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If You Ignore This, It Will Become the Most Important Part of Your Life
I’ve always had problems with my hips. Even as a teenager in high school, when training for football, I had to run in fields, etc. – if I ran on hard surfaces, my hip pain would limit my workouts. I even changed my spin for discus to a new technique that put less strain on my hips. So I found ways to work around it, but my hips bothered me for years.
Then, at about the age of 40, I injured my right hip. Then I couldn’t run at all. So I didn’t. I would try from time to time, but it never got better, I couldn’t stand the pain, so I just didn’t run. I went to ortho a few times over the years, but I didn’t have time for the repair, so I just found ways to work around it. I could work, I was mostly functional, so fine.
I’ve started to put on weight (because I can’t exercise), so I went to ortho again last week. He told me that I have to fix this: “Look. I know you’re busy, and you’d rather not deal with this. But the hip structure you were born with was not well suited to the sports you played. Now you’ve got bilateral torn labrums which can’t be fixed, but there’s other stuff we CAN fix. Or at least improve. You’ve put this off too long. You’re only 54. You’re already having trouble getting out of a chair. Soon you’ll have problems walking. You have to fix this. You can’t just ignore it. If you try to ignore this any longer, it will become the most important part of your life. And that’s no way to live.”
Which reminded me of a conversation I had with the daughter of a friend of mine recently. She’s graduating from college soon, and when someone asked what she intended to do after graduation, she said something like, “I want to just live my life, and not waste my time chasing dollars. There are more important things in life than money.” Or something like that.
I responded, “Well, ok. But if you don’t at least consider money in your decisions, then you’ll never have enough money. And if you don’t have enough money, then money becomes the most important thing in your life. And that’s no way to live. If someone ever tells you that money doesn’t matter, what they’re really telling you is that they have enough money. They’ve taken care of the money part, so they don’t have to worry about it. You drive a 15-year-old Camry – you’re not rich enough to not care about money yet. Again, if you don’t have enough money, then money becomes the most important thing in your life. And that’s no way to live.”
In general, conservatives don’t care much about politics. We don’t like being told what to do, and we have little interest in telling others what to do. We believe in personal freedoms, personal responsibility, and limited government. Such people do not aspire to careers in government.
And we’re paying for it.
Years of neglecting politics have led us to a place where politics is now the most important thing in our lives. And that’s no way to live.
We tend to lack the busybody gene that would inspire us to run for school board, mayor, president, or congressman. In fact, many conservatives view the desire to win an election as a disqualifying feature of a candidate. We don’t want anybody in that job who actually wants that job. So the majority of the staff of election commissions, city councils, and so on around the country – who do the behind-the-scenes work of government – the vast majority of those positions are filled by those interested in government.
And now, those not interested in government are paying the price. Government has become the most important thing in our lives. And that is no way to live.
I’m limping over to physical therapy twice a week. Maybe my hip will improve. Ortho says I’ll never run or jump again, but if I can get out of a chair and walk pain-free, I guess I’ll be satisfied. I hope my friend’s daughter develops an interest in financial responsibility. We’ll see, I guess. It might be too late for my hip, but it’s not too late for her.
Is it too late for America? Or has the neglect of those who love it most already led us past the point of no return?
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Not sure if it’s the same as your issue, but I had a hip replacement in December at age 72, and now I feel like 52 (at least the hip does). Maybe 42? Back to golf 2-3x a week, swimming laps, and actually walking a couple miles with no pain.
I have structural issues without a straightforward fix. Unfortunately.
I’ve heard that doctors make the worst patients, don’t know if that’s true or not, but please, for all our sakes, do what the doctor says! Maybe therapy is all your doc proposed, but if he offered more – do it!
40 years ago I was told I had a severely deviated septum and the doc offered to fix it for me. Now I’m 75 and wish I’d taken him up on it.
Thanks everyone, I appreciate your concern. I really do. I’m fine, just a little gimpy and a little grumpy.
But this post is really not about my hip, or any other medical issue. Being faced with the consequences of my neglecting my own health got me to thinking about our stewardship of mankind’s last great hope.
Yeah, I have an inflammatory arthritis that hit my hands first, then other joints. Lately it’s really affecting my hips, which makes life difficult at times. The ankles, knees, shoulders, I can deal with. The hips are another story.
To Doc’s real point, he’s right. I can’t see myself running for school board, etc., or even caring enough to become involved in the local GOP. But this attitude, disinterest, whatever you want to call it, has indeed caused issues in our state and nation.
I personally will probably never become involved. I don’t know what the solution is.
I really like your thinking in the transition from your own personal physical malady to that of not only conservatives but America, in general. I wish you the best of outcomes as you deal with your hip condition. I have had the exact thought you express in trying to understand how to deal with the direction the country is going. It is true that I really have little interest in politics but the force is coming for me. It was kind of the same with money but when I started my family I had to step that up a bit and now I’m operating with enough so it’s not a big deal. But that could change quickly with the force.
