Used to be that people did not expect to be taken care of, you did something to earn your keep if you didn't have a job. You relied on your family, friends, neighbors, church, and various charitable organizations if you had to. And you didn't want to do it for long, cuz then you got the reputation for being a moocher. And the gov't was not involved, at least not in a major way.
Well that shit's gone for good I think. Nowadays many people see handouts and bailouts for everyone else and have come to expect something for them too. We're losing some of the individual independence that we used to have, which does not bode well for the future.
Why? Because a trend is developing to the point where temporary help becomes permanent, programs that used to be for those who really were in need have been expanded to those who are not. It's almost impossible to take back benefits; once promised, people won't give them up. That's why people are rioting in Europe, gov't promises made in the best of times cannot be sustained but the people expect those promises to be kept. It's also why people were demonstrating in Wisconsin, nobody wants to change the status quo when it is to their benefit. Which is somewhat understandable, but what if the status quo is not sustainable?
Which it isn't, we simply cannot pay for the promises we've made in the past. We're going to have to find ways to work together on this, compromises must be made. And right now neither side is willing to do so. It may be that we'll need to suffer thorught another major depression similar to the 1930s before we finally realize what has to be done: finding common ground and solutions that will work long term rather than up to the next election.
Well that shit's gone for good I think. Nowadays many people see handouts and bailouts for everyone else and have come to expect something for them too. We're losing some of the individual independence that we used to have, which does not bode well for the future.
Why? Because a trend is developing to the point where temporary help becomes permanent, programs that used to be for those who really were in need have been expanded to those who are not. It's almost impossible to take back benefits; once promised, people won't give them up. That's why people are rioting in Europe, gov't promises made in the best of times cannot be sustained but the people expect those promises to be kept. It's also why people were demonstrating in Wisconsin, nobody wants to change the status quo when it is to their benefit. Which is somewhat understandable, but what if the status quo is not sustainable?
Which it isn't, we simply cannot pay for the promises we've made in the past. We're going to have to find ways to work together on this, compromises must be made. And right now neither side is willing to do so. It may be that we'll need to suffer thorught another major depression similar to the 1930s before we finally realize what has to be done: finding common ground and solutions that will work long term rather than up to the next election.
Last edited:
