It's Not My Fault

"There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please.  And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences."

            - P. J. O'Rourke

It seems to me that we have a lot of folks who are "victims" these days.  They make their choices, and when bad things happen they are quick to point out that it wasn't their fault.  Most of them justify their behavior by giving some excuse like they had a poor childhood, came from a single parent home, had an abusive father, mother, teacher, boss, brother or sister, were bullied in school , had the wrong color skin, were misunderstood, moved too often, or...well, you get the drift.  If they can't come up with something that sounds plausible, usually someone else will do it for them.

Today lawyers make millions suing corporations on behalf of people like this who do things like eat too much fast food or smoke too many cigarettes.  Did these companies pry open people's mouths and stuff the burgers down their throats?  Did they light up their cigarettes and inhale for them?  I don't think so.

And yet, these "victims" win many of their cases and individuals like you and I end up paying their exhorbitant awards by virtue of higher prices for the products these companies sell.   

When did we stop taking personal responsibility for our own actions?  And why?  At some point I feel that common sense must again prevail or some lucky "victim" is going to own the country.