"Everybody's Doin' It Now"

     In the early 1900's, Irving Berlin wrote this song which caused everyone to get up and dance.  Ragtime music was very popular.  Each generation produces music that creates the desire to dance.  We are influenced by everybody doing it now.
     We may choose to follow everyone else or do our own thing.  Our parents, peers, religion, and culture have influenced us by an early age.   We model ourselves on our parents, their values, and religion.  We become part of a peer group and culture.  We follow a calendar of events and adopt annual traditions with ceremonies, gifts, food, and family gatherings.  Everyone is doing it, so there must be some merit and enjoyment involved.  If those people and things that influence us truly benefit us, well and good.  If these influences stop us from considering other ideas or prevent us from standing up to family and peer pressures, then not so good.  We need to decide if we want to do what our family and friends expect or not.
     We also need to understand how our culture is influencing us.  We observe the world in person and through the media that seems to show certain behaviors are becoming more prevalent: violence, promiscuity, drugs, one-sided propaganda, and intolerance.  From colored hair and mani-pedis to tattoos and body piercings, the natural look seems out.  People tend to idolize youth, outer beauty, fame, and wealth.  Short term goals get the most consideration without thinking about the consequences.  Just because the pop culture seems to condone certain behaviors doesn't mean you have to agree or go along with it.
     Think about what you're doing and why you're doing it.  Design your own life. You may do what everybody's doing or do your own thing.  You don't have to dance to someone else's tune.