Wednesday, December 19, 2012

Our Prerogative


Bobby Brown had a song that came out in the 1980’s entitled “My Prerogative”. The intro to the song went something like this:

“Everybody's talking all this stuff about me now
Why don't they just let me live?
I don't need commission
Make my own decisions
that's my prerogative”

These lines are very telling of the current state of our society. We live in a culture that puts emphasis on YOLO (You only live once) and making a point to say “I’m my own person, if you can’t handle it, then I don’t need you around”. The only issue is--that is not how we have been created to live. Yes, we are individuals, but we are still connected and whether we like it or not what we do still impacts the lives of many around us.

As I watch things being posted on Facebook and Twitter without filters or sensors, people do not realize the damage they are causing to people around them. They wonder why people “unfriend” or stop “following” them and respond with “if you can’t handle what I say, then I am glad you’re not my friend or following me anymore”. We have lost our connectedness.

President Obama made a great statement after the Connecticut event saying “These kids are our kids” and I agreed openly about that statement, but I feel like it is much more than that. We all have been affected by the event and those with kids were posting they would be holding their children closer, but what about the kids down the street? What about the orphans? What about (fill in the blank)? That community was our community too? “These kids are our kids” was a powerful and meaningful statement, but there is something to be said about us, as a society, recognizing that everything we do affects someone else.

Mr. Brown had a catchy song. In fact, I think I danced to it at Medieval Times in Southern California in their little bar section when I was a kid. However, the lyrics are damaging to people who want to think that living their life they want to live it doesn’t affect their families, their friends, or the community in which they live. Our prerogative should be to care for, lift up, encourage, and love one another ALWAYS!
 
Just for laughs, here is a link to the music video of Bobby Brown's song. I think after he was done making the video he was making telemarketing calls (hint: look at his mic)

2 comments:

Donna Conley said...

I like your blog! Nice touch!!

Unknown said...

Thanks! Feel free to share!