Childish behavior

I recall decades ago when in grammar school my classmates (never me) being caught chewing gum, copying off another paper or in one major transgression throwing spitballs on a ceiling.

Our (their) first line of defense was “Mary did it too.” “Ralphie threw the first one.”

Typical childish behavior. Blaming others for how we express inappropriate actions enhances our sense of being justified for those actions.

So it seems in today’s politics that childish minds prevail.

Mention your displeasure with politician A and his behavior and guaranteed someone will point out that politician B did the same or worse as if the actions of B had anything to do with or justified the actions of A.

I guess it is some form of weird defense of politician A as if someone else’s behavior justifies the behavior of A.

That is strange enough, but individuals employing such a tactic and displaying that childish logic is what befuddles me. I guess we never grow up when it comes to human behavior… or politics.

Could it be that two wrongs actually do make a right?

6 comments

  1. I agree that the defense of one person’s bad behavior should never be pointing out another person’s bad behavior. Just as I believe that fixating on one person’s behavior while completely ignoring another’s is just as wrong

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  2. The behavior of politicians goes all the way down through the state and local level, even to school boards. It has become a winner take all struggle and is egged on by various groups of people. You can’t fix the mess we’ve become by fingering the congress and whoever is President. The people at large have got to stop ignoring fringe groups and beliefs and I mean the fringe beliefs on both sides of the political spectrum.

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    1. But unfortunately the whole system is currently set up to amplify the fringe groups you are talking about, through gerrymandering, non-competitive districts, closed primaries, electoral college, non-proportional representation in the Senate etc. None of this appeals to the majority in the center. Instead, it gives enormous power to the most radical and extreme elements in each party. In the context of such a system, it is perfectly understandable why voters are making the choices they do. The only changes will come either due to an acute crisis or glacially due to generational differences, etc.

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  3. Fully concur! The entire congress needs to be revitalized with new blood. Neither party will work with the other and the few “new” members are told follow the party lead or we will not support your re-election. Voters must stop supporting politicians who have been in office for several terms. The terms for Members of the House of Representatives and U.S. Senators was never meant to be a full time job!

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    1. I agree with Stephen that both should be prosecuted, presumably meaning both Trump and Giuliani. But I don’t agree that they are above the law and there is no accountability. The system works slowly but it does seem to be delivering finally, with the four different indictments and 91 felony accounts, not to mention the successful civil suits. We must not lose trust in our institutions, despite all the noise and intentional disinformation.

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