As my teenagers consistently calculate their oh-so-active weekend social schedule, there exists constant talk of, with, and about the \u201cgroup<\/b>.\u201d<\/p>\n
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The \u201cgroup.\u201d\u00a0 What\u2019s the \u201cgroup\u201d going to do?\u00a0 Where are they?\u00a0 What\u2019s the \u201cgroup\u201d think?\u00a0 Text the \u201cgroup.\u201d\u00a0 What do they say?<\/i><\/p>\n
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For months I\u2019ve witnessed this phenomena unfold.\u00a0 The evolution and application never quite donned on me… until well, now…<\/p>\n
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The \u201cgroup\u201d plans everything.\u00a0 The \u201cgroup\u201d is in control.\u00a0 It\u2019s not especially democratic nor does the majority always rule.\u00a0 It would seem instead that often the loudest voices in the \u201cgroup\u201d make the decision; sometimes there are several who are simply silent, but who still seemingly, at least, go along with the \u201cgroup.\u201d<\/p>\n
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It\u2019s not, however, just for the big dance.\u00a0 The \u201cgroup\u201d plans pretty much everything… what are we doing this weekend?\u00a0 Where are we going?\u00a0 Whose house will we stay at?\u00a0 What do we want to eat?\u00a0 How do we feel about that?<\/i><\/p>\n
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And membership, well, it\u2019s a bit exclusive.<\/p>\n
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I remember when a new gal appeared, with nothing less than a trepidatious tiptoe, obviously desiring to join them.\u00a0 \u201cNot so fast,\u201d seemed the initially unspoken claim.\u00a0 Soon after, however, came, \u201cWell, she can join us, but she’s not a member of the \u2018group.\u2019\u201d\u00a0 [Yes, an actual quote.]<\/i>\u00a0 Membership is a privilege.<\/p>\n
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I\u2019ve decided that once again our teens have watched us adults a little too well… witnessing how we behave, taking both conscious and subconscious note, and then emulating our habits in ways which first adopt and then magnify both the good and the bad.<\/p>\n
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For adults, too, we have our \u201cgroups\u201d… \u201cgroups\u201d in which the identity of the \u201cgroup\u201d often becomes priority number one…\u00a0 when the fight for preservation of the \u201cgroup\u201d trumps what is wisest and best…<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
… we fight for our groups based on team… for Cowboys or Patriots…<\/p>\n
… we fight for our groups based on race… for black or Hispanic…<\/p>\n
… we fight for our groups based on politics… for Democrats or Republicans…<\/p>\n
… we fight for our groups based on profession… gender… demographics… religion… education… based on a singular commonality or focus.\u00a0 And that singular focus often paves the path for a significant blindside, as when we fight only for our \u201cgroup,\u201d we tend to lose sight of the bigger, wiser picture…<\/p>\n
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When we fight only for our sports \u201cgroup,\u201d we no longer can appreciate the remarkable talent on display when Tom Brady throws that perfect, last second pass…<\/p>\n
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When we fight only for our ethnic \u201cgroup,\u201d we no longer see that when we put one race first, we\u2019re engaging in the same behavior of which we are critical…<\/p>\n
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And when we fight only for our political \u201cgroup,\u201d we no longer recognize that spending on our party initiatives can blind us to the perils of unsustainable, deficit spending.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
When we fight only for our \u201cgroups,\u201d it seems we act more like our teens.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Respectfully,<\/p>\n
AR<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
As my teenagers consistently calculate their oh-so-active weekend social schedule, there exists constant talk of, with, and about the \u201cgroup.\u201d The \u201cgroup.\u201d\u00a0 What\u2019s the \u201cgroup\u201d going to do?\u00a0 Where are they?\u00a0 What\u2019s the \u201cgroup\u201d think?\u00a0 Text the \u201cgroup.\u201d\u00a0 What do they say? For months I\u2019ve witnessed this phenomena unfold.\u00a0 The evolution and application … <\/p>\n