it has become in some Asian countries? Is it prudence or paranoia? My feeling is their is a very fine line between the two. Germs and virus's are out there in the world, no doubt about that, and always will be, what is prudent? I caught some flack for stating I wouldn't wear a helmet on a bicycle. I was informed that it was the prudent thing to do and not to was to be foolish. Yes, basically being called a fool for not complying with societal pressure to be safe. Now I was talking about just riding a bicycle in general, were I to race that bicycle down the side of a mountain at high speed I would most likely feel wearing a helmet would be the prudent thing to do. If I started doing the BMX thing, going down ramps and launching myself into the air, yeah a helmet is probably a good idea. Riding my classic Schwinn cruiser around the block I'll risk it, I think I'll be just fine. That's the difference between prudence and paranoia.
It does seem to me that the generations following my own have become a bit more skittish about living. I have to assume some responsibility for that as I did raise children of my own. Those children have gone on to raise their own. Now it's true that parents tend to be protective of their children and I'm guilty of that. I wonder though if in our "concern" if we haven't become too protective. When I was little, probably about six or eight, I was allowed to carry a pocket knife, I do so till this day. No, I didn't take it to school, that I wasn't allowed to do, not because there was any fear I would harm someone else with it, but I was going to school to learn, not play. Well, besides that my pocketknife was in my play clothes, not my school clothes. I wasn't given a rubber knife or a plastic knife it was a real knife that would cut you. Mom was nervous but Dad said, he'll learn. And yes indeed I did learn. Same with a gun. Started out with a BB gun and later got a shotgun. Not being overly interested in guns I never went any further than that. But I certainly wasn't told, guns shoot people! I learned that guns only shoot things you point them at and only when you pull the trigger! Yes, yes, there can be a malfunction but that doesn't mean you have to be paranoid about that, just use prudence. Don't aim it at anything you don't intend to shoot! A simple rule to follow and everyone is safe. I really don't need to carry my bullet in my shirt pocket like Barney Fife. Was that because Andy Taylor was paranoid, or was Andy just being prudent? Another little lesson we learned from those television shows we watched as children. Well, as I said, that was my generation.
I'm not certain what lessons the kids are taking from television shows these days, if any. Seems to me the influence is coming more from social media than anywhere else. The problem with social media is there is no "unified" society at all. Not like when I was raised, in America, as an American, with traditional American values and traditions, taught that the goal was always independence. You don't gain independence by being paranoid. You accept the risks, face the challenges before you, and persevere. Pull yourself up by your bootstraps as we used to say. And it's time we started doing that again.
A return to normalcy in America? That's what I want more than anything else today. I believe there are many who feel the same way. The time has come to focus. Let's get out there and do this thing! I'm not afraid. I don't suffer from paranoia. I'll decide for myself what is prudent, you can do the same. It isn't up to the government to mandate any of that. This is my life, my choice. Yes hopefully I'm well informed, aware of the dangers and all of that. That is how we make prudent decisions. It's unfortunate, that at least I have, lost all confidence in our government officials and media outlets to present me with the facts. That leaves me between prudence and paranoia. Thing is, I'm an American, independent and free, no time for fear. Just do what needs to be done. And I'd say we have a lot of work ahead of us all.
You could look at that as a step back to normalcy. I didn't hear him say whether masks were going to be required, I'm assuming they will be. I don't remember when it happened but I do recall when hand sanitizer started being a thing in schools. Back in my day the best you could do was use that liquid soap in the bathroom. But somewhere in time hand sanitizer became a thing and it is the normal, expected thing. I'm wondering if these masks are going to be the same way. Will the kids be wearing masks with the school mascot on them? Will mask wearing become a normal thing in America the way it has become in some Asian countries? Is it prudence or paranoia? My feeling is their is a very fine line between the two. Germs and virus's are out there in the world, no doubt about that, and always will be, what is prudent? I caught some flack for stating I wouldn't wear a helmet on a bicycle. I was informed that it was the prudent thing to do and not to was to be foolish. Yes, basically being called a fool for not complying with societal pressure to be safe. Now I was talking about just riding a bicycle in general, were I to race that bicycle down the side of a mountain at high speed I would most likely feel wearing a helmet would be the prudent thing to do. If I started doing the BMX thing, going down ramps and launching myself into the air, yeah a helmet is probably a good idea. Riding my classic Schwinn cruiser around the block I'll risk it, I think I'll be just fine. That's the difference between prudence and paranoia.
It does seem to me that the generations following my own have become a bit more skittish about living. I have to assume some responsibility for that as I did raise children of my own. Those children have gone on to raise their own. Now it's true that parents tend to be protective of their children and I'm guilty of that. I wonder though if in our "concern" if we haven't become too protective. When I was little, probably about six or eight, I was allowed to carry a pocket knife, I do so till this day. No, I didn't take it to school, that I wasn't allowed to do, not because there was any fear I would harm someone else with it, but I was going to school to learn, not play. Well, besides that my pocketknife was in my play clothes, not my school clothes. I wasn't given a rubber knife or a plastic knife it was a real knife that would cut you. Mom was nervous but Dad said, he'll learn. And yes indeed I did learn. Same with a gun. Started out with a BB gun and later got a shotgun. Not being overly interested in guns I never went any further than that. But I certainly wasn't told, guns shoot people! I learned that guns only shoot things you point them at and only when you pull the trigger! Yes, yes, there can be a malfunction but that doesn't mean you have to be paranoid about that, just use prudence. Don't aim it at anything you don't intend to shoot! A simple rule to follow and everyone is safe. I really don't need to carry my bullet in my shirt pocket like Barney Fife. Was that because Andy Taylor was paranoid, or was Andy just being prudent? Another little lesson we learned from those television shows we watched as children. Well, as I said, that was my generation.
I'm not certain what lessons the kids are taking from television shows these days, if any. Seems to me the influence is coming more from social media than anywhere else. The problem with social media is there is no "unified" society at all. Not like when I was raised, in America, as an American, with traditional American values and traditions, taught that the goal was always independence. You don't gain independence by being paranoid. You accept the risks, face the challenges before you, and persevere. Pull yourself up by your bootstraps as we used to say. And it's time we started doing that again.
A return to normalcy in America? That's what I want more than anything else today. I believe there are many who feel the same way. The time has come to focus. Let's get out there and do this thing! I'm not afraid. I don't suffer from paranoia. I'll decide for myself what is prudent, you can do the same. It isn't up to the government to mandate any of that. This is my life, my choice. Yes hopefully I'm well informed, aware of the dangers and all of that. That is how we make prudent decisions. It's unfortunate, that at least I have, lost all confidence in our government officials and media outlets to present me with the facts. That leaves me between prudence and paranoia. Thing is, I'm an American, independent and free, no time for fear. Just do what needs to be done. And I'd say we have a lot of work ahead of us all.
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