254 Epilogueothers can remind us that we can easily be sidetracked from the
goal. The story related earlier in this chapter about the parent and
her opinion on capital punishment after the murder of her child
is one example of how we can abandon some seemingly well-
thought-out positions. Other examples abound, and perhaps it
would be well to end this text with some that might remind us of
how often we are confronted by situations which test our
character.
Imagine the person who constantly complains about the
unemployed and the high rates of compensation awarded for not
working. If that person becomes unemployed and soon takes the
position that unemployment compensation is inadequate and
should be increased, is this person’s conversion the product of a
better understanding of the problem, or is it simply the manifes
tation of the cliche, “It all depends on whose ox is getting gored.”
Consider the person who constantly calls for higher taxes for
those who have great wealth, “since those who have more can
afford to pay more.” If that person wins ten million dollars in the
state lottery and soon begins to complain about and work
towards the equalization of taxation because “to tax at unequal
rates is unjust”— should we take note of this reversal and ask,
“Why?”
These examples relate to individuals, but social consequences
result from the acts of individuals. A generation ago, marijuana
use was generally considered a serious offense. People caught
possessing or using marijuana were often incarcerated. At the
time, the perception of many was that most marijuana users lived
in Harlem. Has the decriminalization (if not in fact, in practice)
of marijuana come about because of public acceptance based on
an understanding that marijuana is not really a seriously harmful
drug? Or, has this decriminalization come about because subur
ban kids began to use it, and the power of that constituency
caused the change in the enforcement of the law?
Finally, there was a young lady who was describing her
boyfriend. “He is a kind, considerate, tender, intelligent, won
derful guy.” During the week, however, the young man ex
plained that he has met another girl, and although he held the first
young lady in the highest regard, he did not have the deep
feelings required for a continued romantic relationship. The next
day the young lady described her former boyfriend as a “mean,