Segarini – Stopping the Stupid

“Seriously…forgive me…but you know that meme that says, “Stop Making Stupid People Famous”? Well, a GREAT many of us are the Stupid People who are responsible for all the famous Stupid People. Sorry….”

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Part One can be found here > DBAWIS August 7th, 2015

Yep.

We are responsible for all the stupid in the world. It is our fault, no one else’s. If we are ever going to change the ‘Stupid’ to ‘Non-Stupid’ ratio, we must first accept responsibility for the ‘Stupid’ before anything can change.

Stupid happens for one of two reasons.

1. Something we do.
2. Something we don’t do.

So…that seems to be impossible to fix, doesn’t it?

It may appear to be impossible, but with one, simple, change, impossible becomes possible, and Stupid becomes an endangered species. That one, simple, change can be summed up with one word.

Co-operation.

Okay…it’s a hyphenated word, but still counts as One Word.

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Blame Blame

Bo Blame

Banana Fanna Fo Flame

Me Mi and-a Mo Mlame

Blame Game

The Blame Game….

We have to blame someone or something for every mistake we make.

Why do we do this?

My guess would be it is because many of us have never accepted responsibility for our actions. We cannot admit that we did something stupid, or that we made the wrong decision, or that our opinion had somehow clouded our judgement and led us blundering down the path of Least Sense.

One of the reasons the world is in such a laughable state is that we always attack the sneeze instead of the cold. In other words, we focus on the SYMPTOMS of the problem, not the PROBLEM itself.

We have to blame something or someone for our woes…and this stems from being lied to at an early age. We build our dreams on being able to be who and what we want. We are taught from the get-go, that we can accomplish anything. The sad truth is, we have to work hard at realizing those dreams, but when we are constantly encouraged at an early age by those who love us, we have no idea as to just what skills we possess until we run head first into the reality of being judged by people who know what skills are required and who do NOT love us…at least, not yet.

Seriously…think about it.

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Starting on the day we are born, we have been lied to by our parents, our family, and our friends.

Wait…what? My parents LIED to me?

Yep.

They did.

At least, the vast majority of them did…but they did it with the best of intentions…just like WE do.

“Oh Bob, that’s just dumb. Parents don’t lie to their children, and I have certainly never lied to mine”.

Horse poop.

Parental Lies

Eat your vegetables and you will grow up to be big and strong

Study hard and do your homework and someday you can become President

Be good or Santa won’t bring you that thing you want

Fluffy is in Heaven now

Where’s Fido? Fido lives on a farm now and chases ducks all day and has happy fun doggie time

Oh! What a beautiful picture of a horsey! You’re going to be a famous artist!

…and the occasional truth couched in sweetness….

Daddy has a new younger friend and will be around less because he has to work extra to pay a lawyer.

Family Lies

Wow! You look beautiful in your new dress.

You are my favourite niece

nephew

grandchild

person

You’re going to be the next Elvis/Paul McCartney/Michael Jordan/Kanye/Steve Jobs/Elon Musk/President/Bieber

I’ll take you to Disneyland if you go to the kitchen and get me another beer

Friends Lies

Your band is AWESOME!

I love your voice. You should be on television

Someday, you are going to be as good as Jimi Hendrix

Quite an arm you got there, Buddy

Congratulations on getting engaged. She’s gorgeous!

Best wedding ever!

You’re barely showing/You’re positively glowing

How do you manage to look so good after just having a baby?

What a beautiful baby!

A lie made in the attempt not to hurt someone’s feelings may sound like a lovely idea, but in the long run, it is still a lie, and when the promised trip to Disneyland, the Presidency, and the guitar skills never materialize, and you find out that Fido got hit by a car and didn’t get to chase one duck, the lie made with good intentions can fuel resentment and mistrust. If being honest when assessing the World’s Ugliest Baby is impossible, or Junior’s rock band stinks, then just don’t say anything.

You cannot protect people from the truth…because other people whose business is to find greatness, have no problem being honest in their opinions of mediocrity and greatness. Many of us are crushed when the Real World shatters our self image and confidence.

