Civil aggression

 I don't respond to a number of the meme's found on Facebook that are fishing for information to use in guessing your passwords, or the ones insisting I need to do this or be condemned to hell. I did respond to the question, what word or phrase annoys you. That answer is empowered. I grimace every time I hear someone using that. They are empowered! What does that mean. really? Permission is granted. You have granted yourself permission to do, say, or act in a certain way. Yes, empowerment is all about self. And it's my thinking all this empowerment is what has lead us to the mess we are currently living in. What I'm talking about is civil aggression. That's what I'm calling it anyway. 

 There was a story on the news concerning that. The journalist was reporting on the rise of violent incidents at the airports and on the planes. There was speculation about that rise. I thought about empowerment. Empowerment can lead one to entitlement, at least in your own mind it can. I'm thinking that is what is happening. People are feeling empowered to act out! Isn't that what we used to say about kids that were brats! They were just acting out. Nowadays we analyze the children to determine an excuse for that behavior. Well, because we have also decided we are all victims. But, at the same time we have empowered ourselves to overcome all obstacles. Doesn't matter how you feel, I'm empowered.

 Somehow all of this progressive thinking, this empathy and understanding has gone off the tracks. I will be empathetic to you if I have to kill you to do it! I will express my concern for your choices forcefully if necessary. You will get this vaccine if I have to deny you everything else to gain your compliance. After all, it is for the good of all humanity! And that takes precedence over your feelings or beliefs, although you are allowed to have those feelings and beliefs, you just aren't allowed to have feelings or beliefs different from mine. I can force all that on you because I'm empowered. You know all this empowerment is really no different that bigotry. It is just self awarded. It's an excuse for acting out, for behaving in an uncivilized fashion, a justification of bigotry. 

 I miss the days when we were all repressed. You know when we were taught to be considerate of others, and not insist we get our way. It was a little something called manners and civility. I was taught about being in polite company, remember that? Today I listen to public figures speaking to crowds and cursing as they do so. Governor Hogan and his wear the damn mask mandate. How eloquently put by an elected official. That sort of speech is aggressive in nature. Read the banners and signs being displayed these days, they are the same way. *uck Biden, Trump or whoever emblazoned on flags and flown in public. Bumper stickers the same. All signs of aggression. 

 Passive/Agressive? I don't know anything about that, I'll leave that to those with their degrees and years of education. I do know that sort of thing leads to heated discussion and sometimes violence. Why? Because that person feels empowered to speak in such a fashion, being protected by civil law? When people react in an uncivil fashion towards that it shouldn't come as a surprise. It sure doesn't surprise me at all, having learned what the reaction would be at an early age. If I had said to my Father I feel empowered the response would have been, I've got your empowered right here! You are not empowered, you are being a brat!