Good article.
I have a similar attitude but lately have been getting slowly involved with candidates/issues in our “conservative” community, to keep it that way — signing ballot petitions, going to a few meetings, etc. We have too many refugees from the DC suburbs who are moving here for less congestion, lower taxes, etc. but who then support candidates who will result in precisely the opposite results.
Unfortunately, most people are working so hard for the sake of their immediate and extended family that they don’t have time. It would be so nice if the government didn’t take the lack of organized opposition as agreement with whatever they are doing.
And the Democrats intimidate people into staying out of the fray.
Your mistake in writing this post was to refer to a medical condition as a means to illustrate a larger point. Of course all the old codgers here are going to tell you about their medical issues. The only thing that would have been worse is to refer to the weather.
Now let me tell you about how my hip hurts when a storm is coming.
Over 10 years ago I finally dispaired of my sciatic pain and went to an orthopedist. He said, “I could do an MRI, but let’s try some physical therapy.” Nine months later and with much more core strength, I was pain free.
I now work out with a trainer or a PT three days a week and at 63 am stronger than I have ever been. It feels great. I can still be creaky after a long drive, but that’s about it.
So I recommend you listen to the PT. They may be cruel and ruthless, but the long term results are great.
This is one of those life truths that not enough people understand.
As to the child in your story – I suspect she may prove your point that one only says I don’t care about money when they have enough to not have to pay attention to it. I sense the comfort of the Bank o’Dad giving her the luxury of not caring.
But as to the larger point – there’s the lurking luxury of not being threatened (enough) by politics as well, or the boiling frog syndrome at work.
I see it in conversations with neighbor parents with school age children. They may not like what the local school is doing and they may have the resources so they put their kids in pretty good independent schools. (Full disclosure: we did the same with our son in San Jose. No politicized public schools for us thank you very much.) They also don’t go to school Board meetings to understand how the budget reflects the politics, all funded by property taxes. A good friend without children said – I just don’t get involved in politics. But Polly!
I’m a firm believer that there are no new stories, and that this recent era is a replay of similar stories, with a heavier emphasis on the impact of the contemporary technology affecting the ability of totalitarian usurpers to get what they want. In the olden, and not so olden days, the story involved resort of violence. What the totalitarian wants is not just an intellectual discussion, so it’s hard to see how it’s resolved by legal means. The American institutions relying on trust in and respect for the strength of the rule of law are so very corrupted. I’ve been thinking about it a lot. I don’t know if I’m glad that EODMarine is in a non-deployable cycle.
Physical therapists would be much more accurately named Sadomasochists. They enjoy inflicting the pain.
This illustrates why inaction on election integrity issues in locations where Republicans have some power is so disgusting. Honest elections would help.
An ex-friend of mine was severely ADHD. I don’t know if he should be on the medication but he needed to seriously address that problem. He never did and he has a string of failed jobs and a failed marriage. We all need to focus on what is bad within us. It never goes away.
I am sorry that you have bad hips. I feel less moral about cloning you now. But I assure you a displaced mind is much worse.
Here’s one old fogey that says yes.
My guess is that there’s a strong correlation with age, though.
A little hard life reality can change things quickly.
– The youngster sounds like what I hear about young folks entering the workplace. They aren’t good workers. They don’t like work to interfere with their pleasure. They often quit or are fired. Government makes sure hunger isn’t a motivator to work hard.
-We speak often of Democrats preferring a nanny state. We don’t speak often enough about hyper-federalism on the Republican side.it reminds me of private school parents. I taught in one for a year a long time ago. Tried to find concerned parents. Their attitude was that they paid a lot of money to send their kid to school so why were they being bothered. Republicans are like that. They elect representatives and expect them to do the bears lifting for them. They don’t want to talk politics, so shut up about it. I have to go on NR cruises to be around people who want to talk about all things political. (Yes, I know we discuss politics here.)
-Heck, listen to the ricochet podcast – if we air our concerns, we are whiners. Kevin is a nice guy but needs to rethink this.
I would run for office but also realize that as obnoxious and unlikeable as I am there is no upside. Public humiliation has never really been my thing.
But the very nature of politics does serve as a siren song to the narcissistic personalities in life, doesn’t it? One has to look in the mirror and say, “The world’s problems are formidable. Who could possibly solve them? ME! ME! MEEEEEEEEEE!” as one breaks out into the “Snoopy dance.” (As one does.)
You would think that too, if you had the towing intellect of, say, a young Joe Biden.
