Enough with Graduation already...

It's graduation season across America which means thousands of America's youth will face a tough decision, plunge themselves into debt for a degree that may land them a job or join the workforce now and compete with college graduates for a counter position at McDonald's... However, there seems to be a growing, yet disturbing trend, that bucks the previous statement. Pre-school graduation, Kindergarten graduation, 5th grade graduation, and 8th grade graduation? What the Hell? This can't be serious, oh, but it is!

After World War II, a High School Diploma meant everything and a college degree almost guaranteed you success. When I graduated in 1991, a High School Diploma was expected at minimum and everyone was brainwashed to go to College. Currently, a High School Diploma means you lived for 4 years and unless you get a specialized degree, a Bachelors isn't hardly worth the paper it's written on... 

The problem is, we the people, were sold a bunch of crap, told we were special and decided to quit making things. We forced generation after generation to get meaningless college degrees until we hit critical mass. Not everyone is college material and we still need labor intensive jobs, but we have come to believe those are beneath us, even though they pay really good money. So now, many of us stare at computer screens and the hardest decision we face is where to go to lunch for an hour...

Now we have taken it too far. We've leveled the playing field to the point that there is no game or winner, in fact, everybody wins, even if you don't play! Kids are now being rewarded every couple of year, for moving up. You can't hardly flunk a kid anymore (today's parents are more interested in being their child's best friend, than their parent), so this isn't a milestone, it's referred to as NEXT. Yet, on a daily basis, I gaze upon social media to see the gowns, flowers, parties, parades, and mass hysteria over little Billy or Suzie passing that major milestone of participating in another year of school.

What's the fix? Well, for starters, parents need to be parents first and raise their children to be honest, respectful, and behave in a public setting. Second, they need to be fed correctly and not sent to school on a diet of sugar and sugar. Third, parents need to get back to the idea of supporting the teacher (which means bringing back the grade of F) and understanding that their child is not a Prince or Princess (and that's OK). Fourth, re-instate P.E. on a daily basis, including dodge ball and games that have winners and losers (participation ribbons can go f-themselves)...Finally, tell Hallmark to go to hell! We have enough trivial holidays as is and adding more sub-categories of graduation to the mix is just a continuation of the message we keep reinforcing to our children that winning/celebrating all the time is normal and should be expected (The movie Idiocracy was intended to be a comedy, not a blueprint). Until then, things will only get worse and in a few years, I'll be attending potty training graduation, winter break graduation, and spring break graduation...