The capture and legal dealings of the convicted "affluenza" teen who killed four people in a horrific drunk-driving case offers proof that behavior is, indeed, influenced by one's environment, yet very much the sole responsibility of that individual.
Let's start with "affluenza." This "defense" was used by Ethan Couch's attorneys to justify his actions in the deaths of four innocent victims while the 16-year-old drove at 70 mph into a group of people who were helping a stranded motorist. Couch had a blood alcohol level of nearly three times the legal adult limit, with the presence of Valium and THC (marijuana) in his system at the time of the 2013 crash. His impairment was blamed on the indulgences and excesses of his upbringing to the point that he could not differentiate between right and wrong, testified a psychologist in the original trial in Fort Worth, Texas.
Robin SmithStories following Couch's capture in Mexico after he reportedly violated the terms of his parole and fled include the "troubled" home environment of the now 18-year-old. News accounts reference a "wealthy, unstable home" with parents Fred and Tonya Couch splitting in an acrimonious 2006 divorce.
But where did the term "affluenza" originate? The granddaughter of a former president of General Motors, Jessie O'Neill, wrote of the "condition" in "The Golden Ghetto: The Psychology of Affluence."
Those suffering from this sad state are from "wealthy families" that "have a sense of entitlement, make excuses for bad behavior and have addictive or compulsive behaviors, including drug and alcohol problems."
The testifying psychologist in the Couch case, G. Dick Miller, expressed regret for using the term just months after the trial in a CNN interview with Anderson Cooper: "I wish I hadn't used that term. ... We used to call these people spoiled brats."
Let's return to the characteristics of this affliction assigned to the misbehaving rich. Entitled. Excuses without remorse. Compulsive and/or addictive behaviors. A life without standards or parental modeling.
Take wealth out of the "affluenza" definition and you have the traits found in most cases where criminal or aberrant behavior is present.
The facts are now clear. Parents are to parent by being true guardians of their children's safety and health; by modeling behavior that conveys values; and by preparing their children to be productive adults. This happens to be the definition of parenting offered by the American Psychological Association.
University of Tennessee head football coach Butch Jones summed up the problem of adults failing to meet their parental responsibilities: "Too many parents prepare the path for the kid and not the kid for the path."
The meaning of Jones' statement applies to all, regardless of economic or societal standing. Parents devote their energies to developing a "good" kid who's respectful, honest and taught the value of work, universally equipped to meet most of life's encounters. However, in the experiences of Jones and many others, a vast number of parents attempt to control situations through blame, demands, excuses and entitlement that release their child from responsibility.
Call it what you want, but bad behavior based on poor individual choices, regardless of one's parents or ZIP code, is just that, bad behavior.
Robin Smith, a former chairwoman of the Tennessee Republican Party, is owner of Rivers Edge Alliance.