Through Oprah, Darwin’s nature vs.nurture debate, and Court TV we know that there are reasons for many people to take the wrong path in life: family problems, trauma, medical, etc. but we have all come across some pure unadulterated “bad seeds” in our youth and adulthood; folk you knew would be hell raisers down the line.

I was notorious for befriending the outcasts, I thought myself one and believed all outcasts were just misunderstood. Those folk proved me wrong. 2 girlfriends in high school asked me to guess the fragrance of a small bottle with clear liquid that looked like a musk oil bottle that the incense guy sells in the subway. Several times I sniffed it and told them it didn’t smell like anything, that’s when an enormous headache hit, they had me sniff Rush.

I went to San Francisco with blinders on, anticipating it to virtually be the “OZ” of the outcast, (in many obvious ways it definately fits that bill), but I saw people who had been labeled bad seeds because they were “different” doing some great things. The most sincere feeling church I ever frequented was loaded with folk from all walks and denominations: homeless (yes, and smelly), corporate execs, skaters, skins, Mexican (the original)low-riders, homeboys. We all just wanted to hear a good word for a change, to feel good about our collective humanity, despite the media deceptive portayal of intolerance, disharmony and hatred.

Bad seeds use the ignorant for entertainment purposes. I’d always thought myself a savvy New Yorker, yet it was usually sheer ignorance, about street wise issues versus the forces of kids who knew things most kids shouldn’t, that got me in trouble growing up. I try to teach my son the lessons I’ve learned. Thankfully, some of the kids he thought so cool (I saw trouble coming a mile away), caused problems, ditched him when the going got rough.

Fortunately, his teachers could see that his sudden troubles came as a direct result of his newly acquired “friendships” and extracted the problem. More important than him finding my warnings to be right, he saw that I was there for him, like a true friend. Now he keeps his circle of friends small. I see his group sticking together to weed out problematic associates. I tell him to keep track of his own motives when developing friendships, to not be the bad seed.

Everyone goes through a period of boredom or low self-esteem, perhaps when they just feel like causing some grief. That’s far different from wanting to ruin someone, or causing harm. Bad seeds seek utter destruction, of those around them, and ultimately themselves.

Admittedly I was dense because it was only after being battered by the passing of time and weird experiences in extensive world travel that I finally saw (what most see without ever leaving their hood): You certainly can’t tell a book by it’s cover, it’s accent, it’s nationality, it’s religion,it’s monetary or social status, it’s country,it’s neighborhood, it’s political party. I have been fooled by (deceptive)intelligence, ignorance, wealth and poverty. Bad seeds are easily disguised in the most appealing of packages. Any one can flip a switch on you.

My circle of associates is small, but flexible and diverse.