Hoss 350
My GSP, Dutch
I have a very involved and difficult job, which typically keeps me pretty much tied up mentally for a good portion of the day. However, it occurred to me that I may have some form of ADD the other day, as I find my mind wandering off quite often, as I mechanically go about completing some of the menial and thoughtless tasks that are a part of what I do. Quite often, my thoughts travel off on some analysis of current events, and the way that so many of the most unlikely events are tied together in common bonds. I’ll try not to ramble too much as I go about putting some coherency to the thought process that assailed me today as I was printing and collating a 30 page CPM schedule that I recently completed for a project I am managing for distribution to the various subcontractors.
My thoughts began wandering to the riots that are currently raging in France over their attempt to give companies there some measure of recourse in the dismissal of lazy, unmotivated, entitlement workers. To those of you that do not know, it is extremely hard for companies to fire employs in France. Their system of socialist entitlement basically dictates unalienable “rights” for people to have work, and more or less makes it impossible for businesses to fire people based on poor performance. As a result, businesses don’t hire people anymore, and the unemployment rate is something like 22 percent in people under 30. SO, in an attempt to fix the problem that their entitlement program has created, the government passed bills making it possible to fire workers under the age of 26 years old, that have been with the company for less than 2 years, for poor performance. Yes, kind gentlemen, THAT is what they are rioting about over there. The fact that they will actually have to make some effort and compete with other employs for (GASP!!) 2 YEARS before they reach entitlement status and can just coast for the rest of their career without fear of retribution or dismissal. Puts things into perspective, doesn’t it?
That thought process caused me to segue into the fact that a lot of people in America today think that the system in France is a good idea, that every American should be ENTITLED to home ownership, comfortable living, and financial security, without the personal responsibility of first earning those entitlements. I thought about how many people would like a system of socialism which guarantees that everybody will have what they want and need, and no one will ever be forced to “go without”. While this sounds great on paper, France has pretty much proved that this will not work. Their economy is stagnant, has been for years, and as a result, the unemployment rate is extremely high, and the standard of living sucks compared to our standards over here.
This caused me to think about Hollywood, and how they spend so much time beating their chests about how bad we are, and how much better things would be if we just did it “their way”, all the while refusing to see that their level of success and prosperity would not be possible under the system they are touting. I realized that the level of hypocrisy in America is getting really quite high.
It also made me think of the trip back to my hometown that I made this weekend picking up the cordwood that I discussed in my “Needs me a Wicked Wheel” post, and how a good portion of my friends from high school spent a lot of time picking at me for my success. I moved away, have a very good paying job that I like, and as a result, they all act like I am some sort of “silver spoon” pariah, when in all actuality, I spent 5 years working my butt off to get where I am today. It caused me to realize that in today’s entitlement mentality, far fewer people actually take the time to see that my success was a result of hard work, not because I was some lucky elitist.
During my 5 years in school, I was dirt poor, and was quite envious of my friends back home that had taken jobs and were financially secure as a result. That was my sacrifice to get where I am today. They did not make the same sacrifice, and as a result, they are doing the same jobs that they were doing while I was in school, and are making more or less the same wage they were then, too. Yet, somehow, they blame me for their position, and see me as a sort of social outcast.
Sort of like the people that were impacted by the hurricanes blame everyone else for their position, instead of taking the time to look at themselves, and at how THEY, and THEY ALONE, are responsible for their lack of readiness and the resulting disaster.
So, now, I see the problem. No one is expected to bear hardship anymore. Our society is starting to teach people that they should be given what they have, that they are entitled to all of these things, and as a result, those of us that are successful and earn more as a result, are seen as getting more than we deserve, because people put no value into hard work or hardship. The same reason why Hollywood puts no value into the freedoms they have to do and say the things they do, and get paid the amounts they do. The reason is because very few people alive today were around when those freedoms were being earned, and therefore, they put little value in them. They did not see the hard work and hardship we put into prevailing in World War II, or getting through the Great Depression, and because of that, they think everything is a given.
That, I have come to the conclusion, is the root cause of why so many people are bitching their guts out about the current war on terrorism. They are not directly affected by it, and as a result, do not see the need to experience hardship. They do not understand that unless we work hard now to eliminate the problem, that we will all be affected by it.
I guess this whole rambling rant was directed at the younger guys on here. My advice (coming from a “seasoned” 26 year old
) is to never expect anything to come for free. You have to take responsibility for your lot in life. It belongs, completely, solely, and inextricably with you and you alone. The moment you fall into the trap of blaming others for your plight, you have surrendered your right to self-determination. The moment you allow yourself to be dependent on the government to keep you in a job, to keep you in a house, to keep you secure, or to otherwise take care of you, you have stopped being a citizen, and assumed the role of subjugated ward.
The health and survival of America depends on at least some of us maintaining the ethics of self-determination, hard work, and self-accountability. It relies on at least some of us telling the people that would be happy to live off the government entitlement checks that they are wrong. It relies on at least some of us realizing that if we are stuck in a career that we don’t like, in a job that doesn’t pay enough, or in a situation that we cannot bail ourselves out of, that IT IS NO ONE’S FAULT BUT OUR OWN!!!
NEVER surrender the ability to take care of yourself, in your way. It takes more effort, and may be wrought with far more hardship and hard work than the alternative, but it is something that everyone relies on. France is a perfect example of what happens when the people stop caring about taking care of themselves, and start letting someone else do it for them. No one wins in that situation.
