INFLATED SELF ESTEEM WILL END IN FAILURE

 INFLATED SELF ESTEEM WILL END IN FAILURE

By Domenick J. Maglio PhD. Traditional Realist

 

Our culture in the United States is obsessed with high self-esteem equity. Everyone should feel positive about everything they do, in order to make as many individuals feel good about any amount of effort. According to this philosophy, everyone needs to receive an equal reward so no person will suffer the pain of being less than someone else. 

 

In our government schools many of the school boards are finding ways to minimize differences between student’s ranking in class. Some schools do not allow student grades to be written on the board. Spelling, math, or other bees of any kind are not allowed so no one will feel inferior. The top academic student in the class is not publicly announced since it might arouse envy in some and smugness in others. Due to the precipitous drop in the testing scores in the USA compared with other nations, some academic subjects have been deemphasized or eliminated altogether. For example, the writing section of the SAT exam has been eliminated while many colleges are not even requiring these standardized tests for entrance qualification.  

 

The concept of equity: that everyone should be raised to the same level regardless of whether they earned it or not, is being implemented in many of our government schools. This artificially creates a world that appears to be equal in all things and in all groups. This allows all individuals to appear to be equal in every way except it is not true since everyone is unique even so-called identical twins.

 

The USA Department of Education’s new objective as a social change agency has sacrificed its past merit-based mission. This change in focus is undermining the quality of our education. Instead of attempting to raise every racial and ethnic group in public school, it is lowering it for everyone. By changing the standard for each subgroup, an artificial equitable result may be achieved. This is being done to satisfy Marxist political concerns instead of increasing our students’ academic ability as compared to students worldwide.

 

There always have been people with inflated egos who think they are better than most others. These blowhards are increasing in number and are often hard to take seriously. The people exaggerate or directly lie about their accomplishments and life history.  It does not matter if their parents, friends, or other significant person was a role model for exaggerating, the individual had the choice of imitating this lifestyle or not. These people may make a wonderful first impression, but it does not mean their reputation will not change with more exposure. The label for a person living a fraudulent existence by taking liberties with the truth is a phony. 

 

Yet, the USA with their glorious past educational system chose to lower the academic educational standards to force equity mediocrity. These decisions are eroding the moral fabric of our nation. In the recent past students were judged on their ability. They had to learn and demonstrate their knowledge through vigorous testing. When students who excel were honored by other students and teachers who admired them as role models. Their 

excellence and advancement motivated everyone to compete at their optimal level. This is called the merit system.

 

Replacing merit with inflated grades results in the reduction of what must be learned to not overwhelm the student. These lower academic standards, along with less motivated and dedicated teachers is a formula for a third-world nation with diluted institutions, weakened morals and work ethic. People in the equity culture will expect more material wealth than they will receive as they lack the necessary skills and work ethic.  

 

Many of these students with inflated esteem believe they can do anything they are assigned. Since most have no knowledge of cursive writing, higher math, or history they will eventually be made aware that they cannot do the job in the real work world with their meager education.

 

In this reality the students will fail because their inflated grades led to insufficient learning and retaining academic skills and knowledge. The more students put into their education, the more they get out of it, which opens greater opportunities for future advancement.

 

The focus on getting all students to be at the same point in the same grade is hurting our nation’s ability to compete in the world. Some students are not allowed to advance while the poorer level students are pushed ahead to keep everyone at the same level. This political approach will end in harsh failure. Inflated egos are worthless when the person is unprepared for the reality of the judgmental and competitive economic society. 

 

Domenick Maglio, PhD. is a columnist carried by various newspapers and blogs, an author of several books and owner/director of Wider Horizons School, a college prep program. Dr. Maglio is an author of weekly newspaper articles, INVASION WITHIN  and the latest book entitled, IN CHARGE PARENTING In a PC World. You can see many of Dr. Maglio’s articles at www.drmaglioblogspot.com.

 

FEEL GOOD BEHAVIOR AND TRADITIONAL REALITY HAVE DIFFERENT RESULTS

 FEEL GOOD BEHAVIOR AND TRADITIONAL REALITY HAVE DIFFERENT RESULTS

By Domenick J. Maglio, Ph.D. Traditional Realist

 

 

Reality with ups and unexpected downs is much more difficult to live in than is fantasy. It is how you handle everyday problems and unexpected tragedies that define your character. Conquering our personal demons and misfortunes, not wallowing in our difficulties shows strong character, determination and self-reliance. These traits were considered virtues in our recent past. 

