The Novelist Portent

JOHNNY MAHAFFEY SAYS:
"Morality Rebounds"

06.30.14

There seems to be a reinstatement of integrity, spreading across South Carolina these past few months, and it's not isolated to this one state. Could the Millennials be getting the hint? Are they not quite the "me me generation" they are so famed to be? Millennials are entering not just the managerial lots, but the political "Boss Hog" dominions as well--and they're not liking what they see apparently.

There's a short report/opinion piece on local news entitled:

"Perspective"
(wistv.com)

This past Friday's topic: corruption in South Carolina, Boss Hogg mentality of running office and the need for its end. A true me me attitude has permeated nearly every office of sheriff and prosecutorial district, long before the arrival of any millennials. The delusions of grandeur shared by some baby boomer relics and their x-gen confidants are being exposed as they continually attempt to hand tainted stacks of cash (usually I the form of jobs, promotions, etc.) to newbies, who know it's smarter to expose the corrupt than to join them. Some late x-gens and many early millennials are not only doing this exposing, but serving the search warrants on these misguided officials. These newbies--to their predecessor's dismay--do not share in the delusions, gladly taking witness stands against them.

Perspective's host made a nice close with saying South Carolina is fed up with the corruption, and it's past time for the boss Hogg (I love that comparison.) ways of running things to go! She covered things like the FBI agents that are currently (at this time) perusing files and belongings of a local sheriff after serving warrants on "his" office, along with other high ranking "officials" in S.C., going through court hearings and their own investigations concerning immoral behaviors. It wasn't long ago that the governor herself was put through the shame of immorality by the Ethics Committee, and don't even get me started on her predecessor. And let's not forget the state's current "attorney general" and his ragtag band of "solicitors" also being in the immoral spotlight!

Change is coming.

The most recent installment of Psychology Today (August 2014, pages 10 & 12) has an article related to this issue, entitled "Attitude Adjustment" by Matt Huston, featuring a graph by Social Psychological and Personality Science (released April 2014) showing "Youth Values Before and After the Financial Crisis" how integrity dropped drastically from the 1970s up to the 2004-06 shame years of U.S. history (the years my own life was invaded, home-wreckers) When national values hit a low, youths underwent what I call Shirly-Andrews Syndrome, SAS: they became more materialistic, self-absorbed and less concerned about reality, or what social issues were unfolding. If it didn't directly involve them, it didn't concern them. They left the running of things to those that wanted to run things, but when the economy tanked they took notice. The recession removed any choice of ignoring the problem when it took food from everyone's mouth.

It's the one positive effect of the economical fall: it led to audits and questions, exposing corruption. Even today its effects are still shining spotlights around, finding little creatures cowering in offices behind titles, nibbling away on stolen cheese. My thumbs go up for the FBI agents who had the courage to walk into that (one of many to come) Boss Hogg office, serve that warrant and do what needed to be done.

They need to audit Anderson, 2004-2014!!! Every page of every case.

Change is coming.

Millennials are changing things, as Heejung Park, UCLA Ph.D. candidate, and co-author with Greenfield and San Diego State University psychologist Jean Twenge put it: "This change in values an attitudes could persist for several years, and possibly even longer." (Psychology Today, p. 12, 8.14) It could even spread, Park suggests, to the next generation...

Bonus things you should type into your favorite search engine:

1. South Carolina corruption
2. Anderson South Carolina corruption
3. Robert Gamble public defender corruption Anderson South Carolina (he was my "attorney")
4. Anderson South Carolina public defender bribe scandal
5. South Carolina sheriff investigated on corruption
6. South Carolina governor investigated on ethics
7. South Carolina solicitors unethical behavior
8. Solicitors in SC corruption
9. Wrongful convictions in South Carolina
10. Overturned convictions in South Carolina
11. Meth use in Anderson South Carolina
12. Police drug involvement in South Carolina
13. (and just about any other variation)

Seriously, look tis stuff up--I promise it'll shock you!