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Some tears might be more significant than others. Skin your knee as a child, you’ll likely cry. Not get the grade or gift you expected, you might cry.

But I can tell you the conditions under which I first felt what I’ll call true tears. They weren’t for me.

In 1957 at a matinee in a large Chicago theater I saw Disney’s Old Yeller. Along with hundreds of other kids my age, I wept and was shaken by the story and event. I didn’t know and never met Tommy Kirk. I never had a dog of that type. But I and many more with me felt inner strife and grief as surely as if we were Tommy and that dog’s most intimate and true companions.

What I felt left me shaken. To this day I cannot get through that movie. Can’t do it. That’s how strong.

While the aisles in that massive auditorium were possibly wet from all the tears shed that afternoon, I’m sure not all the viewers wept. For whatever reason, some kids did not weep, or at least not as thoroughly as did I. But, more importantly I think, if you want an example of culture look at hundreds of kids from differing backgrounds (most likely not including rural life) and religions and nationalities, etc. almost universally seeing and feeling the same highly emotional message. That is culture.

Actual behavior is more cultural than any definition.

But think, gentle reader, if we were to see Old Yeller made today. Wouldn’t that be fun?

The dog for sure could not die, especially in the way that was shown. That wouldn’t do. Some other passing might slip by, but not by gun and probably not by the boy.

We might have to bring in an evil patriarchal authoritarian land speculator funded by a colonial oil venture who’d do something so the dog would pass on as collateral damage. Or the boy would have a wise and talented older sister who’d find a cure for whatever threatened the dog’s life and the lives of all others anywhere around. That might work.

And get rid of Moochie the little brother and replace him with a sweet younger sister who’d melt the heart of anyone but the evil patriarch mentioned earlier.

Once cleaned up and brought up to date Old Yeller would be a far different account.

Gets me thinking, maybe the boy, Tommy Kirk for you old movie fans, could transition. Now that would be an intriguing development especially (again for you buffs) since Tommy was dropped by Disney for more than less (so I heard) transitional sorts of reasons, Tommy no longer being quite as OK as once thought.

Gay boys rejoice, except for the dog shooting part and pretty much most everything else. But better news arises because Tommy did transition and not mere gender-role either. He species transitioned, as buffs will recall, into a shaggy dog-boy. We were so ahead of our times, weren’t we?

Anyway, for me was interesting to examine the cause of some old tears and see them in a new perspective. A different perspective can be a handy thing.

Why just recently I inquired about a cleaning person to take up some of the slack for my bad back. OK, located someone. They had a rather long list of things they’d not do. I expected windows. Not doing windows is a given, in case you didn’t know, but many more things can go onto a won’t do list. Got me thinking.

Almost all the not-do things were already not getting done so I had to wonder at the practicality or value of paying someone to come and also not do them. See what I mean about perspective?

It can do a world of good to step back and considerate a thing or more when dealing with the world. Take it from me.

Now back to the Old Yeller scene with hundreds of kids feeling strongly a similar emotion about a tragic scene. Do you think any of the assembled tweens and new teens were ever taught what tragedy was or empathy? I doubt, don’t you?

Such things are human currency to be experienced and also for us to be aware of as things able to ensnare or be used against us.

I’ve known people, haven’t you, who get caught in an emotion loop which keeps them turning over and over. Hamster wheel. Can’t get out. Can’t move forward.

Exactly such loops can be used to keep people addicted or cult captive, etc. despite the underlying emotion and sympathy being one hundred percent valid. There’s the paradox and challenge.

Worthy emotional recognition can be turned into a trap or be used against us.

Now here’s a practical warning.

Oftentimes the people seemingly with best interests at heart and with true sympathy will bemoan (for illustrative purposes only) the dangers of fascism or a loss of democracy. Are they sincere? Sure, but means nothing if the fascism scare is only part of a loop that will accomplish the opposite of what’s claimed.

How do we know?

Well, gentle reader, how many fascist-style dictatorships or religious-run states label themselves as Democratic Republics?

Such deception (that’s what I’ll call it) is common and useful when gaining power is a goal that needs be disguised until too late.

So, let’s keep things basic. If a political or religious belief needs enforcement then I’d call it tyranny. If diversity is claimed but economics is by and large the one and only thing talked about then it’s not diverse at all.

Take a broad-broad view, say oceanic in scope, and apply it globally as most representative. You already know there’ll be an awful lot goes missing because a great plain under a mile of water is no way comparable in utility to one on land or climbing up a mountain is not the same as going down one underwater.

Our sympathies and emotions remain valid despite those who’d abuse them. Deception, be aware, relies on the goodness of the target to be deceived.