I Want, I Want

There’s a tremendous lyric from Mellencamp, all the way back to the Big Daddy record.

It goes, “I Want, I Want, I Need, I Need.”

He sings it as the chorus and I have always interpreted it as his put down of the me, me, me society that we live in and have for quite some time.

Thought of it when I heard about a basketball player who will skip his team’s home games because he doesn’t want to get vaccinated.

“It’s a personal decision.”

Indeed.

The Sabres anthem announcer is quitting for the same reason and claiming that he’s the ultimate Christian and he sees it more clearly than the rest of us do.

Healthcare workers and police officers are leaving their jobs.

People can’t go to football games because they can’t show proof of vaccination.

I want, I want.

I need, I need.

Screw the greater good.

And that’s the way of the world.

Years and years and years ago, my Dad told me, “90% of the people you meet are out for themselves and they’ll sell you down the river for a nickel.”

I thought that was horribly cynical.

But here in the middle of the pandemic I can see he was right. I have always mentioned that I have lost a couple of friends in their 50’s to Covid.

“Did they have underlying conditions?” Is always the first question.

“No.”

“A lot of people die of the flu too,” they respond.

“Not healthy 50-somethings.”

They will hesitate.

“Well, we all die someday.”

Zero compassion. No regard. Nothing but a desire to argue their point of view only from their point of view.

I want. I want.

I need. I need.

It’s a great song though.