The world according to Keith Richards

This is what the future holds - surly teenagers with black eye liner

The Rolling Stones had a lot of insight into the human condition.  I'm not sure if that's surprising or not.  They had a lot of worldly experience I'm sure.  But it was not the clearest vision most of the time.  Let's just say they saw the world through a certain, self-induced fog half of their lives.  But nonetheless, they got a few things right.

For instance, take Sympathy for the Devil.  Actually, that's a bad example.  I don't have a lot of sympathy for the guy who killed the Kennedys.  But Jumping Jack Flash really is a gas, you know?....that might not be that great of an example either.  For the longest time I never knew what that was talking about, and now that I kindof understand it it's really not that great of a life metaphor.

Okay, so the Stones may not have hit the nail on the head every time, but they got it right once at least.  I tell my kids over and over - "Kids.  Mick Jagger says - "you can't always get what you want.  But if you try sometimes, you'll find that you get what you NEED."

This is an especially powerful line at the checkout counter, when they're asking for impulse buys of chips and binaca breath spray.  I swear if they put cans of dog food at that checkout aisle, my kids would ask "Dad, can I get this?"  I don't know how many times I've been asked to buy them hand sanitizer and carmex.  But then I'll belt out Mick's line (bonus points if I sing it in a raspy voice) and generally they stop.  It's mostly because now they're moaning for my to please stop for the love of all that's holy, clutching their ears and writhing on the floor in pain.  But hey, whatever works.

Now, to the lesson learned in all of this: It's okay to deprive your children.  In fact, you MUST deprive them.  I don't think I've ever met a kid who was given everything he ever wanted, and he came out to be just a naturally good person.  Any kid I see who is constantly given whatever he/she asks for usually is a complete "meany" (to use a mild, kid friendly phrase.  I had a few more colorful phrases up my sleeve, but I think you get the point.)

The country - NAY, the WORLD, is going downhill.  The reason is because more and more kids are being born with priviledge.  The way I grew up was not easy or rich - I was the kid with the hand me down clothes and just a few presents for Christmas.  But I never had to go without.  100 years ago the way I grew up would have been considered rich.  That's why the spoiled rich kids a century ago now would probably be considered the standard now.  We have everything we want.  And now we're passing that along to our kids.  And our kids are growing up into jerks.

Please, for the sake of the planet: tell your kids NO.  Tell them Mick sent you.  One day your Grandkids will thank you.  Wait a minute...what is "Brown Sugar" about again?  Those Rolling Stones are crazy.