slippery slope

p_18_p_2021Many of us heard the clamoring calls in response to the court’s decisions last week:

From the Daily Kos:  “Here’s that Hobby Lobby slippery slope in action…”

From The Week:  “Hobby Lobby will not lead us down a slippery slope of religious exemptions.”

And from Hillary Clinton:  “This is a really bad slippery slope.”

Allow the Intramuralist an instant reaction.  I agree; we’re on a “slippery slope” — a downward, digressing slide.  Allow my second thought…

When any of us are on a slope or a slide, all we can discern is one thing for certain:  we are sliding.  That’s it.  We can’t immediately comprehend when the slide begins nor how fast we are going; we’re also not always sure of the end until we actually fall into the mucky pit.  On any slide, all we know for certain is that we’re sliding.

Far too often, however, we are misled by our own knowledge, experience, and resulting emotion.  That combination then leads us to declarations which may or may not be true.  For example…

Consistent with many American households brimming with ample testosterone, video games are plentiful in my semi-humble abode.  Initially, I was comfortable with all of the games in our home.  There’s just something about Mario, Luigi, and that cute, little, green Yoshi character that make even the adult smile (… and sometimes quietly partake, when no one else is looking, of course…).  

As the years passed, no less, my boys moved from the Mario Bros. to Madden’s NFL, enjoying increased adult, athletic competition.  After a few years more, they then entered a new genre, playing popular games such as “Call of Duty” and “Assassin’s Creed”… those beat ‘em up, shoot ‘em up, oh-so-ethical games.  (Ugh.)

I’ll be very honest.  I don’t like them.  I don’t like those games.  I also don’t like that my boys like them.  And while the older boys entered this genre via the seemingly more innocent Star Wars “Battlefront” series, when they began playing a game that actually had the word, “assassin,” in it, I loudly declared that my family is now on a “slippery slope.”  Loudly.  Boldly.  And dare I also add… arrogantly.

Yes, we were — are — on a slippery slope via virtual video scenarios.  But when did the slope begin?  … with only the entrance to the violent genre?  … before that? … with the adult athletic competitions?  … or with the initial introduction of video games in our household — albeit disguised nicely due to the cuteness of that Yoshi?

My point, friends, is that we declare the slippery slope when we’re already sliding; we are not good at recognizing its commencement.  We claim the onset in so many areas — from birth control to “Call of Duty”… from the sanctity of marriage to the sanctity of life… Yet where were the clamorous critics when the callousness evolved in the decades prior?  I do not mean to be insensitive in any way to those among us who have unfortunately experienced such a painful scenario; my point is simply that we conveniently decide the onset of the slide, often negating or ignoring previous events that obviously contributed to the digression.

Note that in our household this month, soccer continues to dominate our time and television.  Hence, my older boys have been immersed in their video game, EA Sports FIFA World Cup for their XBOX 360, reverting to athletics instead of assassins.

To this parent, that reverting is refreshing.

Respectfully…

AR

One Reply to “slippery slope”

  1. AR, what you have been resonates within my Spirit and my boys are only 3, 5, and 7. I a have asked myself often when, Lord , did the sliding start?

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