CommenTerry, June 4th, 2007
There's seems to some confusion in our modern society about whose fault it is when various individuals and groups fail to reach their potential. In order to flourish, people need to opportunities to do so. They should not be denied these opportunities, nor should they be artificially held back.
However, once given an opportunity, it is up to an individual or group to take the initiative and make the best of it. If they fail to do so, they forfeit their right to complain and have no one to blame but themselves. If I fail to give you an opportunity, it's my fault; if you fail to take advantage of an opportunity I give you, it's your fault. If I open a door for you, it is not my responsibility to browbeat you and attempt to compel you to come in. Unfortunately, we have too many people nowadays who constantly make excuses for those who fail to take advantage of their opportunities. Instead, they blame the opportunity providers for not making those opportunities enticing or attractive enough.
Recently, a frustrated school teacher wrote a letter to the editor of my local newspaper. She complained about how she and other teachers were being blamed for some of their students' poor grades and lack of achievement in the classroom. This was in spite of the fact that she works overtime preparing lesson plans for these students, who won't show up at school half the time. When do they do show up, they disrupt the class and never complete any of the assignments that are required of them.
When are we going to return to the time when we put the blame for this kind of thing in its proper place? Until we do, we will continue to produce an overabundance of lackeys and underachievers who are more than willing to point the finger of blame at someone else for their pathetic condition.