 

In our current social media, progressive culture, logic, and reality have been replaced by “feelings.” A person’s perception of reality is now more important than actual reality. If a person feels something should be true, they will demand it is. When a person imagines he is a lizard or a non-living object or the opposite of the gender they were born, in their subcultures they believe they should be treated by others as they want to be. Others should disregard this person’s temporary disorientation and go along with their wishes, disregarding reality.

 

In this developing social media culture where everything someone says, no matter how illogical should be considered true so as not to offend the person. This allows the person to feel accepted in this non-judgmental world. Anything in one’s personal narrative should be accepted as truth even when it obviously is not. The goal in a “feel good culture” is positive feeling not truth.

 

By establishing a “don’t judge me” mentality we have created conditions for victimization. The more we have encouraged individuals not to take responsibility for their own actions and blame it on others, we move further away from reality. Our nation is losing moral values and principles. Without historically accepted principles and guidance we will break down into groups of people sharing the same delusions, not a common reality. This fractured existence would have people only caring about and focusing on themselves or others just like them. This is a form of tribalism.

 

Social media has power to bring individual people together. This power of social networking is becoming significant. It started with a small number of people who now have many Twitter followers that magnify their importance. When the progressive media views these previously outlandish ideas and behaviors as helping their narrative, they publicize them as trendy and innovative lifestyles that should be emulated. 

 

 

The “social-media information multiplier” immediately challenges the traditional ideas and beliefs that are publicized regardless of its veracity. It has created a cultural revolution between the “feeling perspective” and historical reality of the world’s development. Obviously, the fictional perspective is more attractive to the non-motivated people. A person can create their own facetious profile with false accomplishments. Without reality grounding them, they can “game” the system about their capabilities, character, and importance. 

 

Those who still adhere to reality usually are the older people who understand that feelings can lead humans astray. Younger people with strong traditional ties often have witnessed past behavior’s power to predict outcomes and shied away from following feelings and convoluted thinking. These different approaches to life have been in competition from the beginning of civilization. When reality and sacrifice are guiding the majority of the people, the group prospers. As personal feelings and wants dominate the culture, the society deteriorates with evil, weakens then implodes.

 

Even in prosperous societies, there are some who choose feelings and hollow promises over self-discipline. They pretend to be rich, happy and want to get there the easiest way possible. They lie and live beyond their means.  They want to present themselves as on the top rung of the ladder without earning it. These individuals involve themselves in get rich schemes such as gambling, sex, and drug addiction, stealing and following corrupt, phony leaders. They join with unscrupulous people who promise the world and give nothing.  

 

In civilizations that convince themselves that feelings are more important than traditional ideas such as families, religion, and ideas such as, “you don’t get something for nothing,” declines. When decisions are made more on feelings than reality, evil, conflict, and chaos dominate. Unity and common purpose vanish followed by tribal groups trying to dominate. 

 

America has fallen into a period where our traditions are under intense attack by Marxists. When enough civilians reject reality and the history, they are challenging the existing culture. It will start with minor skirmishes with authority figures and if not disciplined, will eventually turn into a mob then eventually a revolution. These discontented, impulsive, self-centered, immediate-gratification slackers will joyfully destroy everything in sight leaving devastation and chaos.

 

When law and order is restored, many of these rioters will be prosecuted while the others will learn that violence and destruction is not a solution to anger and social dissatisfaction.

 

Only traditional self-discipline and persistent work ethic can strengthen a better culture for everyone to prosper in peace. These traditions of moral values will restrain evil and elevate us again to be the leader of the free world. 

 

 

Domenick Maglio, PhD. is a columnist carried by various newspapers and blogs, an author of several books and owner/director of Wider Horizons School, a college prep program. Dr. Maglio is an author of weekly newspaper articles, INVASION WITHIN  and the latest book entitled, IN CHARGE PARENTING In a PC World. You can see many of Dr. Maglio’s articles at www.drmaglioblogspot.com.