So many people look at the world that I just described and cry that it is inhumane, uncaring, and cold. My response is that it is so only to the people that allow it to be.
Oh, and don’t rely on Social Security for your retirement. Look at the money you spend in Social Security more like a tax than a retirement plan. You’ll never see a red cent of it…. :biggrin
Hope this didn’t get too political. I just couldn’t keep this in anymore.
My thoughts began wandering to the riots that are currently raging in France over their attempt to give companies there some measure of recourse in the dismissal of lazy, unmotivated, entitlement workers. To those of you that do not know, it is extremely hard for companies to fire employs in France. Their system of socialist entitlement basically dictates unalienable “rights” for people to have work, and more or less makes it impossible for businesses to fire people based on poor performance. As a result, businesses don’t hire people anymore, and the unemployment rate is something like 22 percent in people under 30. SO, in an attempt to fix the problem that their entitlement program has created, the government passed bills making it possible to fire workers under the age of 26 years old, that have been with the company for less than 2 years, for poor performance. Yes, kind gentlemen, THAT is what they are rioting about over there. The fact that they will actually have to make some effort and compete with other employs for (GASP!!) 2 YEARS before they reach entitlement status and can just coast for the rest of their career without fear of retribution or dismissal. Puts things into perspective, doesn’t it?
That thought process caused me to segue into the fact that a lot of people in America today think that the system in France is a good idea, that every American should be ENTITLED to home ownership, comfortable living, and financial security, without the personal responsibility of first earning those entitlements. I thought about how many people would like a system of socialism which guarantees that everybody will have what they want and need, and no one will ever be forced to “go without”. While this sounds great on paper, France has pretty much proved that this will not work. Their economy is stagnant, has been for years, and as a result, the unemployment rate is extremely high, and the standard of living sucks compared to our standards over here.
This caused me to think about Hollywood, and how they spend so much time beating their chests about how bad we are, and how much better things would be if we just did it “their way”, all the while refusing to see that their level of success and prosperity would not be possible under the system they are touting. I realized that the level of hypocrisy in America is getting really quite high.
It also made me think of the trip back to my hometown that I made this weekend picking up the cordwood that I discussed in my “Needs me a Wicked Wheel” post, and how a good portion of my friends from high school spent a lot of time picking at me for my success. I moved away, have a very good paying job that I like, and as a result, they all act like I am some sort of “silver spoon” pariah, when in all actuality, I spent 5 years working my butt off to get where I am today. It caused me to realize that in today’s entitlement mentality, far fewer people actually take the time to see that my success was a result of hard work, not because I was some lucky elitist.
During my 5 years in school, I was dirt poor, and was quite envious of my friends back home that had taken jobs and were financially secure as a result. That was my sacrifice to get where I am today. They did not make the same sacrifice, and as a result, they are doing the same jobs that they were doing while I was in school, and are making more or less the same wage they were then, too. Yet, somehow, they blame me for their position, and see me as a sort of social outcast.
Sort of like the people that were impacted by the hurricanes blame everyone else for their position, instead of taking the time to look at themselves, and at how THEY, and THEY ALONE, are responsible for their lack of readiness and the resulting disaster.
So, now, I see the problem. No one is expected to bear hardship anymore. Our society is starting to teach people that they should be given what they have, that they are entitled to all of these things, and as a result, those of us that are successful and earn more as a result, are seen as getting more than we deserve, because people put no value into hard work or hardship. The same reason why Hollywood puts no value into the freedoms they have to do and say the things they do, and get paid the amounts they do. The reason is because very few people alive today were around when those freedoms were being earned, and therefore, they put little value in them. They did not see the hard work and hardship we put into prevailing in World War II, or getting through the Great Depression, and because of that, they think everything is a given.
That, I have come to the conclusion, is the root cause of why so many people are bitching their guts out about the current war on terrorism. They are not directly affected by it, and as a result, do not see the need to experience hardship. They do not understand that unless we work hard now to eliminate the problem, that we will all be affected by it.
I guess this whole rambling rant was directed at the younger guys on here. My advice (coming from a “seasoned” 26 year old
) is to never expect anything to come for free. You have to take responsibility for your lot in life. It belongs, completely, solely, and inextricably with you and you alone. The moment you fall into the trap of blaming others for your plight, you have surrendered your right to self-determination. The moment you allow yourself to be dependent on the government to keep you in a job, to keep you in a house, to keep you secure, or to otherwise take care of you, you have stopped being a citizen, and assumed the role of subjugated ward. The health and survival of America depends on at least some of us maintaining the ethics of self-determination, hard work, and self-accountability. It relies on at least some of us telling the people that would be happy to live off the government entitlement checks that they are wrong. It relies on at least some of us realizing that if we are stuck in a career that we don’t like, in a job that doesn’t pay enough, or in a situation that we cannot bail ourselves out of, that IT IS NO ONE’S FAULT BUT OUR OWN!!!
NEVER surrender the ability to take care of yourself, in your way. It takes more effort, and may be wrought with far more hardship and hard work than the alternative, but it is something that everyone relies on. France is a perfect example of what happens when the people stop caring about taking care of themselves, and start letting someone else do it for them. No one wins in that situation.
So many people look at the world that I just described and cry that it is inhumane, uncaring, and cold. My response is that it is so only to the people that allow it to be.
Oh, and don’t rely on Social Security for your retirement. Look at the money you spend in Social Security more like a tax than a retirement plan. You’ll never see a red cent of it…. :biggrin
Hope this didn’t get too political. I just couldn’t keep this in anymore.
