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A descriptive -ism


Permissiveness, often confused with compassion or tolerance, is really a distorted version of liberality, which deserves a particular suffix, -ism.

Permissivenessism is controversial while being an obviously popular attribute to our social ethos since it is in most forms of contemporary entertainment. The controversy is not around its existence, but rather, its intensity. From the time just after the civil war, we have had what is called a “cultural revolution,” that developed into a “sexual” revolution; this turning over and upheaval of the social norms raised hell in an inconsistent, but “moral,” society. The revolution brought idioms like, “if it feels good, do it,” and “it’s all good.” The mentality motivating an “it’s all good,” attitude is what sums up the permissiveness of our ethos.

Permissivenessism is well demonstrated in the television show, Friends. Friends is funny, sexually savvy, clever, and, most of all, young. The characters are not well established and immature; they really do not get life. Each character constantly comes to grip with the immorality that prevails over any sort of tradition, embracing the newness of the American joie de vivre. Moralists are negatively portrayed, if ever in the script at all. Usually, the characters are shedding any sort of moralistic tendencies. This is the religion of Friends, permissivenessism; the catalyst to “happiness.”

If you made it this far, you must be wondering where I am going, what direction is this diatribe taking you. Here it is; permissiveness is the prelude to a few things.


Being Judgmental: This false sense of compassion makes people who are given to permissiveness to judge acutely the motives, as though they know what they are, of another's opinions and beliefs. This false liberality is, in fact, a subtle way of making up excuses for behavior that is inconsistent with an individuals moral code, usually beset upon them by his or her parents or religious leaders.
Loss of faith: this is another aspect to permissiveness; faith which involves tradition and morality, especially a traditional morality, is incompatible with immoral lifestyles, so, once the judging starts, once the moral arrogance settles in one’s mind/heart, there is no room for a substantive faith. The guidance of morality and tradition are replaced by a blind allegiance to social fads like tramp stamp tattoos and political pseudo-messiahs like Barack Obama.
Disregard of human dignity: human dignity has really become the bitch of modern liberalism. Permissiveness has disregarded the mystery of human life and its intrinsic value, stigmatizing these notions as prehistoric. As human dignity took a backseat, we have seen sexuality smother common sense and whole-heart arrogance condemn the democratic voices of the past. As a result, humanity is now considered the offspring of a semen-swill that existed millions of years ago, a purposeless accident which has infected our earth with religion, patriarchy, and capitalism.

The obvious conclusion to this conclusion is a sense of hopelessness. Permissivenessism is hopeless; it is a nihilistic religion, which causes duty, morality, and honor to scurry from one’s creed like Baptists at a wine tasting. Real compassion considers consequences, real liberality is a form of kindness that is not based on prejudice; it is morality lived while permissivenessism is immorality imposed.

Comments

Dustin said…
That was some diatribe - well written to boot.
September 4, 2008 at 12:31 PM
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