Monday, October 16, 2006

Personal Responsibility, Accountability, and Blame

Folks, I’m as compassionate as the next person, I swear! I empathize and sympathize and I shake my head and say a prayer when I hear about all the misery in the world today (school shootings, the kid in Iowa shooting his parents and sisters in cold blood, suicide bombings, earthquakes and other natural disasters and their aftermaths, etc.). There is so much happening out there that it’s a wonder that any of us can crawl out from beneath the covers and try to live a normal life each day.

What I cannot abide by is stupidity. What is the saying? Oh yeah. The lawyer who represents himself has a fool for a client or somesuch. If I’m on trial for something, I’m for damn sure going to hire the best attorney I can find and take out loans, beg family and friends for the money, or what have you in order to give myself the best possible chance for success. Similarly, I’m not going to buy a house without a realtor. I’m not going to fix my own computer. And I wouldn’t dream of allowing anyone but agents negotiate contracts, etc. in their chosen fields (literary, sports, acting, etc.).

With the wealth of information out there more readily available in this day and age than at any other time in our lives, stupidity is not a defense for anything. People, if you are too damned lazy to search Google even, then I have zero sympathy for you. Blaming others for your own stupidity does not fly in my book and blaming the entire legal system because you were too ignorant (or perhaps prideful?) to do your own personal due dilligence just pisses me off. And no, I absolutely REFUSE to send money to assist people in their legal battles who have stupidity as their only defense. Well, stupidity and greed. It isn't my fault you're a dumbass.

“A fool and his money are soon parted.” Truer words have never been spoken.

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