I’ve wanted to write this blog for a very long time. I just haven’t been sure that I can make myself clear. It is about what I call “the cake and eat it too” syndrome. It is when people want conflicting sides of the same issue to be true and in place. I can best explain by giving examples.
Many years ago I was following Senate debates on late term abortions. You know, the ones in which a doctor sticks a syringe into a baby’s brain just before it is born and sucks its brains out. The baby is then “dead” when completely birthed. I was sickened that anyone could call that an abortion and not murder.
During this time a young college girl gave birth in a motel room. Her boyfriend helped her. He then bashed the baby’s brains out against a wall and threw it away. Some of the same people that supported late term abortions were now screaming for revenge against these “baby killers”. I didn’t see much difference in what these two kids did and what doctors were doing. I remember being so angry that I yelled at the TV, “You’ve already showed young people that babies have no value, what do you expect?”
Since then we can add these conflicting ideas: murderers of expectant women are charged with double homicide and mothers who do drugs during pregnancy are liable for child abuse. Most people agree with these decisions. I know that I do but I oppose abortion. My point is either a fetus has rights or it doesn’t- you can’t have your cake and eat it too.
This morning I read about an 18 year old girl charged with sexual assault because she had a sexual relationship with a fourteen year old girl. It is being played up as a gay rights issue. If this was an eighteen year old boy with a fourteen year old girl no one would bat an eyelash at the charges. Adults don’t have sex with children, period. If you want equal rights than you have to accept equal consequences. You can’t have your cake and eat it too.
Another area we see this syndrome played out is in politics. I could write a book on that. Instead, I will pick one example. In my personal experience the people who want the most benefits from government are the ones that complain the most about paying taxes. If you want government to take care of all the “social” issues of the day then you need to expect to pay for it. The more services a government supplies the more the citizens of that government will be required to pay to sustain those services. I know one couple who cheat on their taxes but expect the wife’s disability check to arrive each month. Again, you can’t have your cake and eat it too.
Freedom of religion and freedom of speech are other areas in which this syndrome is apparent. My right to worship God is protected by the same right that allows you not to. Your right to say what you think about that is protected by the same right that allows me to disagree with you.
I looked this saying up and it was explained “meaning when people want two things that are incompatible, i.e. you can have a pretty cake to look at or you can eat it but then it will be gone- you can’t have it both ways.” I think that’s a big problem in today’s world. Everyone wants both ways but it can’t be. You can’t have your cake and eat it too. That’s the view from my side of the street, what’s yours?
Many years ago I was following Senate debates on late term abortions. You know, the ones in which a doctor sticks a syringe into a baby’s brain just before it is born and sucks its brains out. The baby is then “dead” when completely birthed. I was sickened that anyone could call that an abortion and not murder.
During this time a young college girl gave birth in a motel room. Her boyfriend helped her. He then bashed the baby’s brains out against a wall and threw it away. Some of the same people that supported late term abortions were now screaming for revenge against these “baby killers”. I didn’t see much difference in what these two kids did and what doctors were doing. I remember being so angry that I yelled at the TV, “You’ve already showed young people that babies have no value, what do you expect?”
Since then we can add these conflicting ideas: murderers of expectant women are charged with double homicide and mothers who do drugs during pregnancy are liable for child abuse. Most people agree with these decisions. I know that I do but I oppose abortion. My point is either a fetus has rights or it doesn’t- you can’t have your cake and eat it too.
This morning I read about an 18 year old girl charged with sexual assault because she had a sexual relationship with a fourteen year old girl. It is being played up as a gay rights issue. If this was an eighteen year old boy with a fourteen year old girl no one would bat an eyelash at the charges. Adults don’t have sex with children, period. If you want equal rights than you have to accept equal consequences. You can’t have your cake and eat it too.
Another area we see this syndrome played out is in politics. I could write a book on that. Instead, I will pick one example. In my personal experience the people who want the most benefits from government are the ones that complain the most about paying taxes. If you want government to take care of all the “social” issues of the day then you need to expect to pay for it. The more services a government supplies the more the citizens of that government will be required to pay to sustain those services. I know one couple who cheat on their taxes but expect the wife’s disability check to arrive each month. Again, you can’t have your cake and eat it too.
Freedom of religion and freedom of speech are other areas in which this syndrome is apparent. My right to worship God is protected by the same right that allows you not to. Your right to say what you think about that is protected by the same right that allows me to disagree with you.
I looked this saying up and it was explained “meaning when people want two things that are incompatible, i.e. you can have a pretty cake to look at or you can eat it but then it will be gone- you can’t have it both ways.” I think that’s a big problem in today’s world. Everyone wants both ways but it can’t be. You can’t have your cake and eat it too. That’s the view from my side of the street, what’s yours?
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