Curmudgeon

       And even improving our culture can be done from a word...it's up to us wherever we live.

            First is  the definition of this old time English (maybe French) word. Now I know what it means to me, but I did have to look it up to make sure I spelled it correctly. Anyway, here is one definition from an online dictionary:  "a surly or miserly person".

            Even I reminded myself of admiring Cormac McCarthy for his use of old time words in his modern novels and movies.

            And at my age (64) I have seen nationally, Negroes called, Negroes, Blacks, and now I believe African-American is in vogue. Now for me, I would rather be factually correct than politically correct.  No wonder I never fit in to the high school clique and Key Club style of thought when I grew up. Even my time teaching at Atlanta University reinforced my instinct about calling a spade a spade to include casually saying  and using the local talk, like "light skinned and dark skinned" .  It was exactly like what the author Michener included in his novel "Caribbean".

            Well, all this is a lead in to saying you can define your culture, and your standards, where ever you live. In this idea I think you are doing your "progeny" a big educational favor.  After all, we can try dictate thoughts in all ways you can imagine, but that is just immoral. For example, the USA passed three neutrality laws in the late 1930's, and we all know what that got us.  But, in the same vein, we can dictate behavior, like standards of behavior, like for our culture, including standards which often seem like the Golden Rule, to me.

            Last, I can imagine I will die without any younger person saying "thanks".  Rather, the usual is more like ignoring me these days, or not eating my food, or other such indignities. I probably did much the same in my younger years, too.

            But our culture, and our Family stories, are a big deal, to me. So if I have to be a curmudgeon, so be it. Call this idea a burden, but to me it is an opportunity. And time is always on my side.

            Last, a sales pitch if you will.  Raising kids is hard work and a big deal. So trying to influence culture through two parent families is a big deal, too. Why do I suggest this? Well it seems some cultures don't emphasize this like I would.

            Again, I guess I and my thoughts are curmudgeon in 2012.