contradiction

[beeja]

1) Haven’t you ever been up to your ass in alligator with no way to drain the swamp? Yes I have. But it was my own thinking that had me up to it with alligators.

I know the author would like to say that you think yourself that you have too much work to handle (or you are swamped) but I just don't understand, from this example, why saying that the alligator is chasing you (up to your ass) while you don't know how to drain the swamp. If you drain the swamp, the alligator will go away? (sorry for silly question, but i'm confused. )

2) When a child's attention has been repeatedly directed at "what's wrong with me", it is very easy for the child not to enter an adult life with a feeling of "I'm not good enough".

Do you think the above paragraph is contrast? Because if a child often pays attention to what's wrong with him/her, it should be very easy for him/her to be an adult with the feeling that he is not good enough. Any idea??

Thanks!

[Tdol]

Yes- if you could drain the swamp, there wouldn't be any alligators.
2 This looks wrong to me- it would be easy for the child to enter adult life with this feeling IMO.