Blaming Others

Most weeks it is easy to write this column; I find a plethora of news and political stupidity that easily becomes fodder. Sometimes though, like this week, it becomes more difficult and I will ask for suggestions from friends. I was intrigued when my friend Bob suggested I write about the trend these days to blame others for our problems. In our short conversation I realized he was right, the whole idea of personal responsibility in America is gone. When I think about changes like this I always try to look back in time, through the eyes of my grandfather, to see how America has changed.

Examples abound regarding blaming others: Hurricane Katrina, Attention Deficit Disorder, Restless Leg Syndrome, liability litigation, Obama on Bush, and even the Toyota sudden acceleration. For example, one-hundred years ago if our children misbehaved they were disciplined, re-directed, and strong parenting was done; today we give them a pill. The same holds for new diseases, like Restless Leg Syndrome, heavily promoted by pharmaceutical companies and appearing weekly. The recent Toyota sudden acceleration claims were repudiated by the NTSB as driver error pushing the accelerator; I am sure the liability attorneys are profoundly disappointed.

Falling off a curb at a merchant, or falsely stepping in front of a car has grown into an entire industry. These attorneys do not go after millions, instead they seek a nominal amount, about $25k, from the defendants insurance company; just enough to make settling easier and better for the insurance company, but a cash cow for the law firms. Successful industries advertise; watch television or read billboards to see the proliferation of attorney’s offering to “help”. Hurricane Katrina was the ultimate blame game, as it appears the people of New Orleans had nothing to do with their decision to remain in the path of a Category 5 hurricane, and President Obama has continued that mantra by using the former President as his scapegoat at least ten times by my count in various speeches. My grandfather would have owned his failures and handled issues facing him, as I believe most people would have 100 years ago. Sadly, it is far easier to blame others, take a pill, and avoid personal responsibility. I wonder what our country will look like in another decade after blaming all of our problems on others.