A lot of good kernels in the replies....
EEE
location: Landscape Challenged Illinois
listening to: 16 Horsepower, black music from the 70's & and still going broke from Paste Magazine
registered: 2002.08.26
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As Dave and Cassandra pointed out, it seems like so much of this involves the make up of the individual person. Years ago a writer named Jefferson Morley (think that is how it's spelled) wrote some good pieces about his trying crack cocaine for the purpose of writing about it. To him, the immediate high and lows left him with a huge craving for more. And then, people are encountered who can take it or leave it. So I think so much is about the individual person. I have a cousin who just can't kick the booze. His life has been full of turmoil (three DUIs, two marriages, stints in jail, loss of numerous jobs, a repeat of his own childhood-filled alcoholism, alienating his friends and family, et cetera) and he just can't stop drinking. Myself, until just over a year and a half ago, was filled with heavy drinking, but in my mind, I KNEW I could quit any time I decided too (in Dec 2009 I decided when my last amount of booze was gone, I was going to take a breather and have - on a humorous note, a couple of my closet friends ask me from time to time why I really stopped - they think my wife threatened to kick me out or something, but that is not true; I just grew tired). So it seems like it goes from person to person. And I would never begrudge any poor soul who is trying to find that missing key to what is missing. Unfortunately, too many people are missing something to get them there and to me, that is so sad. And every day I am so thankful for having the peace of mind that I do. Still, I find it so sad that our society is so relaxed about the people in this country who will do such terrible things to themselves to find those keys to unlock what is missing. As a society, how can we be so uncaring when it comes to the thought of young people who are so willing to do the things that they do for a few moments of peace? How we can turn a blind eye to a society that allows people to be picked apart and devoured by those so willing to take advantage of them, I do not know....
E
EEE
(view)
As Dave and Cassandra pointed out, it seems like so much of this involves the make up of the individual person. Years ago a writer named Jefferson Morley (think that is how it's spelled) wrote some good pieces about his trying crack cocaine for the purpose of writing about it. To him, the immediate high and lows left him with a huge craving for more. And then, people are encountered who can take it or leave it. So I think so much is about the individual person. I have a cousin who just can't kick the booze. His life has been full of turmoil (three DUIs, two marriages, stints in jail, loss of numerous jobs, a repeat of his own childhood-filled alcoholism, alienating his friends and family, et cetera) and he just can't stop drinking. Myself, until just over a year and a half ago, was filled with heavy drinking, but in my mind, I KNEW I could quit any time I decided too (in Dec 2009 I decided when my last amount of booze was gone, I was going to take a breather and have - on a humorous note, a couple of my closet friends ask me from time to time why I really stopped - they think my wife threatened to kick me out or something, but that is not true; I just grew tired). So it seems like it goes from person to person. And I would never begrudge any poor soul who is trying to find that missing key to what is missing. Unfortunately, too many people are missing something to get them there and to me, that is so sad. And every day I am so thankful for having the peace of mind that I do. Still, I find it so sad that our society is so relaxed about the people in this country who will do such terrible things to themselves to find those keys to unlock what is missing. As a society, how can we be so uncaring when it comes to the thought of young people who are so willing to do the things that they do for a few moments of peace? How we can turn a blind eye to a society that allows people to be picked apart and devoured by those so willing to take advantage of them, I do not know....
