Because we value entertainment more

People are now asking why it was such a disaster was allowed to happen at the Indiana State Fair this past week end. The band, Sugarland, was about to go on stage. The crowd was awaiting their performance. While all this was going on, storm clouds were on their way, Indiana officials were seeking out advice regarding the weather, and people were admittedly concerned about the looming storm.

So, why was it, then, that people didn't leave?

I'm sure there were people who decided to head out. I'm sure some people looked at the sky and said "No, I'm not hanging around for this storm." I've been in situations where storms were looming as well.

Peer pressure is a powerful thing. If some people don't start the gradual flow, nobody leaves.

People came to that concert to see a show. They stand there waiting. They expect a show. Even when a severe storm stares them in the face, they stare right back at it and hope no rain comes. They still think everything is going to be okay. They think there will still be a show.

On the 4th of July this year, in Shreveport-Bossier, a healthy storm system moved its way across East Texas and Southwest Arkansas. I was watching it on the radar, wondering if the fireworks would be cancelled or delayed. Live footage of the celebratory events were being broadcast on one local television station. From their perspective, skies were clear. The weatherman was on tv, telling us that everything looked good and he hoped things would go off without a hitch. Nothing was further from the truth. I was staring right at the radar. I wasn't going to leave the house just yet.

But as the threat of rain loomed, I decided to hop in the car and head out. As I drove into town, lightning flashed around me. Skies were dark. Rain was pouring down. Streets were soon flooded, at least in one lane, sewer drains overwhelmed by the rush of water. Word spread that people at the Boardwalk were leaving. The crowds were thinning. Rain had scared everyone off. The show had been either delayed or canceled. Nobody really knew.

After the storm passed, people were still on their way out. I was stranded in traffic, but after 30 minutes of waiting in bumper to bumper traffic, the fireworks began going off. I was able to enjoy the show, but at what cost? My legs were still damp from getting drenched by the rain. It was really a mess I should have avoided.

But people in our area have taken this one step further.

When bad storms are approaching, in the past, our local news really didn't throw up a fuss. Over the past two years, the weather teams have improved their coverage of severe weather, complete with early warnings and detailed coverage. They still don't compare to other weather teams I've had the pleasure of knowing, but it's better than nothing.

Sounds great, right?

Well, they interrupted an LSU game and all hell broke loose on the internet. People were extremely unhappy that their beloved LSU Tigers were being blotted out by severe weather coverage. They wanted to see the game. There is even a Facebook page dedicated to this complaining.

So apparently, we'd rather sacrifice our own safety in the name of entertainment. We care more about being entertained than using our better judgment. We don't have the sense to realize bad weather can kill. We'd much rather watch a football game or some fireworks.

Because we value entertainment more than our own lives, we will continue to see sad stories like the one in Indiana.

This is why "Common Sense" cannot work

I recently saw a comment on Facebook which suggested citizens take some of the workload off of government by doing the work themselves. The logic is as follows. If you can organize some of your fellow neighbors, then, for example, any pothole that needs to be filled can be handled by the people, costing the taxpayers less because local government won't have to do the repairs. That's the kind of common sense people conjure up in their tiny little heads.

Let's look at that in the REAL WORLD.

It may not cost you less in the long run. For what you pay in taxes, the cost translated from your contribution could be less than what it might cost if you chose to do it yourself. It may be a nickel and dime kind of difference, but it could be more.

But let's set that aside, because that kind of speculation is just that, speculation. I have no idea which option would cost less.

Let's look at the real world implications of regular citizens doing road repair.

First off, not many of us have any training in repairing potholes, so the job itself will likely be done half-assed and incorrectly, resulting in frequent additional repairs, and eventually, professional help.

Secondly, in order to do road repair, you've got to know how to manage traffic. You can't do the work on a busy road without stopping or redirecting traffic. Somebody might get hurt. It's not as easy as it looks.

Thirdly, if the repair is insufficient and someone either damages their car, has a wreck, or hurts another person as a result of the faulty work, who will be liable? If private citizens started doing this kind of work, it would be a legal nightmare.

Government exists because we are either too stupid or incompetent to do it ourselves. The next time you think you've got an easy solution to a problem, try to look at it from all angles. You don't have common sense. You frankly don't have any sense at all. You just have a simpleton's mind. Anarchy would ensue if you were in charge. Local government has all of the necessary components to achieve tasks like road repair. It may not be a perfect solution, but "common sense" solutions are even less viable than something controlled and organized, despite the bureaucracy.

The same kinds of people who think this crap up are the same people who think we can pay for health care by bartering with chickens as currency.

Stop Invoking "Common Sense"

When we face problems in the United States, we often rely on what it is we have learned over the years to combat similar problems. These lessons largely get lumped into the world of something people like to call "Common Sense." The thing is, common sense is not so common.

Let me elaborate.

As Americans, we sometimes pay the least qualified to do the most important jobs. We set up rules and regulations that make sense to us, personally, and unleash them on the general public. As Americans in 2011, we have to recognize one thing. We're stupid. We're selfish. We're whiny. We're impatient. If you cannot admit those things about Americans, then you are living under a rock.

In light of those idiosyncrasies, we have to admit that coming up with a common sense solution is like asking a dog to perform neurosurgery. It just isn't going to happen. A common sense solution is one that we all generally understand, isn't it? Obviously, this isn't the case in America anymore. Just because it makes perfect sense to you does not mean it will make sense to your neighbor. We will all disagree on the solution and because we disagree, it is not common. The commonness is simply not there. When we expect it to be, we are simply fooling ourselves.

Politicians like to fall back on the "Common Sense" buzzword in their stump speeches. We really need to stop invoking the "Common Sense" crap on that leve because it does not exist. We cannot employ that which does not exist.

In essence, what I'm saying is, we are our own worst enemy. Our nuclear waste is facing a fire risk and we are complacent about it. Our water company employees, gas company employees, cable tv employees, and electric company employees have no idea where the lines for their individual services run. On the flip side, tech support, whether online or over the phone is so robotic, useless, and utterly mundane and frustrating that those of us who need help cannot get it, but the algorithms in place are there because our fellow citizens are clueless.

We suffer at our own hand, folks. It is because we are stupid that these solutions that we find deplorable and stupid must exist. The next time you invoke "Common Sense," make sure you understand your opposition first. Then, it all might actually start to make sense. Until then, you're just one more selfish mouse in a maze after your own block of cheese, and that selfish behavior I cannot condone.

Until you know what common senes actually means, you'll just be spewing more useless information into the vacuum of space. A solution is just that, another alternative to a current problem. There is no right or wrong. There is only trial and error. Humans are prone to error, so don't expect us to be mistake-free. We cannot escape our own stupidity.

Quality craftsmanship...dead.
Pride in your work...dead.
Desire to achieve great things...dead.
Admiration for higher education...dead.
Honest employees...dead.

The customer is no longer right.

What did you expect to happen under these circumstances?