Anyone who believes that adults are superior to children needs only look so far as the driving habits of the typical adult to be put off that notion in a hurry. The road is truly the adult at his or her most childish, most aggressive, most vulnerable, and most impatient, and the morning commute, nothing but a group of adults throwing a collective temper tantrum. The same amount of self-centered fury you'd expect from a four year old who can't get what they want, you should expect from what the state considers to be its "competent drivers."
Those who criticize the bushmen for beating drums to ward off evil spirits haven't seen freeway drivers honking horns to speed up stopped traffic--indeed, it is all a matter of a relative expression of universal human superstition. This same human nature also links adult and child behaviors, because in no way other than formally are adults better than children, and in no way are children better than adults. All the same virtues and vices apply to each, just on a bigger or smaller developmental scale.
A child might throw a tantrum when they are forced to wait their turn, as if expecting to be first for everything, and by comparison, an adult will throw a tantrum on the road when they are forced to slow down behind a driver who has to merge. They'll ride straight up on the slower car's rear as if to virtually push the other car to accelerate beyond the speed limit, and if such an expectation is not met fast enough, actually start to lane jump their way around the vehicle (which by now has sped up sufficiently). Then they'll pull in front defiantly, having advanced ten feet from their starting position mistakenly believing to have made significant progress. Both behaviors are indeed childish.
Children throw tantrums, it doesn't matter if they are three or thirty. It is only adults though who like to believe that they are in control of themselves simply for being recognized as an adult and being granted responsibilities and rights, but they are not. They are just as much a slave to instinct and environmental demand as the children they routinely demean for their "childishness." Neither tolerate impediments on the scale that directly affects their level of awareness, and both scoff at the "tribulations" suffered by the other on a daily basis. Adults laugh at a childhood squabble that children take very seriously, and children fail to grasp the significance of putting other drivers in danger to move 10 feet forward in traffic--for example.
Despite what any adult may think, being bigger means bigger things frustrate you and cause you to take your temper tantrum. There is no such thing as "handle it like an adult," because nobody's perfect.
I enjoy reading your blog Crake.
ReplyDeleteSometimes I think some of your posts are really great.
I have a different perspective on this one though.
I'm an impatient driver, but not because I'm childish, or
that I think adults are better than kids.
I'm impatient, because I actually watch the road and see what people do.
I think it's the other way around.
How many soccar moms have we seen putting on makeup, or
talking on a cell phone in a school zone?
They may be driving slow, but they have no clue whats going on.
Nor do they care. That's the problem, they just dont care.
They are death warrents on wheels. Men are just as bad.
They cry about safety, yet are the unsafest people on the road.
They are supposed to "merge" onto the freeway, meaning the freeway
has the right of way. Yet they slow the entire freeway down illegally
because they expect that the world belongs to them.
They are the childish ones.
They don't care how many lives they take in the process.
When the rest of the freeway is going 65 MPH, and you refuse to merge,
at 20 MPH, people have to slam on their brakes.
It can effect traffic for miles.
That's just irresponsible.
What's worse, is that they teach kids to be the same - to be irresponsible.
If we really want to be responsible, we need to stop preaching fear.
Life and driving has risks, and as such you had better start thinking about
watching the road, and a little less about obstructing traffic.
Yesteryear we used to teach kids to watch for cars.
Today, we do not. We teach kids expect cars to stop for them.
But we all know that doesn't always happen.
If I had my choice, I would take yesteryear.
I'm still alive today because I was taught to be careful both as
a kid and as an adult driver.
All in all, though I may see it differently, I still liked the post
because I think the point is that adults are sometimes childish.
And on that, we agree.
Thoughtful commentary is very welcome and encouraged here. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteWe actually don't have a different opinion on this, because the kinds of drivers you're talking about (inattentive ones), are just the other side of the coin from the "road ragers." Obviously, in a merging situation, cars on the road have the right of way. But the fact that the person trying to merge in, in the scenario I described, is aware of the other driver who may temporarily have to slow from 80 to 65 for a brief moment, should say volumes. Obviously awareness is the difference. Getting onto the highway should not be considered "obstructing traffic" because then nobody could ever legally get on (in populated areas that is).
The last thing we should be doing is teaching kids to expect cars to stop for them.
One more thing, let's be honest here. All adults think they're better than children in some way or another, even if it's just subconsciously. It's just a natural expression of the human ego. There's no shame in it. The only shame is in not recognizing it.