Project 2
Dakota Bray
English 1213
Professor Hammett
November 27, 2023
Word Count: 1069
Frank Wedekind on the Distracted Driving Epidemic
Frank Wedekind was a German playwright and novelist who wrote numerous pieces of absurd fiction that depicted the harsh reality of life and controversial themes throughout his work. Wedekind believed that the only way to change the way society behaves was to show them the world in a way they had never seen before. He believed that education needed to be honest and intense in order to get the message across and that it starts with the youth. He also believed that becoming a good member of society was more than school, rather life experiences. This is seen when he states, “In my opinion, it is unwise to judge a young man by his school record. We have too many examples of bad students becoming distinguished men, and, on the other hand, of brilliant students not being at all remarkable in life.” in his play Spring Awakening (Wedekind). This is why Frank Wedekind would agree that distracted driving is a social epidemic that needs to be talked about more.
Frank Wedekind would be saddened to see that most of the leading causes of death in the world are caused by temptation and distraction, whether it is from a heart attack or obesity, as we humans don’t realize the effects of what we have done before it's too late. Wedekind would be livid to know that distracted driving is taking the lives of not only the driver but the passengers and bystanders as well. According to Forbes, “In 2020, 3,142 people died in collisions involving distracted driving. This included 396 fatalities in which a cell phone was being used at the time of the crash.” (Bieber, 2023). Frank would’ve believed these selfish behaviors could cause tragedy due to one of his characters, Melchior Gabor, who is constantly thinking about his needs and desires. Wedekind depicts Mechlior’s selfishness during a scene where he rapes his friend Wendla, and he states this, “Oh, believe me, there's no such thing as love! Everything is selfishness, everything is egotism!——I love you as little as you love me.” (Wedekind). We as humans all have selfish tendencies, but when selfish behavior is being repeated and can cause harm to you and the ones around you is when it becomes unacceptable.
Spring Awakening has been banned and censored in many places in the world due to the explicit and taboo themes such as sex, homosexuality, suicide, and abortion. However, as previously mentioned, Wedekind saw this as a way to show the world that these issues are common in all parts of the world, including Germany in the 1800s, where the play is set in. PSAs and Frank Wedekind have the same method of teaching; You must show realistic outcomes in order to understand the dangers of our actions better, even if it is hard to watch. Wendla passes away later on in the play due to a botched abortion; Melchior finds her grave and is gutted with guilt because his action causes her death. Frank Wedekind wrote this to depict how Melchior viewed himself after realizing his actions caused a tragedy, “And I am her murderer. I am her murderer!——Despair is left me——I dare not weep here.” (Wedekind).
Frank Wedekind would've believed educating drivers on the dangers and consequences of their behaviors is a great way for them to understand the importance of this topic. Texting and driving PSAs show us how our actions affect everyone involved, not just ourselves. They don’t shy away from the vivid moments during a car crash and the effects of death afterward. We need to scare the public straight in order to keep them safe. According to the CDC, “9 people die every day from distracted drivers” (CDC, 2022). This heartbreaking fact that the CDC makes public to anyone online could cause people to feel empathy, decide they don't want to become a part of the issue and change their behaviors. Selfishness is killing the innocent at an alarming rate, and we need to educate the youth before it is too late.
Frank Wedekind believed that censoring the youth from these important real-life problems caused more harm than good. The only way we can change the trajectory of distracted driving is to inform the next generation and break the cycle of deadly habits. One of the reasons why Spring Awakening is such a tragic story is because the parental figures in the children's lives shield them from all the negative reality that comes with life, leaving the children uneducated and them figuring out the consequences while it is happening to them. In the play Wedekind shows the effects of censorship causing more harm than good by showcasing Wendla’s confusion on intercourse. Wendla shows frustration when her mother won’t explain to her how children are made, and then later on again when she figures out that what Melchoir did to her is how it happens. “God knows, I don't know anymore! We lay in the hay——I have loved nobody in the world as I do you, Mother.” and “O Mother, why didn't you tell me everything!” (Wedekind).
Death and tragedy are a part of life, and it shouldn’t be something we run from but just something we expect and conquer head-on. By being honest with the future generations about the harms of distracted driving in the beginning, it will prevent further harmful behavior from happening in the future, and the roads will become safer and safer for generations to come. If we want a better future for our kids, it starts with us.
Frank Wedekind didn’t live in a time of technology and distracted driving, but he however saw that the urges of selfishness and not paying attention to what really matters can be harmful to not only you but also the people around you. He would see distracted driving as a problem that we need to face head-on and not hold back on discussing it. “Each in their own ways suffers simply for the crime of growing into adulthood without a roadmap, and worst of all, they are blamed and punished for their failures by the same adults whose actions have doomed them. (Hell, 2021). Distracted driving and drivers will continue to happen, and there will always be people who fall for temptation. Wedekind shows us that the world will always have darkness in it if you don’t shine light on what is important to solve the problem.
References
Bieber, Christy. “Distracted Driving Statistics & Facts in 2023.” Forbes, Forbes Magazine, 17 July 2023, www.forbes.com/advisor/legal/auto-accident/distracted-driving-statistics/#:~:text=Each%20year%2C%20approximately%203%2C000%20people%20lose%20their%20lives,collisions%20on%20roads%20across%20the%20United%20States.%20.
CDC. “Distracted Driving.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 26 Apr. 2022, www.cdc.gov/transportationsafety/Distracted_Driving/index.html#:~:text=Distracted%20driving%20impacts%20thousands%20of%20Americans%20each%20year,their%20bikes%2C%20or%20otherwise%20outside%20a%20vehicle.%201.
Hell, Musical. “At the Source: Fruhlings Erwachen: Eine Kindertragodie by Frank Wedekind.” YouTube, YouTube, 17 May 2021, www.youtube.com/watch?v=pX_8TF8jWic.
Wedekind, Frank. “The Awakening of Spring.” The Project Gutenberg eBook of The Awakening of Spring, by Frank Wedekind, www.gutenberg.org/files/35242/35242-h/35242-h.htm Accessed 27 Nov. 2023
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