The Generation that Cried Wolf.

It's the holiday season and I've been thinking of writing a lighthearted piece. I know a lot of us are having a hard time in this old world, and I would like to lift someones spirit, liven things up a bit. Well, I still may do that, but that's not what this hub is about.

Through out my life I've heard people talk about the This generation, and the That generation, the Baby Boomers, Gen X and so on. But I think overall, we must be The Generation that Cries Wolf too often.

On the local news tonight, they were talking about a hidden danger in all of our homes that can be potentially lethal. A lot of thoughts went through my mind as they promptly went to commercials. As a mother, a part of me felt bound to watch what ever the horrible thing was, so I could make sure my family is protected. Another part of me wondered if this was just going to be more of the media BS.

When they came back and finally told us of this Dire Threat, I literally felt insulted. The BIG, BAD, SCARY THING they were talking about, was the pull ladders that lead to the attic. WHAT? It turns out that they can break and cause a fall. REALLY? What kind of rocket scientist did it take to figure that out? They must really think we're a bunch of idiots.

I'm so sick of always hearing about things that They say are going to kill us. It seems as if they want to take the joy out of living. It's hard to think of anything that someone doesn't say may kill you. Peanut butter, bacon, eggs, pizza, anything with sugar, anything with white flour; well, I guess I could go on forever listing food. Oh yeah, the last part of the toothpaste will eventually kill us too.

I can't get through a day without seeing on TV, or in a magazine or newspaper or billboard, that I'm probably going to get killed by some kind of cancer, diabetes, a car wreck, and on and on and on. They are even naming certain months after things that can kill you. All month long we hear over and over about diseases or drunk drivers or what ever. Now I know, and you now, we ALL know these are legitimate things that are going to kill a whole lot of us. But does it have to be shoved down our throats all the time? I vote that if something has a whole month named after it, it shouldn't be mentioned again until next year.

Anything and everything can possibly kill a person. Yes a ladder to the attic can break, getting hit by a flying puck at a hockey game can probably kill you, eating tainted lettuce can be fatal. At what point are we going to tell them that we are fully aware that we should use common sense and make it through each day. I would just rather do it without someone trying to scare me to death before I go out and play in the traffic.

Then there is the government trying to manipulate us using scare tactics. "We must go over and start a massive war with Iraq because we're certain they have WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION!" Sound familiar? How many people worried every time the Terror levels went up? How many people really went out and bought plastic and tape to be able to seal their homes in case of a dirty bomb of mass proportions? How many times were gas masks Googled? Is it any wonder that almost one third of Americans are on some kind of medication for anxiety and/or depression?

My husband loves to work in the yard and do things outside. My 81 year old mother has repeatedly locked him outside because she is scared to death of a home invasion. (we live in a cozy little suburb) Actually, she worries all the time of every little thing now days. It's because she watches the news every day, and so much of every other kind of media.

I'll admit that for a long time, I bought in to too much of it myself. As the mother of three boys, I was way too overprotective, to the point that I feel kind of bad about it now. Luckily they still love me.

And on that happy note, I'll end this rant. I just wonder if anyone else resents this kind of terrorism as much as I do? I would love to hear your thoughts on it.

All the Best!

KT

* Disclaimer: Okay, yes - I do write Thriller Novels, but they are Fiction! lol