I love any honest conversation about humanity and our condition and I think that's why TV shows such as Breaking Bad and Friday Night Lights resonate with so many people.  We see ourselves in nearly every character and the story of Aaron in this instance, is no different.  Categorizing people is never helpful or constructive.  I recognize the fact that we all have this terrible habit of self justification (Well, at least I'm not like that guy) or righteous indignation (He broke the law and he needs to pay) all the while not seeing the plank in our own eye.  That's why I say I've never done a good thing in my entire life.  For those of us who are parents, if you are honest with yourself, you spend most of your time telling your kids not to do things that you continue to do.  ("Don't smoke."  "But Papa, you had a cigar in Quetico last week." Or, "Don't drink."  But Papa, you have a scotch collection . . .")

The American pastime used to be baseball but I'm of the opinion that it's denial these days.  If you think humanity can and should be on an upward trajectory you will never be able to convey compassion.  On the other hand, if you can see yourself in other people and recognize your own inability to "get better", well, then you're on the right path - IMHO.

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  Seems to me that whenever any   one,  two,  or three people ,    take on the burden of keeping the conversation here going ,  it resembles that old saying  :   "Guests, like fish, begin to smell after three days".
    I'm wrong often (just ask my wife),  but it SEEMS  that many of the folks that I eagerly "tuned in " to learn from two - three years ago have decided to go on sabbatical. 
    It is not their job to entertain , or teach anyone jackpoop.     However, when one or two folks try to maintain the interest of folks who long ago decided to" head to the woods" to find solace and to "be their own man" , it can start to get "old" after a couple or three seasons.
   " Dead air " is ,no doubt, not any thing any of us want to happen here ,but a blabbermouth cabin mate , has more than once generated murderous and disdainful sentiments
     I wish I had something good to add to the conversation , but I haven't been on a trip for a couple of years now since my physical prowess has eroded after  I got hurt  ,and I don't feel I can add much.
      How about You All? WE gona let this thing just fade away?
      Please excuse me if I'm out  of line...

..'.Mastertangl... '  is back? ...   kinda miss him  ,  but not his insecurities and his love of challenging any one to a duel over any challenge to his ego ...   :-

solotripper wrote on Aug 14^th, 2015 at 9:58pm:


Allow me to clarify. ST, you're the one who turned the course of this thread into trying to solve all of society's problems. Nobody else wants to go there but you have insisted on it with your sermonizing. I opted out of BTC, due to the cat fight it became. You have turned this thread into a BTC topic. As for drawing the conclusion that I have a flippant attitude, it's obvious we have never met. I'm not sure why you have the last word for everything and everyone. In my world, it's obsessive compulsive. Nuff said.

You've made my (our) point ST.  It's Law vs. Gospel / Glory vs. Cross.  You want law and glory.  I want gospel and cross.

Old Salt wrote on Aug 14^th, 2015 at 9:14pm:


THAT’S the best you've got? You have any idea of how many people you can  find living under the overpasses  20 minutes from my house in Detroit  who ALL started as people that were just a little different and by the time family/friends realized they had mental health or drug issues or both it was too late to help them/

Maybe someone acting like that is normal in your neck of the woods, but around here the Court would after detaining him put him in 24 hr. administrative lock-up and have his mental state examined before they would take any legal action.

For a guy who works in a world class medical facility you take POTENTIAL mental health and drug issues or both awfully flippant.

You think what you want. I think my concerns are a valid as yours are naive.

Either way, the discussion for me is over. Best of luck to the kid, he’ll need it.

Quote:


I can't prove you're wrong anymore than I can prove I'm right.  We are treading into the realm of the human condition and a view of anthropology that I believe only a few understand or recognize.  It's not easy and I've been where you are not to long ago.  If one can't look into the face of Aaron or the guy with the "will work for food" sign at the corner of Wal-Mart and not see yourself, . . . well, we will continue to talk past each other.  If you think we are capable of free will and choosing our own destiny, . . . . well, good luck with that.

La la la la la la...

Same song second verse...

PhantomJug wrote on Aug 14^th, 2015 at 5:01pm:


I don’t think I’m categorizing the guy at all other than that I would think most people would consider that behavior “suspect” at the very least. I can “identify” with him, because like many people I did somethings that others thought weird at the time, the difference being I didn't need others to help me take care of myself and wasn't under the influence of ANY substance.

Forget the different/strange/wrong/ weirdness issues OR the he's okay those are purely speculative on everyone part.

Look at the facts. He did break the law as trivial as that may or may not be depending on your viewpoint? He either knowingly did it, or he didn't realize he did it? Both could be signs of issues that MIGHT need addressing? He got in way over his head in the woods, that may or may not be a sign of more serious issues?.

I look at  these type situations this way. Let’s say MY concerns are valid and the guy gets persuaded to at least talk to a professional who deals with issues like this all the time. Best case scenario he gets a clean bill of “health” and that entire helping neighbor/ brother’s keeper thing is helping him cope and find his way.

Worst case scenario, he has mental health issues/substance abuse problems and they never get properly addressed and fixed.  That means that all his well-meaning friends/brother keepers end up being part of the problem and not the solution.

By helping him out of the goodness of their hearts without ruling out those issues I mentioned, they end up in the long run being enablers who allow him to survive but not really prosper.

It’s obvious we see this much differently. I really hope I’m all wrong on this and would be more than glad if that proved to be the case.

ST, I think that as long as you continue to categorize vs. identify with people you consider different, strange, wrong or weird, you probably won't get what we're talking about.  Like I said before, I hear what your saying but I'm not sure you can hear what we are saying.