Just when does stupid start? Does it follow along with the rest of the natural stages of Growth & Development, or is it something that is learned?If a 2 year old walks into a screen on a sliding glass door we might laugh at their reaction, and then console them after they bounced back into the room. If the same kid does it again, and again, and is still bouncing back into the room when they are seventeen, one might start to wonder just when the stupid started.
Kids learn that things can hurt, and they learn real quick not get hurt twice.
Well, most of them do.
In a kids eyes, they are invincible, so falling off the garage roof when their skateboard wheel gets caught in the gutter can be understood to a point. It's when it happens again the following day that they earn the right to wear the "Stupid" t-shirt. This is called "Defying Experience".
On the job, I see the results of accidents, and I also see the results of a lot of stupid.
So, just when does stupid start? If a kid does something he knows may cost him some emergency room time , and he does it in front of grownups, is he stupid? Are the adults that allowed it to happen stupid?
Accidents happen. They just do, but there is a line between an accident occurring, and an act of stupidity. It is different when a kid is ten years old, than when he is sixteen or seventeen. A sixteen year old is more experienced than a ten year old. He may not always be smarter, but experience should count for something. It is also different when a stupid adult is responsible for someone getting hurt. Then it is the other adults that are present that are equally responsible for not intervening.
When the ten year old touches his tongue to the flag pole in January, it's an accident. He may have no experience in what frozen metal can do to body parts. No real idea what could happen. And, having a suspicion of what may happen doesn't really count.
Now, if you find a sixteen year olds tongue stuck to flagpole in January, it's stupid, and if that particular kid did in the presence of adults, it's still stupid, but the adults are not to blame. They aren't accomplices in the act. They didn't stick their tongues on the flag pole. A fifteen year old knows better. A thirty-two old knows better.
There are many things that grown-ups do that set both good and bad examples for all ages. Fact of life. There are also many accidents that can occur when kids watch and learn this behavior, but there is also the Stupid Factor that has to be accounted for as well, and that factor is shared by both grown-ups and children.
The best grown-ups can hope for is that kids will learn what is right and safe. It's an adults job to teach those traits either by example or exposure.
Of course, a kid can learn stupid from a grown-up, too. Can't help that either.
I guess, in the end, when an incident occurs, and it results in an injury, don't be too quick to point the finger at others in area. Oh, there may be accomplices holding the ladder while the lad pokes the bee hive with a stick, but for the most part when a teenager has a foolish accident, then you can't rule out that the Stupid Factor wasn't an accomplice. Being in the wrong place, at the wrong time contributes a lot as well.
Focus on the incident, not on the peripherals unless the road takes you there. Assume nothing.
And, when an accident happens, don't start pointing your finger at who else is to blame. Hands are better used to help the victim, and pray for their recovery.
Dear Blogmaster:
ReplyDeleteStupid is as stupid does. I love that movie.
I'll appreciate it if you post my entire comment please. The blogmaster at Sturbridge Political Watch only posted a portion of a comment I made at his site, which went on to say, I thought the blogmaster used the topic of illegal fireworks at Walker Pond as a lead in, or convenient truth, in order to stab at a former elected official in Sturbridge. His method seems to learn toward excluding commentary from his blogsite visitors in order to limit discussion and opinions; in reading some of the other comments at his other posts, I sensed that most of the comments are written by himself because they all sound like the same person.
In reading your site, there don't seem to be many commenters, but it's a great blog. Your photos are excellent. I hope more people hear about and visit it.
I live on a street in Sturbridge which during July 4th every year has teenagers and adults playing with illegal fireworks. It keeps me up at night. Sometimes I call police if it continues past 10pm. It's a surprise to me that more people don't get their hands or heads blown off.
It's a shame that kid was hurt, and it's a shame that illegal fireworks were used, but it happens everywhere, so to isolate and narrow it down to a political issue is "stupid".
It's like saying guns kill people, when in fact, people kill people. This kid hurt himself badly while others watched in horror.
Tough lesson learned. Now what does this have to do with former elected officials?
I'm surprised the other blogmaster doesn't implicate existing or former town officials in the drowning of that toddler at Cedar lake last year.
Thank you, dll for your kind words. You are right, I don't get a lot of comments here anymore. Since last winters debacle when one person used so many aliases, and the comments got very out of hand, they died off. People feel they will be picked apart by one person posing as many if they leave a comment. But, I get loads of emails!!!
ReplyDeletethe rocket shot up his shorts and exploded in his pants! why was he so close to the explosives? he was so close the missle actually went up inside his pants!! and if adults were the ones that started it all it doesn't mean the accident was not stupid just for this reason alone. it is unfortunate, and sad. if adults were responsible for all the fireworks then the police will handle it no matter who they are. and if they were respondisle then they are stupid just for doing it. i agree with you that we should pay attention to the accident, things will come out on its own when things get invesitgated.
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