 

 

FREEDOM IS AMERICA'S SECURITY

FREEDOM IS AMERICA'S SECURITY

By Domenick J. Maglio Ph.D. Traditional Realist

 

Freedom is the hallmark of America. The Pilgrims, the settlers of our frontiers, and immigrants that arrived from all over the world did not come for security but for freedom and opportunity. Today many Americans are more likely to be concerned about their finances, health, and security than their freedoms. Without freedom to attempt new endeavors to better one’s existence there cannot be social mobility, only unfulfilled dreams.

 

During the late 1700s the founding fathers could have just gone along with King George III. He would have provided the security of the most powerful military in the world. They could have continued to individually prosper while paying a little more protection money in the form of taxes for their security. Instead, these intelligent men chose to put themselves in peril to establish a constitutional republic. They were convinced that our form of government would maintain individual freedom and prosper economically. They were proven right.

 

The desire for security would have dictated capitulation to the English empire. Instead, they chose freedom over a false short-term decrease in the threats of repression. The dream of an experiment in freedom was the impetus for the colonist’s solidarity against England and their eventual victory, not security.

 

In WWI and WWII the security of the United States would have been served by remaining isolated across the Atlantic Ocean. Instead, we fought these great wars at a great cost in troops and treasury to liberate repressed people. Individual freedoms trumped the false security that is derived by buckling under the threats of egomaniacs. 

 

Our security has come from the American people's willingness to stand up for the belief in themselves as self-reliant people. We did not want to be submissive to any nation or even to our own big-brother government that has the capability to know our every move and thought to blackmail us into zombie compliance. This conflict currently between corporate elites and freedom loving Americans is playing out in front of our eyes.

 

Many leaders, both republican and democrat warn us that security comes from giving up more of our freedoms during the epidemic. The NSA and other secret programs have gathered metadata to be able to put together a detailed record of each American. It invades our personal freedom, which violates the Bill of Rights. This personal information data gathering makes us both less free and less secure. 

 

The rhetoric and slogans coming out of Washington, D.C. should anger every patriotic citizen.  Big government cannot guarantee data safeguards because it cannot even stop outside governments or any individual from hacking into our most sophisticated databases. There are certain government agents who can be seduced by outside forces into providing secret information that our government has collected on each one of us.

 

Most threatening of all is that our politically elite leaders and high-level bureaucrats have their hands on the levers of power. They can and probably will use it for their own political and personal benefit. This scenario seems to be happening although we know from history that when government grows through taking exorbitant taxes, they make promises that come to naught. The government gives a pittance with one hand and takes back twice as much with the other, while the person loses more freedom.

 

Our past freedom has come from “We The People” who have been given power in our Constitution and Bill of Rights to control the inevitable abuses of big government. Our government has grown to the point of being too unwieldy to be accountable even to our representatives and thus us, the citizens.

 

Instead of going along with this campaign to exponentially enlarge the growth of government to protect our security, we must halt it NOW before it controls all citizen’s thoughts and actions. The greatest threat to our loss of freedom comes from our own government, not from outside enemies. Our numerous national bureaucratic agencies have been infiltrated by dedicated socialist/communist operatives.  The local community boards, school systems, and state institutions are openly indoctrinating our citizens that government growth is essential for our country’s survival. 

 

America has always been a sleeping giant whose citizens will sacrifice their lives for their freedom from an outside attack, but the real enemy is the “Invasion Within.” This enemy today is our bloated government, which should not be allowed to disguise its intentions under the slogan of "trading freedom for security" to take away even more of our freedoms. The government elites want to continue to whittle down our remaining liberties until there are none left.  

 

US citizens must stand up together to remain a free America by not accepting the Marxist corporate government’s promises to provide some of the citizens needs in exchange for limiting our freedom to provide for ourselves.

 

 

Domenick Maglio, PhD. is a columnist carried by various newspapers and blogs, an author of several books and owner/director of Wider Horizons School, a college prep program. Dr. Maglio is an author of weekly newspaper articles, INVASION WITHIN  and the latest book entitled, IN CHARGE PARENTING In a PC World. You can see many of Dr. Maglio’s articles at www.drmaglioblogspot.com.

