Get Over Yourself

How do you respond when things don't go as you expect? Do you contemplate the possible causes that something did not work out? Do you stop and think about it? Do you examine your own actions in relation to the outcome and resolve to correct them in the future? Or do you just fly off the handle, freak out, go berserk?

Consider this 36-second clip taken from America's Funniest Home Videos:

Obviously the child is quite ignorant in regard to the cause of his falling when he steps on to the “slip-n-slide.” He doesn't realize that wet plastic is slippery, nor is it likely he would understand what “slippery” means at his age. Nonetheless, he seems perfectly content to believe that the reality of his “repeatedly-falling-down” is something the “slip-n-slide” is deliberately doing to him. Thus, the responsibility is clearly the slip-n-slide's and as a result the little man is doing his best to give it a solid verbal lashing.

Now clearly no one is forcing the little guy to run out on the slip-n-slide. He simply observes some other kids doing it, sees that they are having a good time, and decides to give it a whirl. But the other kids aren't falling down like bumbling idiots, so why is he? Maybe the slip-n-slide is doing it to him? Maybe he ought to put it in its place?

Little does the child know that it is his fault that he is falling down like that. In effect, his deliberately running onto a slippery surface is directly resulting in his loss of balance and subsequent descent. Now surely it would be wrong to expect a child of his age to know this, but is it wrong to expect grown adults to? Many people make their way through life yelling and screaming about situations, situations—perhaps unbeknownst to them—that they themselves are responsible for creating! And though it is true that many external circumstances appear without being directly caused by everyone affected by them, the fact remains that we as individuals are directly responsible for the creation of a great many of the life circumstances that we enjoy—or suffer. And unless we take the time to examine the causal relationships of our unpleasant life circumstances—and moreover are willing to take personal responsibility for them and get over ourselves—the likelihood of any of our situations improving will be almost entirely beyond our control.

Perhaps those who prefer to avoid responsibility for their life should wear diapers as well?