A promise is like a spider's web: It is misleading to others, and only the
weaver knows its subtleties. It is supposedly stronger than steel, yet can be broken by a
simple flick of the wrist. However, webs, like promises, can be classified into categories.
There are broken webs, strong beforehand; there are broken webs, never strong at all;
there are strong webs, still intact; there are weak webs, fortunate enough not to be
broken yet.
Promises can be classified into similar categories. However, the broken far
outnumber the firm, in both cases; the broken just aren't noticed, but still say a lot
about the lack of determination in the society.
Strong, but Broken
There are many different kinds of promises, and each one has its own
characteristics. The first kind of promise falls under the category “strong, but broken.”
These promises were broken in a moment, not usually after careful thought. They can
have dramatic effects if kept, yet people just don't think about the long term. They
aren't determined enough to keep these promises, no matter how “strong” it may
be.
After a while, “strong” promises lose their significance, and end up broken and
forgotten. Alcoholics trying to end their misery end right back up in a bar. Smokers
trying to save their own lives find themselves in worse and worse situations. Obese
people trying to lose weight eventually end up eating large meals again because their
“diet doesn't work.” Children trying to finish a night's homework and trying to start
doing well in school find themselves staring at a TV with a blank page in front of them.
Everywhere, “strong” promises are being broken, no matter the end result. Even
worse, people who break these promises don't feel much guilt in doing so-they
gradually convince themselves along the way that it is the right thing to do, without
realizing that their logic is flawed, and that they are merely trying to find an excuse.
Strong, Still Intact
The second kind of promise falls under the category “strong, still intact.” These
promises are the ones that prove how dramatic strong promises can be if kept.
Alcoholics succeeding in becoming sober, smokers succeeding in quitting, obese people
succeeding in losing weight, and children succeeding in turning over a new leaf; these
are all examples of people whose lives have been completely turned around through
determination. Why aren't there more people like this? People just aren't determined
enough.
Weak and Broken
The third kind of promise is “weak and broken.” One of these promises may be
insignificant by itself, but as the number broken becomes more and more, the
“breaker” of the promise begins to realize his or her situation. For example, if a child'
s bedtime is nine o'clock, he or she might not see any reason not to stay up until 9:15.
However, this soon becomes a habit. Soon, that child stays up until 9:30, and soon that
child's parents don't find anything strange about the child tip-toeing to bed at that
time.
At this point, the child's regular bedtime has been extended to 9:30, and the child
gets his or her way. The child becomes undisciplined because of all the promises: The
promises to go to bed at 9:00-that were broken, which were seemingly insignificant.
Like with “strong” promises, the breaking of “weak” promises evokes no guilt. Most
people are convinced that this itty-bitty rule-breaking does them no harm, but in reality,
it does-it creates a less and less determined society.
Weak, Still Intact
The fourth kind of promise is “weak and still intact.” These promises show that some people do care about these small promises, and take it seriously. However, these people are not many. Most people have homework at the bottom of their priority list, “forget” to do their chores, or party way after the curfew. These promises may seem small, but the minority that does keep them are the example-setters. If everyone were just a little bit more determined, then everyone could have an idol to look up to.
The widespread breaking of promises not only shows that people think that
promises are too insignificant to matter, it also shows why they think this way. The
breaking of “strong” promises shows that keeping them is too hard to do. With the
right opportunity, a person would break one in a flash. The breaking of “weak”
promises shows that, while it is easy to keep them, it is also easy to break them.
If this
promise-breaking continues, people will become increasingly evasive, finding excuses
with every opportunity they have. If this promise-breaking continues, the value of
morals and principles in the world today will be notably degraded.
