Before I Grew Up to Love You: A Politically Incorrect Take
Have you ever woken up one morning, perhaps sipping your modest cup of capitalist brew, and realized that the world you grew up in seemed infinitely simpler, more straightforward? Before you grew up to love someone or something passionately, there was a time and space filled with unbridled truth and logic. This isn't just nostalgia, it's more like looking back on the when and why decisions you've made or paths you've wandered down. Especially when it comes to politics and culture, it's either a stroll down memory lane or a slap across the face by reality.
Remember the days when political correctness wasn’t the almighty deity and straightforwardness wasn't met with cancellation threats? Who wouldn’t miss the simpler days when patriotism was less dissected and more celebrated? Those were the days when we cherished community, stood for our flags, and could have good-hearted debates without worrying about the impending doom of internet backlash.
As the world shifted, some grew up realizing what truly mattered. Family. Love. Respect. Accountability. But before we got to this common ground, there existed a transformative journey worth exploring. Let's break down the stages of realization leading up to appreciating what truly matters. Here's a politically incorrect journey through what it meant to grow up loving... anything real.
The Unadulterated Youth: Oh, the blissful ignorance of childhood when things were simpler and toys were for fun, not political statements. Before I grew up, I loved America for its pledge of allegiance, for fireworks on the 4th of July, and the undying promise of opportunity.
The Awakening: At some point, the veil lifted, revealing the societal structures and values that have been standing solidly like redwoods for decades. Thank heavens for the awakening! These were days of internal grappling—where one's affection for values like honor, integrity, and individual rights had to compete with external pressures to conform and lose personal agency.
Questioning the Mainstream: As time went on, I began scrutinizing the news rather than consuming it like a mindless bot. The media, primarily filtering information through rose-colored lenses, led to revelations about their own biases and the necessity to dig deeper, think independently, and refuse to be spoon-fed.
Holding True Values Close: Growing up meant embracing traditional values without guilt or shame. Before I grew up to love my community deeply, I had to strip away unnecessary guilt about appreciating what our forefathers fought for—a functional family unit, economic freedom, and self-governance.
The First Vote: Once you cast that first ballot, there's a sense of responsibility for shaping the future based on accumulated wisdom rather than hearsay or peer pressure. Choosing candidates that align with one's foundational values and keep tax dollars from being doomed in the abyss of governmental waste.
The Reality Check: Realizing that while idealism feels good in theory, practicality triumphs in the real world. Crippling regulations in the name of progress do not necessarily equate to prosperity. Grown-ups prioritize economic sense and protection of freedoms over fleeting emotional victories.
The Great Disconnect: Recognizing the vast chasm between what is pitched as societal norms by pop-culture and news media versus what truly transpires in every day, earnest, working American folks. The disconnect helped in honing a precise separation between the noise and vital issue-based epiphanies.
Stepping Out and Speaking Up: Before I grew up to further love truth and justice fiercely, there was ever the necessity to articulate it without fearing digital stones hurled by faceless internet warriors who hide behind screens to police, cut down, or cancel.
Realigned Priorities: As adulthood fortified my beliefs, it became imperative to focus energies wisely. Real love for the country comes from empowering its citizens to think for themselves, embrace personal responsibilities, and appreciate perspectives grounded in logic rather than fleeting ideologies.
Embracing Productive Dialogue: Now, I regard every adult conversation as an opportunity to share wisdom, explain views, and joyfully counter parts of echo chambers that prefer sticking to narratives that benefit goalposts that ideologically shift more often than not.
Navigating this journey before or as one grows up fosters a realization of love that finds itself rooted in reality, rather than some feel-good illusionary utopia. Respect, both earned and given, highlights how far one needs to come, educates why it matters, and magnifies who truly embraces these values at their core.