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Monday, May 5, 2014

SHAME ON YOU - a cranky re-run

SHAME ON YOU
This Cranky Monday re-run is from May 2012

“Shame on you!”  In my parent’s generation these words were not loosely used.  Admonishments of “You should be ashamed of yourself” were pretty common.  I should have been ashamed of myself about three times a day.  “Shame on you!”  Was a whole nother level.

“Shame on you!” Was not a curse.  It was not a wish, it was not an admonition.  “Shame on you!”  Was a declaration.  It was a done deal.  There was no getting back on the declarers good graces, SHAME was on YOU! 

“Shame on you!” was primarily the verbal weapon of little old ladies; especially little old church ladies.  I am not sure how or when little old ladies were given the power of the “Shame on you!” but they had it and the power made them feared.    

I was often ashamed of myself, but I would do anything to avoid having SHAME declared on me.  This is a concept that is foreign to today’s generations.   Back in the day things that would bring SHAME upon you would not cause a batted eyelash today.

Cursing at, “back-talking” or otherwise disrespecting your elders; even crazy Aunt Edna would bring “Shame on you!”

Stealing, vandalism, or goofing off in Church would bring “Shame on you!”

Getting drunk, taking drugs, having sex outside of marriage or running naked on Main Street, all would bring “Shame on you!”

Young people today apparently have no shame.  They curse loudly on the street, on public transportation or anywhere and even in the company of their elders.  Stealing is just a part of the passage of youth, getting drunk and taking drugs is accepted, and NOT having sex before marriage is something they would never admit to. 

Bimbos transmit videos of their sexual encounters on the internet for all to see and they become celebrities.  Politicians leave office after getting caught with a prostitute, and end up hosting cable television shows.  An Actor is caught in a theater cranking his monkey and his career is not tarnished.   A comedian is caught soliciting a transsexual prostitute and his next movie is a box office smash.  A TV evangelical Preacher pays to have a prostitute watch him debase himself and an apology buys him forgiveness. 

There is no shame today.  The world has many problems for which there may not be simple solutions, but it would be a better place if we could only find shame.  People would behave themselves with more decorum and dignity.  People would treat others with more respect.  The world would be a better place if once again people lived in fear of having a little old lady point at them and declare for all to hear, “Shame on you!”

But then I would have to remove most of my posts.

9 comments:

  1. I agree. It appears now that the more immoral you are the better. There are lots of better things now, but this is not one of them. Give me the good old days where there was shame. We acted far better.

    Have a fabulous day. ☺

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  2. your last line made me laugh. :) but i agree with a lot of what you said prior. :)

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  3. I think the lack of respect for others in general is what has led us to where we are now. With little or no respect for others, the lack of self respect follows suit.

    I see girls in the local grocery in their pajamas and slippers. Obviously they have no pride in themselves or their appearance. Or they seem to take great pride in dressing as trashy as they can and showing off the goods, when they really should be covered up!

    Things are not looking bright for a turnaround any time soon. I wish they did.

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  4. Having found myself half way around our local supermarket, mid-shop, before I realised I hadn't changed out of my slippers - I know nothing of this shame

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  5. Shame was once an integral part of American justice. People who had offended would be dunked in a pond or locked in stocks in a public square while their friends and neighbors threw rotten fruit at them. Ah, the good old days.

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  6. Eh, nothing new under the sun. Only the vehicle changes. Alla this junk has gone on right along, we've just got a harder time avoiding it in this connected/reported/mobile world.

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  7. We'd have to do something pretty awful to evoke that declaration today. Perhaps in 50 years, whatever that is would also be the norm. Good post.

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  8. The world might also be a better place if people believed their pants might burst into flame every time they told a lie.

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  9. Yes, informal social controls have certainly lessened over the years. But, like you, some of my posts would be in jeopardy as well.

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