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June 10, 2005
- The ad campaign in which a line at the bottom of the
screen reads, "What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas," implies that Vegas is
a place to break away from the constraints of normal existence and
indulge your wildest fantasies without allowing people back home to know
what you've done. There is a lot one can infer from this commercial.
Depending on the personality of who is
watching, the notion of going beyond self imposed limits in a place where
nobody knows your name can be positively alluring. I would imagine that the
goal of the commercial is to attract any tourist who wants to completely cut
loose so that the traveler will end up spending more money while on vacation
at this adult theme park. The commercial purposely leaves the viewer
to come up with his/her own conclusions about what might actually happen.
Ironically, while this commercial might
seem risqué, behavioral expectations in many circles no longer include
keeping particular personal preferences private. Though there are people who
decline getting mixed up in situations which might in the long run cast a
negative light on their character, many others see as a larger challenge
forcing society to accept any and all deviances from what used to be
considered the norm. Their goal is to ensure that there is no longer a
universally recognized modicum of behavior to be followed in certain
situations or the expectation of deference to those who by age or stature
should command respect.
What we have forgotten is that the
ability to play out forbidden scenarios in our minds rather than acting on
them is what differentiates the adult from someone who hasn't yet reached
maturity. Although a kid might want to tell a teacher that he or she is a
jerk, it is not permissible. Although a Democrat might not like the
ideology guiding a Republican president
or visa versa, it is not acceptable
to have a public tantrum about the way things are being done. Public
tantrums are what spoiled children have when things don't go their way.
Moral relativism stunts the ability to
see situations from another person's vantage; from being expected to respect
another point of view while not necessarily agreeing with it. By
undermining the credibility of traditional values and giving equal weight to
every rationale, moral relativism creates an exception to every rule. This
philosophy has effectively prevented the necessity of a meeting of the minds
over what can collectively be adhered to as appropriate or inappropriate
public or private behavior.
We need accepted rules of conduct. If
the majority in a community agrees on the rules by which they are governed,
then it is expected these rules should be followed whether or not they are
found satisfactory by every single person who must abide by them. In a
Democratic society, not everyone gets their way all of the time.
No longer are those who govern forced to
debate; making valid points and counterpoints with the end goal of reaching
a middle ground. Civil discourse is a thing of the past. Intolerance of
one another ends up in shouting matches where no one is listening to what
each person has to say. People expect instant gratification and take no
responsibility for the long term consequences of their actions.
We don't have philosophers like
Confucius or Socrates to consult but we do have constitutional scholars who
study the doctrines on which our country was founded. Advice from or respect
for those who make it their life work to understand such things should be
sought by those empowered to legislate. True dialogue can only occur when
all the facts are on the table and every person is expected to take each
question to its logical conclusion.
Ben Franklin might have found "Sin City"
an exceptionally fun place but he would not have expected his colleagues to
necessarily agree. He would not have imposed his preferences on them; he
would have kept his personal life private. The bottom line is that each
person has the freedom to do what he or she wants, but at the same time must
accept the consequences of his or her actions. When in Vegas…
The idea of acceptable civil behavior is becoming extinct.
Those in the minority who force their perspective on the majority are
abusing the rights guaranteed to all under the US Constitution. The beauty
of this country is that the rule of law, when applied as our founders
intended, is meant to respect our values, not impose on them.
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