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Most people have no convictions of their own. They simply adopt the views of others to gain acceptance.

October 29, 2012

People Pleasers

Driving through the neighborhoods of Columbus, in the key state of Ohio, I’m trying to make sense of what I see. Upper-class neighborhoods with far more Obama signs than Romney. Middle-class neighborhoods with far more Romney signs than Obama. Lower-class neighborhoods with not many signs at all. The middle-class wants the rich guy? The upper-class wants the socialist – whoops, excuse me – “progressive” candidate? And the poor? Maybe they just can’t afford signs.

I understand the middle-class neighborhoods. The “envy-the-rich” angle doesn’t work on them because they need jobs. But the people “not paying their fair share” voting for Obama? Has the rich guilt angle finally worked on them? Have the upper-class, by class-envy rhetoric, finally been guilted into thinking they aren’t paying their fair share? If they feel this way, then why don’t they just give 30% to charity, like Romney? Perhaps this would ease their conscience (and lower their tax percentage). But then they’d have to deal with their peers asking, “Why did you give to that group? Why didn’t you give to this group?” So perhaps it’s just easier to let the government decide for you, so you can stay in good with your overly sensitive friends. Government will make sure your money goes to “acceptable” causes, alleviating you of all the pressure and personal responsibility, and absolving you of all guilt. Praised be the government.

I’m reminded of the scripture in John 5:44: How can you believe, you which receive honor one of another, and seek not the honor that comes from God only?

People pleasers carry around a lot of guilt, and can be easily motivated. After all, they need to be accepted, at least by their mutual admiration societies. It’s a group thing. Today’s society has no higher standards than group acceptance. And they aren’t happy with just tolerance, either. They demand full-out acceptance, as if in some way, this justifies all behaviors (including envy), and nullifies all guilt.

I’m happy to live in a society of tolerance, where individual rights are protected. I’m not so insecure that I need everyone’s acceptance, and I have no desire to force people to share my values. Forced acceptance is far from tolerance. But I believe this is what the election is all about for the Obama team and his supporters – people pleasing. In modern-day terms – peer acceptance. No one wants to be thought of as heartless, insensitive, unfeeling, or uncaring. And the White House is taking full advantage of this. And it goes far beyond just this election. It is their agenda.

People today scarcely have a conviction they can call their own. Their conversations sound like talking points from whatever news program they’ve heard recently. Most people don’t really think. They just think that they are thinking. That’s one of the reasons we have so much information, and so little wisdom.

[ED: Shortly after writing this article, I saw an Obama Ad on TV entitled: “What Would Your Friends Think?”]

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