Happiness #24 : Easy ruins

Here's just a short post because I missed yesterday and I don't want to make skipping a habit again...

Today I was watching a bit of the boobtoob with my moms when a very, how should I say, "American" teenager became so upset at her mother taking away her music player that the offended youth felt cause to yell, "Why are you trying to ruin my life?!" at her paternal unit.  As common as this phrase is- so common in fact that I'm fairly certain it makes a very dramatic appearance in the majority of American family films- tonight, it rang in my ears particularly loudly.  I could not stop myself from laughing at the complete impracticality of the phrase's application as well as the silliness of it all.  How can music deprivation in the form of an mp3 player be the ruin of somebody's life?  How can being grounded from seeing friends for one week be so life altering that one must utter these words at the injustice of it all?  It makes me think, do these kids honestly feel that their mother or father just follows them around thinking up ways to make them miserable?  There are actually children who have that particular problem from their parents through abuse, mental disability, drug involvement, and who knows what else.  I feel that their situation is a bit more appropriate for the usage of that phrase because in those instances, entire futures and opportunities are wiped out for the child due to the actions of their parents.  How very selfish and American of us to even entertain the idea that we know what it means to have our lives ruined...

But can I even say "we"?  I asked my own mother if she ever recalled me blaming her for the ruin of my life- in whatever instance- and much to my relief, she said no.  Thank god I wasn't a complete idiot when I was younger.  Thank god I know the difference between life ruining decisions and completely-irrelevant-to-the-future decisions.  Like being grounded.  Ugh, the stupidity of it all, and shall I say, of THEM all, make me balk.  And as elitist as I sound by saying "them" as if I am not included, I say I have every right to say "them" and distinguish myself as apart from this moronic era of young people because I apparently had the common sense (even way back then) to understand that my life is not useless and weak enough to be "ruined" just because I don't get to go hang out with friends.

And this reflection upon such people makes it easier for me to understand how it is that Casey Anthony was found not guilty of murdering her child remorselessly; if she was truly judged by a jury of her peers, then they probably could sympathize with her feelings for wanting to be rid of the burden of a child- just like I'm sure 90% of America can see the injustice and cruelty of having one's phone taken away for a day.

Good Lord.