Grounding Responsibility
Why do we look to traditions for hope?
Jessica Welu
Issue date: 2/3/10 Section: Commentary
February 2 was Groundhog Day and once again, the ground hog saw his shadow. What a surprise.
I wonder though, as media programs around the country place cameras in front of some poor groundhog's den, what exactly does this tradition say about us? How can people put so much dependence into the unsuspecting arms of a tired and shy animal?
Yes, it's tradition and I will admit that when I was younger I was captivated and put faith in that furry little psychic. But I wonder if people really do believe that a groundhog can predict when winter will end by simply seeing or not seeing his shadow. At some point, a majority of people had to have believed in order to make it a tradition and "newsworthy."
But in a sense, the concept of looking to someone or something to predict your future isn't that farfetched. How many of us wasting time on the computer will look at the day's horoscope? I admit, I have been known to check my horoscope application that I "added just for fun" on Facebook.
These things are just entertainment, right? Of course. In a way. It's as much of an entertainment as the mentalist that just recently came to Southwest Minnesota State University. But then, the work a mentalist does takes talent. Even skeptics will admit that not just anyone can be a mentalist. It takes some sort of ability, at least in reading people to be able to keep people coming back to their shows.
Isn't that the same case with astrology? Yes, it's fun, but sometimes it has to be partially right or people won't take the time. How many of you, when your horoscope is really wonderful, hope that it is at least somewhat true?
Some will say "we are just following the wrong groundhog. Maybe we're following a groundhog that's too camera shy and sensitive to people invading his space that he doesn't even notice whether his shadow is there or not. Maybe we should look to a new groundhog."
Then again, maybe the groundhog suffers from what Nicholas Cage did in the Weather Man. Maybe he's tired of being the one responsible when all he is doing is using his own evidence, what he has a knack for. If he could tell us anything, as the media once again puts a camera to his face and puts the responsibility in his still tired arms, he would probably say, "who will you pass the responsibility on to when I leave? When will you learn to trust your own instincts?"
My point is, are we really just doing these things because they're fun, tradition? Or are we, subconsciously, putting the responsibility in someone or something else's hands so that if it goes wrong, we have someone else to blame? And how do we decide who gets that responsibility?
I doubt the groundhog volunteered for predicting the end of winter. Why him over other animals? Why him over ourselves?
I wonder though, as media programs around the country place cameras in front of some poor groundhog's den, what exactly does this tradition say about us? How can people put so much dependence into the unsuspecting arms of a tired and shy animal?
Yes, it's tradition and I will admit that when I was younger I was captivated and put faith in that furry little psychic. But I wonder if people really do believe that a groundhog can predict when winter will end by simply seeing or not seeing his shadow. At some point, a majority of people had to have believed in order to make it a tradition and "newsworthy."
But in a sense, the concept of looking to someone or something to predict your future isn't that farfetched. How many of us wasting time on the computer will look at the day's horoscope? I admit, I have been known to check my horoscope application that I "added just for fun" on Facebook.
These things are just entertainment, right? Of course. In a way. It's as much of an entertainment as the mentalist that just recently came to Southwest Minnesota State University. But then, the work a mentalist does takes talent. Even skeptics will admit that not just anyone can be a mentalist. It takes some sort of ability, at least in reading people to be able to keep people coming back to their shows.
Isn't that the same case with astrology? Yes, it's fun, but sometimes it has to be partially right or people won't take the time. How many of you, when your horoscope is really wonderful, hope that it is at least somewhat true?
Some will say "we are just following the wrong groundhog. Maybe we're following a groundhog that's too camera shy and sensitive to people invading his space that he doesn't even notice whether his shadow is there or not. Maybe we should look to a new groundhog."
Then again, maybe the groundhog suffers from what Nicholas Cage did in the Weather Man. Maybe he's tired of being the one responsible when all he is doing is using his own evidence, what he has a knack for. If he could tell us anything, as the media once again puts a camera to his face and puts the responsibility in his still tired arms, he would probably say, "who will you pass the responsibility on to when I leave? When will you learn to trust your own instincts?"
My point is, are we really just doing these things because they're fun, tradition? Or are we, subconsciously, putting the responsibility in someone or something else's hands so that if it goes wrong, we have someone else to blame? And how do we decide who gets that responsibility?
I doubt the groundhog volunteered for predicting the end of winter. Why him over other animals? Why him over ourselves?
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