Well having lived a danger and contact free life, I dont have any of those damaged joints and abused muscles to complain about and be distracted from the thrust of your timely piece. So, I will agree with you on the lack of real conservatives in most of government. I have said before that I tend to compare politics to war, it should never be entrusted to those who love it. Those people can of course serve a purpose but it is those who see it as a necessary evil that has to be used but can never be allowed to get out of control.
It is important for those of us who distrust all who are too attached to government, who enjoy its false glow too much (or even at all) , too involve ourselves in government. Especially at the local, county and even state level. Protect the back door to the home first and foremost and build from there. And ever trust the bastards.
As far as it being too late, I had started a comment on that this morning well before daylight and hope to put an end to it before bedtime. Perhaps I can respond properly in the morning. But now I have two more colts to ride and if I remember correctly the whiskey bottle is only half full. So I might not have enough time …. or inspiration to finish on time :)
One of the great political quotes of all time, from Douglas Adams, the Hitchhikers Guide To The Galaxy:
No.
Such people are libertarians, not conservatives.
Libertarians, like other types of Leftists, take over words used by the other side, changing their meaning. Conservatism used to mean preserving law and order, upholding moral values and virtues, and protecting and promoting the family. We had a great many intrusive laws that did this, most of which have been repealed or, if not formally repealed, are neglected.
We also taught traditional values in the schools, and religion. Libertarians sided with the other Leftists in ending this, too.
Ha! Yes, I was waiting for the part about how to alleviate hip pain.
I know people who would bite their lips and keep quiet for the sake of their government pension. Don’t know if could have done that without speaking up against the machine. But I can imagine what a conservative government employee might do . . .
No. You need to be more observant.
This reminds me of a post a few years ago talking about Home Owners Associations. One person said he had been president of his HOA for years and it wasn’t because he wanted to do it. He actually disliked being president, but said he knew that if didn’t take the job it would be giving to one busybody or another who would make everyone’s life miserable by enforcing strict conformity.
I’m afraid that the neglect syndrome that you describe may be insurmountable. Our forefathers wanted a limited central government and our founding documents were designed to deliver this. It was awkward on purpose with branches, conflicts, dilution of authority and elections. We added executive term limits but diluted state authority with a six-year term, elected Senate. We made governing hard, on purpose. But the ninny governing class managed to outfox the constitution, delegating the executive, judicial and legislative power to an unelected and politicized bureaucracy. We need to repeal the Administrative Procedures Act to pull the teeth from the creatures running the swamp. Make the legislators debate the laws and vote on all regulation. We need to pass a single purpose amendment that disallows any legislative language, amendment or proposal not germaine to the stated purpose of any proposed legislation. I’d also like to see a limit on the size of any bill, allowing open debate for at least four hours for each page of offered law before a vote. I’d also like to see legislative term limits; politics should not be a career. I might even suggest an amendment to let Senators be state appointees once again. A shift in more direct political accountability might well be better than the scleroric bunch now stuck in Washington. Zero based budgeting and mandatory legislative sunsetting should also be considered. It’s time to shake the tree.
Someone, and I think it might have been Steve Martin, said that all having money meant was that there was one less thing in your life for you to worry about. At first, that seems like an intelligent comment but then I realized the unstated assumption is that the things in life you worry about are all of equal importance. Here’s a newsflash: They aren’t.
Latin Americans, pretty much all of ’em, have long been fascinated by politics. They seem to welcome politics’ being the most important part of everybody’s lives. They seem very pleased when their governments advertise lots of job openings. And that is how they live. For quite a few societies, this is normal.
Me, I view politics as I view plumbing: both are important but neither arouses great expectations. I myself have only solid, unspectacular expectations, especially for the latter. I think I surprised the guys who were working on my foundation and had reported a leak, by actually going into one of their mineshafts and slithering into the crawlspace to have a look. To confirm what they were saying. Even to sniff the ancient and now broken cast-iron pipe. Well, that’s how it is sometimes, with plumbing, and with politics.
As for that friend’s daughter: I sense grad school. Not that that is much of a solution. I’d expand on my own lo-dollar hi-energy twenties, but I don’t know what teaching assistantships pay anymore, I do know state school tuition is now well above $4 a credit hour, nobody commutes by bicycle year-’round anymore, nobody pays rent with labor anymore, and nobody hitchhikes or buys Ameripasses anymore, so my reminiscences would hardly be inspiring or even germane nowadays. I’d have to agree that the lecture delivered in the OP was, for its audience and its time, perfectly appropriate.
I once had a medical issue while on vacation. I didn’t want to spend precious vacation time in the ER or Urgent Care so I ignored it as best I could. When I got home my first stop was the Dr. he was sort’a upset with me.
“Why didn’t you have this looked at before? It’s really bad now.”
”I was self medicating.”
”With what?!?!?”
”Bourbon and cigars.”
”Did that help?”
”Not really. But they did help me not mind so much being sick.”