A Penny's Worth of Thoughts

We humans have busy minds. According to one scientific study, our brains process more than 3000 thoughts a day. I’m surprised by that fact because too many folks in this world don’t seem to come up with 3, not to mention 3000, thoughts a day. What the study fails to identify are the types of thoughts that are generated by us.

Parents would like for their teens to spend brain energy on educational pursuits. Yeah, right. Just like every generation that’s come before, teens are thinking of new ways to have fun. Every thought of preparing for the future is squeezed out and replaced by those regarding what party to attend on the coming weekend. Males produce earth-shaking thoughts on such things as cars, drinking beer, and sex. Girls, however, are more tuned into such things as make-up, hair styles, and boyfriends. Most teens never allow a serious thought get in the way of doing something fun or dangerous. It’s only when a crisis arises that teens produce serious thoughts. They then concentrate on excuses for the goof-ups they’ve made.

In many ways, we men think along the lines of little children. We spend time on developing things that will entertain us. For hours we can suspend all thoughts and sit in front of a television as games of football or baseball air. In other situations we think of how to best show our manliness. Sometimes that means hunting small animals and dragging them to the cave for food, or we engage in games of softball, football, or basketball against other aging men. The goal is to display our rugged spirits, even if it means risking gunshot wounds or heart attacks running down the court or around the bases. The majority of our thoughts are dedicated to figuring out way to keep out of trouble with our wives. No, that doesn’t mean our intentions are to perform every act that will keep them happy. Instead, we men cogitate about ways to put forth a minimum amount of effort while looking as if we are working like horses.

Women are the real thought producers in this world. They have no shortage of thoughts on how to help their families survive. Among them are the ones aimed at ensuring that children perform well in school, complete tasks at home, and maintain clean rooms and bodies. A large percentage of their thoughts are focused on the other children-husbands. Females devise ways to keep men in line and, in some cases, to make their lives a miserable as possible. If they have any energy or time left, the fairer sex might think about themselves, but for the most part, they are the most unselfish, other-directed beings around.

Of all the groups, politicians do the most thinking. That doesn’t mean they have any bright ideas though. These individuals that guide our nation are supposed to develop strategies to benefit the masses. In too many instances, they come up with plans that allow the disparities between rich and poor to widen. Some local legislators make careers thinking up absurd bills that are empty of everything other than publicity for themselves. Among them are such things as allowing professors and ministers to carry guns or banning any talk of homosexuality in hopes that it will go away. The only thing these folks do more than think is talk. When they do, their mindless chatter usually costs Americans money and energy.

I left out the group including young children. They are the group that probably produces the purest thoughts. Little guys like everything and everybody. It’s only when they’re exposed to adults that their thoughts are bent and perverted. Society tells us that we become more civilized through education. I’ve seen the messes humanity has made over the years, so perhaps all of us could benefit from maintaining a bit of childish innocence that isn’t colored with big people thoughts.

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