The dog ate my homework and my work ethic

The motivation for making an excuse is puzzling every time I or others do it.

Somewhere in our planet’s history, people began justifying mistakes, oversights, complacency and the like. An NFL player says in a post-game interview that he would have done so-and-so if the defender hadn’t held his jersey. I’m good at the, “I didn’t have time” brand of rationalizations which translated means “I failed to prioritize the rights things.” But the most intriguing part of excuse giving is not in the content but rather the motivation of this ancient art.

Using athletics as an example, what does a player hope to achieve by explaining why they did not or cannot do something everyone else is doing? Do they want to be the exception that is exempt from a workout or the penalty rendered for tardiness? Does this person really wish to separate themselves from the team that is adhering to the rules? I’m afraid that may be exactly it.

I, they and we are, at minimum, tempted to preserve our own interests and, at most, will do it at all costs. Please excuse the following: my failure to show up, wear the appropriate attire or my mild physical ailment that today qualifies as a legitimate reason for not practicing. If it’s excused, then it’s without penalty. But nothing is without penalty. Such a construct is grossly unnatural. Sacrifice and exchange are undisputed rules which are illustrated simple examples such as the inability to be in two places simultaneously or eat soup with chopsticks. The old adage goes, “You make your choices and then your choices make you.” Today is a day that we can liberate ourselves from excuses by anticipating the major events, apologizing for violations and/or doing what’s expected of us under less than ideal conditions.