OH SAY CAN YOU NOT SEE

No disrespect intended for that famous line out of the Star Spangled Bar about asking oh say can you see, but the one thing I do know, there are times that question should not be asked. And to be honest, from what I have witnessed there are also plenty of occasions when people might be asked the question, but definitely make every effort not to.

It is sort of like, don't ask as long as you don't ask so you don't have to lie about ignoring something. To me this whole issue as more than one side.

There are the times when I just plain don't need to see something because it is just plain dumb and stupid. I don't need to see somebody imaginary green poodle for example. And I sure don't even want to know about it.

On the other hand, there are the equally depressing moments when I don't want to see because it is too depressing. I would much rather live in the ignorance of my nice comfortable home and be ignorant on the issue of things like poverty.

I know that might sound cruel, but is it any crueler than looking and doing nothing? I'm just avoiding unnecessary guilt since I'm basically a selfish jerk who is only going to worry about my problems anyway.

So in a way I figure by not looking at the real needs in my world I don't have to lie and create false hope that I will as a Mayor do anything about the problem. That way I don't do anything to in anyway make the person think help is on the way when it isn't.

Outside of the obvious fact that by taking that approach I'm able to preserve my lifestyle of being a lecherous lazy slug, there is the fact that I don't have to waste time worrying about the problem either. Which is for me a double doze of happy.

Meanwhile, I'm sure there are plenty of others who practice the oh say can you not see approach, but without bothering to admit it. Which is often made so much easier when you sit in some limo with tinted windows so you really can see the world around. Luxury, ah such a sweet word isn't it.

Unless you are a member of the poor. I do confess it is sad how life sucks way too much for poor people, some of which are fairly decent.

Not that I plan on doing anything about it you understand. I just thought it deserved to be mentioned in my posting.

That way I can at least lie and say I gave some attention to the suffering. It really does sound good even if you'll never see me actually do something to change reality.

Yep, life is strange and usual. All I do is pass on a few thought, honest, blunt and far too typical of the way life is lived in many cases. But then when you get passed the talk, it often still comes back to the oh say can you not see, to which the reply is "Yes, I can see, but I'm not stupid enough to actually look!"