Recently I was researching credit card policies and the California laws regarding showing photo ID when using credit cards. I found several discussions on the matter an in reading these discussions, I thought about the people's attitudes and interpretations on the laws and policies. Then these thoughts lead me to think about how people's attitudes about laws affect those around us: Our children, our friends, our business associates. Read on and think about where your attitude is.

Generally speaking, there are three types of attitudes concerning laws.

• Literal attitude - those who see black and white, there is no gray area
• "Does not apply" attitude - those who pick and choose which laws apply to them
• The foundation of the law attitude - those who read the literal but make reasonable adjustments for the gray areas of reality

Characteristics of the Attitudes:

The literal person is more apt to be very strict, with no margin for error. Roles and rules in society, family, business and personal relationships are expected to be strictly adhered to, no exceptions, no excuses.

The foundation person is considerate towards others, capable of empathy and willing to listen before passing judgment. In relationships, family and business, you are willing to accept mistakes, however, consequences are given if the mistake is too big.

If you pick and choose, this is shown usually by the "Do as I say, not as I do" statement. This attitude is reflected in lack of consideration for others, selfishness, disrespect and the belief that a person can do whatever they want and consequences don't apply to them. In my opinion, this is the most troublesome attitude for today's society.

Possible affects:

Our attitudes towards laws are reflected to us by our children's attitudes towards family rules. If we express that we must follow the government rules or pay the consequences, our children are more apt to follow the family rules, knowing there will be consequences to pay for disobeying. Period.

However, if we pick and choose which laws apply to us, then our children will believe they can pick and choose which family rules apply to them. This is the belief that laws and rules are made in general and do not apply to all, but to certain people or siblings.

If we follow the laws, adapting it to the situation without overstepping its foundation of being made, it is reasonable to believe that our children will be able to adapt and adjust to situations while keeping a well balance foot on the ground. At the same time, having the knowledge that if they or we stray too far from the foundation, the consequences will have to be paid.

In social settings, our attitudes towards laws may show others what type of person we are. Whether we are controlling, unable to accept others' opinions, feel that we can do what we want without consequences, or that we are able to adapt and adjust skillfully to any given situation.

So, what is your law attitude?