What's the haps out there, people? Sir Marcus back here
Before we get going, I'd be remiss if I didnt take the time to shout out my boy 5 Deuce 4 Trey (say it all together the way it's written there) who saw my last blog as inspiration to start his own, hence bringing http://ralphrude.blogspot.com into the world. Before he started it, he was very much anti-blogging, so I'm admittedly pretty damn proud to have converted him to the light. He's that guy who will say what so many of us are afraid to - even in the somewhat sheltered and allegedly open-minded arena of the interweb - and because of his candor, hilarity often ensues. Check him out because you heard it here first, and for that, YOU'RE WELCOME.
In non-sequitor news, at some point, someone's going to need to explain to me how we got to a place in our in society in which it's completely acceptable to not take any sort of responsibility or action towards treating your fellow men and women with common human courtesy. That kinda behavior permeates all throughout our society, whether it be a relationship between people dating, one between employees and their employers, or one as seemingly trivial as the one between a babysitter and the person/people that pays them to watch their kids. To that last point, have you ever had kids tell you they were going to take some of the food you're eating because you told them they couldn't have any? Or better yet, have they ever just reached onto your plate to get said food without even paying you the dignity of a pre-reach warning? Yeah, disrespect for other people's space, belongings, etc. has trickled down from the douchey McAssholes in bars and subways of the inner cities all the way to kids in small college towns in the midwest.
I suppose it's nice to know that our progeny is developing adult-level apathy and indiscretion at an early age, so as to work out all of the kinks. When you steal food and other household items from people as an adult, it's "wrong" and you can get "arrested," but if you allow your offspring to do that shit at home, then when they are outside of the house with new people, it's "cute," right? But guess what, people? This is the environment in which most children are being raised, so it's tough to be too mad at the kidlets. Far be it from me to tell someone how their kids should be reared, but I'm just saying that if your kids should be a little more hesitant about snatching others' food or telling their babysitter that they're going to steal his food, phone, computer, etc; even in jest, that speaks to a certain level of comfort on the homefront that is slightly troubling. Between that and the phrases "please," and "thank you" being foreign expressions in most kids' language these days, somewhere along the way, their upbringing hit a serious snag. Take note parents of America, because you are way behind the 8-ball on this one.
The larger looming issue of changing the societal lack of common human decency obviously promises to be a HERCULEAN undertaking (i.e. IMPOSSIBLE) for just one person to take on, but there's no reason that that one person can't try raising awareness about it through reaching out to his fellow blogosphanatics. Here are the bottom lines:
(1) Parents, teach your kids common manners. If they have to be told to say something as simple as thank you, then that's a damn shame and you have officially dropped the ball.
(2) Employers, we all know that there aren't enough jobs for the thousands of young men and women who enter the workforce every year, but dammit, don't have us apply for your job and then not contact us for a long time (if at all); Let us know one way or another ASAP so that we're not in limbo for weeks or months on end.
(3) Ladies, stop with the fake phone number nonsense. If you don't want a guy to have your actual number, then cut the charade from jump street and just say so. Also, don't think that it is your born right to have the world handed to you; chivalry IS NOT dead, but for guys, we certainly aren't tripping over ourselves to get the girl who expects the world the be handed to her just because she's a girl. Get over yourself, chickenhead.
(4) Fellas, I know I'm going to catch flack for this, but so what, it needs to be said anyways: If you have no plans on calling a girl again, then don't say you will. If you say you will, then do so, even if it means doing so to say that things aren't going any further. Yes, it's controversial, but in the end at least it dignifies both parties. Also, stop grab-assing at random girls in bars/clubs without any sort of pretext between you that says that is cool. Even if you are just thinking about having sex with her, is there nothing to be said for just A LITTLE subtlety? Guys like this give guys everywhere a bad name, and make it that much tougher for the real, nice ones like myself to make any sort of headway. You're setting us all back, and it's just not necessary.
(5) As an addendum to #'s 3 and 4, it's pretty deplorable behavior to just ignore someone that you are/were involved with at any point, in any capacity. Again, guys are especially adept at this, but that allows it to fly under the radar that girls can be just as cold; Everybody just stop it. There's a much better chance of us both keeping our dignity and maintaining a cordial/pleasant acquaintance with one another if a girl just told me she wasn't interested instead of just being vague and distant before finally just ignoring me altogether. MAN or (wo)MAN UP, be honest with people and let them know the truth in a definitive-yet-tactful way. Chances are that the person you just met isn't your "soulmate," so is that really so bad to have to tell them that? We're grown-ass men and women, let's start treating each other as such.
On a much different but certainly no less somber note, R.I.P. Gary Coleman; despite your death definitely stealing some of my thunder for today's post (CLASSIC Gary, always stealing the show!), between me and you, "What you talkin' bout, Willis?" is STILL one of the better recurring quotes in TV sitcom history. As a tribute to you, it has been re-inserted into my lexicon of usage and will get good mileage from hence forth, even though I don't really know that many people named Willis. But the point is, pour out some drank for one's homies, people.
Enough ranting for the day. I hope I spoke to something that we all recognize in our world in some capacity, because stuff like this is hard to miss on a day-to-day basis. If anything I've mentioned in here strikes a cord within you especially, then chances are that you're one of the people that I've noticed this behavior in. We're all susceptible to certain lapses in decency, but that doesn't mean we can't be aware of it. And now you know.
Stay tuned for part 3 of my Summer Series: PHI GRAMMA JAMMA, as I will be attempting to take to task our youth's astonishingly awful grasp on BASIC grammatical syntax. Should be quite the ride, and it's coming soon, I do declare. Until then, this is Sir Marcus T. Williams signing off.... Ya'll take care now.
