Ritual Childishness

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The comfort of our earth choking Western society is doing a disservice to many of our children and has been for many years. I know this, because it is rare that a night goes by that I don't run into one of these adult children.

Dysfunctional and addled with a rampant sense of entitlement, they may own Armani suits, but are still more properly suited in a onesie and a bib. Over time the game has become more complicated, but they still behave like a child seeking out its mammy's teat.

However, it is people like this that I have the most sympathy for. They have been compliant and obedient all their lives and they seem to live in a world of childish anger without knowing why.

The why involves the fact that neither their parents or society ever forced them to take a risk. Not a chance, but a risk. The two are different.

In the myriad of cultures and beliefs that make up the mad cauldron of belief, most systems have a ritual whereby boys become men and girls become women. But these things are not just the equivalent of going to the banquet room at the local hotel so you can give 13 year old Larry his Barmitzvah gift.

They were real tests with real consequences, and sometimes your beloved child didn't make it back, or you would be chosen for the highest honour as an adolescent, a human sacrifice.

Some people have this rite of passage built into who they are. I was paying my own rent when I was sixteen, mostly because I didn't like the constraints of other peoples rules. At that point I was willing to take responsibility for myself

I know a lot of gay people who had to become themselves by the ritual of coming out. I have a lot of respect for that, because it is not always easy owning who you are in the face of adversity. But that is the definition of a rite of passage, a ritual. Owning and becoming who you are in the face of adversity.

A ritual is supposed to cast you out into the unknown, so that you may return as a fully realised and mature member of the community. This used to be common practice with children, now its rare among adults.

Wonder why piercing and tattoos are so popular? These things used to be badges of honour among ritulistic societies, signifying accomplishment. Now its just product signifying  imitation of the once sacred,  adornment meant to compensate for a need inside us that was never quite quenched.

Anyway, I gotta run, cos the guy at the end of the bar is very upset about the number of cherries in his Manhattan.

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