First World Problems: Selfies and the Blame Game




Measured by some of the curt replies I received, I could tell last week’s post riled some folks. Why should I finger President Obama for posting selfies, when everyone else does too? Who really cares?

Another reader complained: 

He can't enjoy himself during his term? You must be a Christian that believes entertainment is wrong. Do you resent him sleeping at night too? Why are you so priggish?

Okay. Point taken. I am priggish. President Obama was merely reaching out to those who appreciate a good selfie. 








Someone else said to stop playing the blame game. 

Another reader suggested, I should really be pointing the finger at myself and asking how am I helping this sorry world? 

So, please accept my apologies—and I extend apologies to President Obama. 




Since it’s hard for this unelected, small town American to change policies on immigration, ISIS, or our fledgling economy, I’m focusing on what I can do:

Be grateful I woke up in a free nation.

Donate my time to helping others.

Serve my community.

Be contagiously optimistic.

Give away smiles.

Accept criticism.

Pray for my enemies as well as my friends.


This probably won't change the course of our nation or world, but it might help change the course of some lives around me. And that’s far better than antagonizing people and tossing dice in the blame game—which is a game without a winner.

Top Photo credit: RealClear.com

Popular posts from this blog

Dreaming the Dream

Image
Dreaming big dreams about the future is easy for kids. The only thing standing in the way is time.  Kid’s dreams are not about skills, or opportunities, or even practicality. Those things come much later.  My grandson hopes to be professional soccer player when he grows up. This week, a small piece of his dream came true when his Boys and Girls Club was invited to participate in pre-game activities with the Seattle Sounders Football Club.  He got to suit up in a real jersey and walk on the field with a real pro player. Imagine a young soccer player looking up to who he hopes to be one day. If you haven’t taken the time to talk to a child about their future dreams—you should.  They believe. As we get older we sometimes forget that dreams fuel our hopes—and that's something we all need. So, do you still dream? Or have you left those childhood thoughts behind?  S pending time with children will  inspire you to believe agai
Read more

Sexy Selfies: Posting for attention

Image
We’ve all seen the “selfie” pix on Facebook—those self-taken images in varying forms of dress (or undress). Usually they’re female poses taken in public restrooms, dressing rooms, bedrooms, and lots of what used to be private space. Thanks to selfies and social media, it’s open season on privacy—and modesty. Do you have a social media “friend” who has become a serial selfie? Most often selfies are young girls sharing their sexiness with the world. Serial selfies post hundreds of pictures, so it’s hard to ignore the display. The question is why do they do it. While I don’t approve of the sexy display of serial selfies, insecurity is at the root. Selfies collect “likes” to boost morale. The attention received is like a balm to their broken spirits. But the dark side of exhibitionism is feeling used—not unlike the girl searching for love and giving away her body in hopes of finding love. Selfies seek approval. They're locked in a perpetual cycle of posting pi
Read more

Wild or Tame? Which One Are You?

Image
Finally! Research that explains why I act the way I do. Columbia University’s Motivational Science Center studied people’s activities and what brought them the most happiness. Even more telling were how those activities changed as they aged. Twenty-somethings tend to equate happiness with high-energy activities. Words like excited and ecstatic are usually attached to spontaneous things—even risky things—and living life full throttle.  Researchers labeled this Promotion Motivation —the urge to take chances, including career moves that may not work out. Happiness comes from happenings—the more happenings, the more happiness. By age forty, adults associate happiness with things running smoothly at work and home. It’s also about feeling secure in relationships. Keeping healthy matters more too. This behavior is called Prevention Motivation —and people are more concerned with preserving and maintaining the things they value. It appears that time ofte
Read more