do you do what you want, or do you follow the rules?

Answer 1

Good Question! I'm Feeling like fun tonite, so here goes!

I think our Democratic society is set-up to allow us all to do both, the first for personal growth, experimentation, and enjoyment, the second to protect ourselves and others from ourselves and others in the pursuit of the former. I know that I said that tongue-in-cheek - but it's actually true when you think about it for a moment.

I think if you are goal oriented and want to purse your dreams you can find a way to make that happen with hard work, sacrifice, and luck, (Or a big Trustfund, singing "do what you wanna do, go where you wanna go . ")

As for the rules, when I was little and in Sunday School they taught me the Golden Rule. Back then it was "Do unto others, as you would have them do unto you" Catchy huh?

Now-a-days there is a NEW Golden Rule, - I'm sure you know it - say it with me: "He who has the Money Makes The Rules". (Or buy off the Cops, Judge, & Jury).

So, unless you OJ, or a Fat Cat Millionaire, I suggest you follow the rules, - even when ya think ain't no buddy watchin, - nowdays there's always somebody with a camcorder watching.

To explore it a little more if you like:

Any organized peaceful society must have a leader - An Alpha Male and an Alpha Female, and a rule and a structure of Law, followed by tribal order, responsibility, protection, judgement or mediation, punishment, acknowlegement and priveledge, and a spirital leader/healer, - beyond this are the tribes storyteller - an archiveist, the tracker, the fastest runner, and so on. There was actually less freedom and "free time" the farther back you go in history, (with the exception of a very few "Royal & Noble personages - and at different times those in the Priesthood, and Higher Ranking Professional Soldiers and Merchants), but for the most part, the common man / woman of the day had little opportunity, and in more modern times, say from about the 12th through the 18th century even, very little "right" to do what they wanted" at all.

And as for following the rules, In the days of the Homo Erectus, and the Early Homonids, Australopiticus, the other early residents of the African plains, and Dr. James Leaky's Oldiv Gorge, there may not have been any written or spoken rules, but I think that there were lessons learned that tiny primitive minds somehow held onto, that became memories of a sort, that when reapeatedly similar circumstances presented themselves with the same out come - especially lethal outcomes for these little fellows and his kin, that they began to realize that certain precursory events set in motion became a time to "shag A$$ out of there" - a RULE emerges if you will. Buy the time Barney & Fred actually figure out how to make and use fire at their will, and the whole tribe has burned every didgit, and their noses and tongues at least 5 or 6 times, I think they start to teach the new arrivals to the tribe - the babies - "Not to touch pretty stars on the ground" - A RULE for the common good.

So I think "Rules" started out to be good things, that were meant to help us and to keep us safe from harm. But then MEN, (Isn't it always men who have to go and muck up a good thing for everyone?) Some caveman guy is going along one day, and he stumbles across this huge old empty log not to far from the tribes cave, but it's hot and he's tired, and he's lazy so he crawls inside for a nap. It's nice and cool and dark and quiet inside the log, until he puts his hand in something cool and sticky. Yuck ! "What's this?" He back's out of the log to find that his hand is covered in a golden stick liquid of some kind. He sniffs it - it smells nice. He tastes it - it tastes terriffic? He's never tasted ANYTHING like it before but he is instantly addicted to it. For the next hour he fills his belly with this gooey, rich, sap. He dose'nt know it but he's discovered Honey. With a full belly he staggers back towards camp, and comes upon some of his buddies - who he can not help but share his discovery with , - including the Alpha Male. Soon most of the men are lapping the sap up like water, and a kernal of thought is starting to expand in the leaders tiny brain. "This stuff is soooooo good, but how do we know how much there is? Look how good it makes my warriors feel! It makes them Laugh, and Strong! This golden liquid is for Men alone and I must make it so! But HOW? How will I keep the Women and children and the Old Ones Away?

This is when "Greed" steps in. One of the young men, was born with a club foot, he tries to keep up, and he is a good fisherman, but he is slow, and no woman will have him. He will do. That evening the Alpha male and most of the warriors return to camp in a somber mob, they carry the savaged body of the young cripple boy gently in their arms. "He was attacked." The Leader explains " By a huge and Terrible Tiger Cat who has made his lair in the woods in back of our camp about a 1/2 days walk from here towards the place of Black Stones. NO ONE shall ever go there again - it is the LAW ( A RULE - The first lie told for personal gain by man - and thus the first Congress is in session).

Sorry there, - just having some fun. But as you can see, if we all did what we wanted not only would we quickly be in a state of Chaos, but we would be in a very DEADLY state of Chaos, because by "Doing what you want - you seem to imply that (A) there will be no consequences for your actions, or (B) - You do not care what the consequences are; and Ultimately - they amout to the same thing if you look at the latitude that allows. So yes there must be rules that we all agree to abide by in order to peacfully coexist.

Granted, the laws are NOT always Fair. Many are out date. Many are Prejudicial. Many are outright stupid, and some are just plain hateful. And I have often wondered, just who in the HELL voted for that? So with the good you get some bad.

And so some of the young, and young -at-heart, and the not-so-young and naieve believe or fool themselves into believing that they actually are enjoying the freedom to do what they want, and that that freedom that they enjoyed at 15 or 16 or 17 will therefore extend through out their lives until they are dead and buried at the end of a long and wonderful life, lived with blasting Ipod tunes, flaxseed shirts, flowers in their hair, granny glasses, Miller Lite, flippin a hackie sack, and smokin' a doobie. Well in the REAL world unless you are living at home and mooching off of your folks - it isn 't happening.

We ALL need to be children. We all need to be innocent and play, and cry, and run to momma and have her make it all better. We all need to have a dad who is the best and biggest, and strongest daddy in the whole wide world. We all need a daddy that smells of after shave and gives us whisker rubs, and blows "farts" on our tummies. We need Moms and dads to set rules for us, and consequences if we do not abide by those rules. This is good for us, and provides us with the training we will need when we are older, it's part of our socialization.

Play, (Doing what we want) is vital as we grow - it expands our capability to be creative, to communicate non verbally, helps our tactile skills, balance, motor skills, hand-eye coordination, sensory & depth perception, relaxes us, releves stress, and gives us the opportunity to wack some other kid we don't like and claim it was an "accident".

So Make your Bed nice and pretty, and then jump up and down on it, while you sing your favorite song at the top of your lungs with your headset on- and your tune's cranked way up. Good luck.

(Remember to take your shoes off). I'm pulling for you.

Answer 2

Follow the rules to the T.....

Answer 3

I always follow the rules

Answer 4

I do what I want that are within the rules. If what I want is against the rules, then I do the best I can to bend the rules without causing myself or my loved ones any problems.

Answer 5

I did what ever I wanted to do before my son....now I follow the rules because I have responsibilities...

Answer 6

I follow the rules when I'm being watched. I try to slip my collar every once in a while and go off running through the neighborhood.

Answer 7

i would follow the rules . for example if i am in the school i would follow the rules and if i am out i would follow the rules and whenever i am , i would follow the rules !
:)

Answer 8

I basically do what I want, but I can follow the rules when I want to.

Answer 9

I always follow the rules. I may not be a lot of fun - but, I am dependable.

Answer 10

I try to follow the rules, but you know rules are meant to be broken

Answer 11

Sure, get in a car or truck and just do what you want. Don't follow any rules of driving. Just remember to writer your obit while you still have the chance.