No wonder most of us don’t trust anyone….

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In the (Barely) United States of America, it is part of the National psyche to be part John Wayne, part John Madden, and part Jack of All Trades. In the past, this made the American Family one of the most productive and happy institutions on Earth.

Americans pride themselves on knowing a lot about a lot of things. They also pride themselves on their individuality, their jingoistic strengths, and their opinions. They cite the American Dream, the Constitution, and the Bible as the rudimentary cornerstones of life as they know it. They pay lip service to these things to explain their beliefs, and their confidence in themselves and their country knows no bounds.

At least the ones who have very little knowledge of reality do.

…and this is where the wheels come off their little red wagon….

Don’t Worry…Be Unhappy….

In my long, semi-productive life, I have seen the US of A go from Hope and Prosperity (Eisenhower), to Hope and Prosperity, Brinksmanship, Solid achievement, and Vigour (Kennedy), to Pipe Dreams, Fibs, and Deals (Nixon), to An SNL Sketch (Ford), to Hope, Common Sense, Economic recovery, and honesty (Carter) to Propaganda, Deals, Cover-ups, Lies, Voo-Doo Economics, Fear Mongering and Greed (Reagan), to MORE Propaganda, Deals, Cover-ups, Lies, Voo-Doo Economics, Fear Mongering and Greed and covert rewriting of American involvement here, there, and everywhere, (Bush Senior), to a return to Hope, Prosperity, Youthful exuberance and (somewhat misguided) virility, (Clinton), to the Absolute Pinnacle of Propaganda, Deals, Cover-ups, Lies, Voo-Doo Economics, Fear Mongering and Greed and covert rewriting of American involvement here, there, and everywhere, (Bush Junior), to Hope, the Betterment of life for the 99%, reduction of debt, Common Sense, and intelligent, well-informed decisions, (Obama), who…had he not been blocked, belittled, sabotaged, and lied about by his opponents, would be the best President the States has had in EVER.

I wish he WOULD run for a third term.

…and still…no matter what…the loudest segment of the American populace has been unhappy for a very, very, very long time.

And those are the people who blame something and someone for the problems they themselves are responsible for.

If you look at the facts and figures, Americans have done the right thing (purely by accident, I’m sure) 5 times in the last 75 years.

Eisenhower (A Republican, by the way…they haven’t always been nuts).

JFK With reservations…Kennedy did a lot of dumb things as well as good things, and was so morally corrupt, he makes Clinton look like a Boy Scout.

Carter The first American President who was brutally sabotaged by the Republicans in modern times.

Clinton Better a virile President in the White House than a decrepit one whose only experience is in the missionary position. Who wants a sexually repressed and frustrated President in the Big Chair with access to the launch codes for America’s nuclear arsenal?

Obama Look at his record. Look at his accomplishments. Look at the FACTS…and all done with one hand tied behind his back.

Regardless of which side of the fence you currently reside, the fact remains; when it comes to the state of both the American and Canadian unions…WE are responsible. WE put people in power. WE are culpable for everything our elected leaders do. We are the COLD. The corporations, the schemers, the greedy, the uncaring, the saboteurs, the rabble rousers, the manipulators, the lies, the stupidity…THOSE  are the sneezes, the runny noses, and the phlegm and diarrhea.

WE are the cold.

WE…are the stupid.

This Friday: Part Two of Stopping the Stupid or Here’s All We Have to Do to FIX it

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Segarini’s regular column appears here every Friday or so

Contact us at dbawis@rogers.com

Bob “The Iceman” Segarini was in the bands The Family Tree, Roxy, The Wackers, The Dudes, and The Segarini Band and nominated for a Juno for production in 1978. He also hosted “Late Great Movies” on CITY TV, was a producer of Much Music, and an on-air personality on CHUM FM, Q107, SIRIUS Sat/Rad’s Iceberg 95, (now 85), and now publishes, edits, and writes for DBAWIS, osts The Bobcast every Monday night at Cherry Cola’s, and continues to write music, make music, and record.