Letter: Be happy, not high

Why do so many young people think the only way to be happy is to be high? When I was young I was happy just to be finished with my chores. It was a simpler life; I looked forward to my favorite fishing hole. If I played football with my friends, or tinkered with my car or getting up the nerve to ask a girl to a movie that was the kind of “Mayberry” stuff it took to make my day, the kind of things it took to complete my interest.

Now video games fuel a fire of excitement that turns into a wildfire of psychological insatiability.   Leaving an empty gaping hole in the minds of burnt out unfulfilled youth. Maybe some have little to look forward to so they try drugs in search for happiness. Then they do drugs because they are addicted. Then they do anything because the addiction controls their life.

 The “culture compass” is pointing to a direction that may appear to be appropriate on some levels of “acceptable reasoning” but in the end we just have another generation of misdirected youth. I can`t cope with the realities of life because I went in a direction that held little opportunity, but seemed fun “cool” at the time. My generation had the Don Juan, the playboy, the Casanova, you know the guys that had fun all the time. But it also had the remarkable men that worked and cared for their families. The Dads of my generation gave their sons chores so they could learn responsibility. See what that “culture compass” did, it showed grown ups having fun instead of little children having fun being happy on a play ground. The way to have fun was usually simple, do your chores first!

 So how do we fix a generation that neglects some children while spoiling others? If mentorship was created would the youth respond to direction? The “Gang Mentality” hardens the conscience “sense of right and wrong” to the point aggression over peers dominates the arena of youth.

The kind “goodhearted” kid doesn`t have a chance. We want our kids to do well in school; they just want to survive adolescence. Youth crime has to be re-thought. Crime against youth regardless of the age of the perpetrator has to be deterred by sterilization of intent. Let`s consider the moral distinction of an era.

What would the Chicago of 1800 do? Or the Chicago of the1900`s do? When people challenge the basic fundamental principle of right and wrong society needs to respond correctly.

I know the formula; do unto others as you would have them do unto you. I respond in like fashion; do unto them as they do unto others. What is right? What is wrong? We don`t even know anymore.

We overstate “socially correct” to the point; you guessed it our “culture compass” has sent us in the wrong direction. Someone needs to stand up for the good kid before they become extinct.

 Jim Beck, Bronson, Fl.