Respect for Yourself

Is respect for Everyone

Published on June 1, 2004 By Muggaz In Blogging

North Richmond is a scary place for the naïve. Every single day I get on the train at North Richmond station, there is at least one drug addict/user/abuser making a fool of themselves in their wasted state – have they no dignity or self respect? What makes it worse is the fact that it’s in broad daylight – with school kids everywhere.

This inspired me to write an article on the matter, and I was very happy when I saw Ockhamsrazor’s article on Ism’s. Ock strikes on a very important point, insightful if you will – those that suffer the afflictions of an Ism – it is their own problem. The responsibility to assist yourself rest’s on your own shoulders. To quote Ock Verbatim “The solution therefore is to take ownership of your own life and your own actions and your own consequences and make sure that the way you live is such that you continually and daily make sure that you are continuing in this fashion”

I sometimes fail to see why these people fall into their obvious rut! Like Ock, I consider myself somewhat qualified to comment on the abuse of substances. I am not a recovered substance abuser; I am an in-frequent substance user, an abuser none the less.

I am comfortable with sharing this information, because I have ownership of my own life, and I have respect for myself and those around me. What is it that almost brings a tear to my eye when I see two fully grown men struggling to light a cigarette on a train platform? That tear is formed because I know that as much as I would like to, I can’t help those guys – they need to help themselves. Why don’t they know that helping themselves, helps everyone?

What is different about me – someone who can take mind altering drugs, have the time of my life, yet realise exactly what they do to my body – enough to have respect for myself and those around me, enough to know when to quit? If only I could share my strength with the rest of the world – empower them to help themselves… to help everyone.

I know the responsibility of drug use rest’s on my shoulders alone. I can’t blame anyone but myself should I encounter a problem!

Is it social pressure that makes people take heroin, or drink copious amounts of alcohol? Are the precarious situations that addicts find themselves in a predicament to be blamed on society? In some cases, I would most certainly say yes, but only in extreme cases. Not once have I seen society force a needle into ones veins, or powder into ones nose, or drink down ones throat.

Junkies and alcoholics obviously have a problem, and unfortunately, most of them really don’t want to be helped. Fortunately, there are some that do, and guys like Imajinit, whilst disgruntled, actually help more than they possibly know as explained here.

As characters with respect, both Ock and Imajinit realise that substance abuse is the users’ immediate problem, but it can lead to much worse problems – that’s why Imajinit put the beer away, and that’s why Ock is a reformed alcoholic.

As for the junkies at North Richmond train station, the best I can hope for is that some young child looks at me, holding myself with dignity, rather than having to ask their parents why ‘those two guys are acting funny’ Those guys are acting funny, because they have no respect.

BAM!!!

Comments

Mr_Frog

on Jun 01, 2004

What is it about North Richmond and being a shithole magnet for crack-heads and other miscreants. North Richmond, California is much the same way, and I lived only a few miles from there. Oy.

-- B

Muggaz

on Jun 01, 2004

hahaha... yeah - I guess I didn't explain that enough...

My work is situated around several commision flats = Junkies

BAM!!!

Sally jacobs

on Jun 02, 2004

That was a great article, I watched someone close to me go through a drug problem, and it's horrible to watch. Because you know that you can't stop it for them, they have to want to do it for themselves, and you have the answers, but are they willing to use them. It's so frustrating, and it's something you never get over, you can stop, and be helped, and recover, but it's always there.

kingbee

on Jun 02, 2004

the brain is just slightly less mysterious today than it was when galen began drilling holes into the skulls of centurions. at best we can only say we know enough to know we dont know enough to know what we don't know about how millions of years of life experience have produced an organ that seems confused about the difference between self-protective and self-destructive. some of that confusion is due to the changes weve effected and continue to effect on our world with ever-increasing rapidity. what was a good reaction, ie kept the brains owner alive, while being attacked by a tiger 8000 years ago may be the exact response that results in one being hit by a bus tomorrow.

theres reasonable evidence the human brain has definite receptors for opiate molecules--in other words, the molecule fits the receptor like a key fits a lock. what purpose that serves or how that came to be are unanswered questions. (birds and most mammals seem to have an affinity for intoxicants)

eventually (i hope) therell be a way to test people for brain chemical imbalances or deficiencies...as well as methods for correcting them. we're probably years away from that tho. in the meantime people are left to deal with those problems as best theyre able. some are capable of doing that in ways that we consider socially acceptable. others act weird on railroad platforms in places all over the world (altho i guess any developer choosing richmond as a community name is asking for problems)

Muggaz

on Jun 02, 2004

Kingbee, you seriously are one smart dude! I guess you just helped explain the problem to me a little better!

(birds and most mammals seem to have an affinity for intoxicants)

So that explains why I always see birds flying into windows and crap... they are wasted!!! haha...

mammals and birds are cool. (not because they are wasted - they just are.)

You know what? I have never seen any close personal friends go through any serious drug problems... I have heard about people, and I do know one reformed guy - perhaps that is why I have been known to have a blaze stance on the matter. I imagine seeing someone you really care about go through a drug problem would be quite an ordeal indeed... I guess I also have this arrogance that I would be able to assist anyone i loved dearly, we all know it doesn't always work to plan though...

Thanks for your comments guys!

BAM!!!

kingbee

on Jun 02, 2004

So that explains why I always see birds flying into windows and crap... they are wasted!!!

if you have fruit trees (something like berries that will ferment naturally ) start watching when the stuff goes past the peak of ripeness and you may see the local drunks flockin to it. its a crackup and it seems like once theyve had a buzz on, the same birds keep comin back for more hahahaha

Mandeep Sahota

on Jun 23, 2004

I really don't even know why people even do drugs in the first place. I have never done anything in my whole entire life. I mean at parties and stuff my fellow high school students get high off weed and drunk off their ass on beers. I just don't see the point. LIKE I'm sure it's "fun," but don't you live with that guilty feeling that you did something bad. That's what I don't understand. I'm sure most of you have had a drink before, and I know it's not a big deal...but isn't there ever guilty moment. When your drinking, even though your having fun and what not, don't you think in your mind..."wow, this is realyl really bad for me?" I just want to get this straight, is the fun you have for a few hours really worth the impact it gives over years?

Welcome Guest! Please take the time to register with us.
There are many great features available to you once you register, including:

Richer content, access to many features that are disabled for guests like commenting on the forums.
Access to a great community, with a massive database of many, many areas of interest.
Access to contests & subscription offers like exclusive emails.
It's simple, and FREE!