Monday, April 21, 2008

Not my fault

Ever wonder where accountability went? It’s amazing to me that so many things can happen, every day, to so many people, and it’s no one’s fault… unless of course there’s a settlement involved. If I spill my hot coffee on myself, I can blame Dunkin Donuts. Drink too much, and wrap my car around a tree? It’s the bartenders fault. It’s not even our fault anymore if we’re overweight. It says so right in the commercials. Just two tablets a day with diet and exercise, and you’ll shed 40 lbs the first day. Since when does diet and exercise need help? Forget about the two tablets and just put the cupcake down, and take two steps back.

And then, enter the ugly cousin of culpability… The lawsuit! If I bang my head, trip on the curb, or get hit by a foul ball at Fenway, I’m potentially in for a pay day. What’s down the road? Will we sue our parents because we’re too short, or just plain ugly? Sure, I’m involved in litigation now with my mother, but that’s different… It’s her fault I’m a quarter Ukrainian. Very hairy people… you should see my drains!

I think an effective way to stop lawyers, and perspective plaintiffs from entering into frivolous lawsuits, is by making them pay the court’s time if they lose. Punitive damage cases adversely affect our everyday lives. Insurance costs, quality of health care, even how the police, charged with keeping us, and our children safe, can effectively do their jobs. You can sue me if I call you a name! But that’s a whole other blog…

So where did we lose it? When did personal accountability become extinct? How often do you hear the phrase, “Sorry, that was my fault… I’ll take care of it.” Let’s face it, until the Microsoft Anti Boo-Boo chip gets implanted into the cerebral cortex of each person on the planet, we’re all gonna goof up… almost daily… right?

Who knows? Maybe we could change from the top – down. Our present administration could start things off… “I’m sorry… We screwed up. We’ll take care of it.”

What? Could happen…