One thing that bothers me about American society is that our society as a whole sets very bizarre and misplaced hierarchies for a number of things. Earlier this year I went to war with those of undeserved celebrity, and I have no desire to regurgitate any of that. I do, however, want to touch on something that has been on my mind for the past month or so.
This post was largely inspired by a comment a close friend of mine made. He was cheering loudly for another friend, and I told him that his cheering was quite spirited. His reply (more or less): “I’ll cheer just as loudly for you when you do something worth cheering for.” That stuck to me.
American society reveres some professions and reviles others. This disturbs me to absolutely no end. We glorify some and turn our collective nose at others. It is ridiculous.
I said I would not beat the dead horse of undeserved celebrity, so I won’t, but I will say that it is absolutely ridiculous that anyone who gets their face on television or their voice on radio suddenly gains instant credibility. Actors, athletes, newscasters, and even reality television stars are absolutely fawned over. The vast majority have done nothing do merit such affection an adulation. They are not your gods, so stop worshiping them.
This next section may get me into hot water, but I am not looking for your agreement; I am merely stating an opinion. I truly believe that the American military gets too much attention. As a country, we put significantly more focus on the exploits of our military than other nations. Some would say it’s due to our immense patriotism, while others would argue that our “patriotism” is nothing more than thinly veiled ethnocentrism. Yes, there are some good things that are done, but most are doing nothing more than following orders, and at this point those orders are to wage war on nations with ideologies that our higher-ups have deemed hostile.
I for one have never understood the near canonization of our troops. We treat them at the level of angels or someone who should be seated at the right hand of the throne of God Himself. Here’s the honest truth, and something people may hate me for saying: They’re doing their jobs. There is no draft. Every single member of the military CHOSE that position for one reason or another. In this economy, it’s not a bad decision by any means. If every businessman was given a party upon their return from an international business trip, the only businesses that would be thriving would be the establishments that are throwing the parties! Some might tell me that they are protecting our freedom. I don’t see it that way. We have not fought a war primarily on our soil since 1865. More appropriately, they are defending an ideology.
Our fallen soldiers are constantly referred to as heroes. I would never intend to downplay any death. I respect the decisions made by those who chose that life. I just wonder what makes them more of a hero than the construction worker who died while fixing a road. His life was sacrificed to protect the safety of those who travel that road. What about the worker who died attempting to fix a downed power line? Why should his efforts be marginalized?
The purpose of this post is not to attack the military or any other profession. It really isn’t. I respect what they do. I once paid $20 for the most poorly crafted pin ever to show my support for the troops. I just don’t think we should exalt any profession over another. Everyone does what they do to get by. Some live a dream while others bite the bullet.
As a substitute teacher, I have seen both sides of the reverence spectrum, depending on which school I was subbing at. At one school I have not always been treated with a great deal of respect. Conversely, at the other school, I am treated like a conquering hero. One of the teachers told me that it is like having a celebrity in the building every time I am there. The students mob me in the halls, and the teachers bend over backwards to make sure everything is in order.
Honestly, I think my reception should be somewhere in the middle. It is nice to be loved, but the teachers are the real heroes there. All I do is teach their lessons.
So what am I trying to get at here? We all have a job. Some of our jobs are glamorous. Others are not. No job should be vilified (within good reason), and no job should be overly revered. Treat the person who cuts your hair or takes your order at Steak ‘n’ Shake with the same respect as you would your favorite celebrity. Give substitute teachers, paraprofessionals, janitors, cafeteria staff, and full time teachers equal amounts of appreciation for the jobs they do. Always be grateful for the work others do, most of which goes unnoticed. Professional respect and adulation should not have any strings attached. We all have a job to do, and most of us do our best to make it work. We all deserve to be noticed.
