Second Chances

 

I Am Changing

I am changing
Yes I know how 
I'm gonna start again.
I'm gonna leave my past behind
I'll change my life.
I make it up
And nothing is gonna stop me now. 

Is America is the Land of Second Chances? 

There is a popular tale used by certain groups, the Scorpion and the Frog.  A scorpion wants to cross a river but cannot swim, so it asks a frog to carry it across. The frog hesitates, afraid that the scorpion might sting, but the scorpion argues that if it did that, they would both drown. The frog considers this argument sensible and agrees to transport the scorpion. The frog lets the scorpion climb on its back and then begins to swim. Midway across the river, the scorpion stings the frog anyway, dooming them both. The dying frog asks the scorpion why it stung despite knowing the consequence, to which the scorpion replies: "I couldn't help it. It's in my nature." 

If you accept the "moral" of this fable , then even though the scorpion knows that he will drown, you believe that he can’t change his nature.  You believe that the frog was “foolish” to give the scorpion a second chance.  Blaming nature is saying that one can’t change.  The problem is that the scorpion lied when he said he knew that they both would drown and would act to prevent that.  The frog would have been foolish to believe that the scorpion wouldn’t sting him on land, but the frog acted reasonably in believing that the scorpion would not sting him in the water where they both would drown. If you believe in second chances, then you believe that people can change their nature.