 

 

  

SPARE THE ROD AND DESTROY THE NATION

SPARE THE ROD AND DESTROY THE NATION

By Domenick J. Maglio PHD. Traditional Realist

 

There was a campaign in the 1950s and 60s spearheaded by socialist presidential candidate, Benjamin Spock, to replace traditional biblical discipline with permissiveness in the United States. This is the same Benjamin Spock who wrote what is considered the bible of modern childrearing. The traditional authority of parents was to be lowered while the children had to be treated as almost equals. Any slap on a child by a parent would be considered as abusive. This propaganda campaign is still being felt today as too many parents are frightened to spank their own child for misbehavior. Many Americans believe spanking is abusive. 

 

This so-called “democratizing” of the family has changed our culture and society to such an extent that devastating results are being felt 70 years later.  To many children the word “no” has no power. Parents still use the word “no”, but children often ignore it. Parents attempt to use all the modern suggestions like, time out, sit in the chair or even yelling at them ferociously but the child ignores them continuing to escalate his obnoxiousness. The power of parents has practically vanished, just like the lack of prosecution of criminals has robbed the authority of the police officers. 

 

Almost all authority figures are no longer punishing illegal or inappropriate behavior, but woke authorities are trying to control every other thing in our lives.  Children’s misbehavior has continued to grow. School violence, screaming at and hitting teachers has become common place. Permissive counseling has only made troubled kids more violent. “Spare the rod and spoil the child” has become even more evident in our non-punishing society.

 

Many adolescents have not been taught the concepts of obedience and fear by their parents. These youngsters do whatever they want whenever they want to do it. They have not been taught to think about possible consequences for their actions as immediate gratification is their guiding principle.  We are producing too many stupid, non-thinking, selfish, animalistic individuals. 

 

Without some form of punishment for destructive behavior, evil will flourish. Rapes, random shooting, robbing stores with brutal actions to innocent bystanders has become a daily occurrence. Children must be taught, usually beginning with parents teaching right from wrong. The absence of this training results in out of control, egotistical, and self-destructive souls. The more these untrained children, adolescents, and adults mature so do the evil acts multiply and gain strength. 

 

Often these immature individuals realize the negative impact they have on others and themselves. To minimize their guilt, they often take drugs. These rudderless adolescents and adults have never been taught the necessary hard reality of being punished for destructive behavior. Parents, teachers, and law enforcement have been told not to do this essential work of disciplining. We must reestablish the idea that if you do the wrong thing, eventually you will pay the price for your evil actions.

 

The lack of production and the cavalier attitude towards the theft from others is unravelling the fabric of our healthy and prosperous nation. When the difference between right and wrong is not firmly established, the future of our country is put in a precipitous decline in everything outlined in the Bible. History is full of these examples where civilizations fall as evil actions become more prevalent. Evil wins out when authorities accept or even promote inappropriate behavior by their sick examples. The obvious consequences of parents and other authority figures not doing their jobs are non-responsible, adults who are takers not givers. This absence of parents’ responsibility must be reversed to bring back a strong, responsible, and cohesive society. 

 

When individuals are not taught to do what is right, they gravitate to doing the easy things in life: being takers. They sell their souls for things like money, expensive items, sex, fame, and end up in pure evil. Whenever the government takes on the role of parent, evil flourishes and many individuals lose their conscience. 

 

These experiments of government usurping the freedom of parents to raise their own children have been tried in Venezuela, China, Cambodia, Russia, and a host of other countries. It has not worked since the state becomes the parent of everyone and makes decisions not for the child but for its own benefit. Eventually people realize they have been exploited and their children have no future except further exploitation. That is the end of the nation. 

 

Law abiding citizens, hard work, honesty, and freedom, makes a formula that has been successful in nations enjoying freedom.  The difficult discipline to reach one’s goals must be ingrained from infancy with appropriate consequences for transgressions followed by other punishing and rewarding reenforcement throughout the raising of the child. 

 

Law and order must first be established in the home and continued in the overall societal institutions to build a just, moral, and strong populace for the integrity of the nation.

 

 

 

Domenick Maglio, PhD. is a columnist carried by various newspapers and blogs, an author of several books and owner/director of Wider Horizons School, a college prep program. Dr. Maglio is an author of weekly newspaper articles, INVASION WITHIN  and the latest book entitled, IN CHARGE PARENTING In a PC World. You can see many of Dr. Maglio’s articles at www.drmaglioblogspot.com.