165th Edition
Science Projects and Slippery Slopes
I recently decided to make my backyard a science exhibit for my grandchildren. Phase one involved identifying all forty-nine trees we have in our backyard. I discovered twelve different kinds, including: white oak, American beech, northern red oak, sweetgum, tulip, eastern red cedar, white ash, red maple, southern red oak, shortleaf pine, flowering dogwood, and black cherry. I then ordered one ID tag for each different species. Next, I went to Lowe’s and bought a rechargeable drill and a box of 3” screws. Never having owned a rechargeable drill before, I was surprised to learn two interesting facts. First, there are way too many choices. Close to fifty, I’d guess, and I soon realized I needed help selecting the right one for my project. Second, I learned that the small hand-tool area in Lowe’s was the most prominent area for shoplifting. I found it odd that the Lowe’s employee didn’t seem at all bothered by that fact.
In a recent Wall Street Journal article, “The New York Times and the Politics of Theft and Murder,” James Freeman shares some rather unsettling developments related to shoplifting that appeared in a New York Times essay. Apparently, shoplifting, which the Times’ editor calls microlooting, can be considered an act of political protest. There is more discussion in the Times article about stealing and even murder in terms of their potential catalyst for change. The term “social murder” is used. I had to let all this sink in before deciding how to respond. As I returned to my science project, I was left with this gnawing question – Is there an element in our culture that is really this far off compared to traditional morality?
With drill, screws, and ID tags in hand I returned to my back yard. Then I realized the four holes in the ID tags were way too small for my 3” screws, so back to Lowe’s to find skinnier screws, which thankfully, I did. Only a minor setback. As I started attaching the ID tags to the selected trees, I thought about other important things I could teach my grandchildren. At the same time, I remembered the two articles and realized there were probably just as many things I preferred my grandchildren not to learn.
It is inevitable that values and norms change over time. In an era of rapid technological change, accepted ways of doing just about everything are revised, updated, or completely changed. Conversely, principles remain relatively constant. Stealing and murder are always wrong, and when we try to rationalize or justify either as a political protest or righteous reaction to unfairness, we establish the slippery slope that moral decay needs to thrive. It seems apparent that a slippery slope exists in our country today, bent on destroying time-honored principles like integrity, free expression, and a strong work ethic. How will all this impact my grandchildren?
One of the common themes in many of my blogs is that we are all connected. So, how should I interact with those determined to grease the slippery slope of moral decay? How can I acknowledge their outrage, and fully understand and appreciate their views on unfairness and inequality? Today, it is a local, as well as a global challenge, to live in harmony with those who have different viewpoints or opposing ideologies. It begs two questions – Who or what can be the catalyst for lasting peace? What could serve as a unifying force? Until we can answer those questions, it seems we will continue to struggle to coexist peacefully with others who think, look, and act differently.
Still, I am encouraged when people speak out against moral decay. I am even more encouraged when people work together to improve the lives of others. What a blessing it is to have loyal friends, mentors, prayer warriors, and truth seekers to rely upon in a world that just seems a bit off. At the risk of sounding too idealistic, I believe that a slippery slope can be made secure. Solid steps and guardrails can be built, then installed in order for people to make progress toward a more noble and honorable way of life. As I’ve said many times before, we don’t have to settle for anything less than the very best version of ourselves, which is, simply, the person and the people God created us to be.
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Michael Kayes
*These views are my personal opinions and are not the viewpoints of any company or organization.