The current air of shame surrounding wealth reminds me of the same thing surrounding good grades that has crept into our public education systems over the years. As sure as the latter "dumbs down" everybody in its process, I'm thinking the former surely must act to impoverish us to some degree as well.
I'll say I happen to think it's ok to trash talk anyone gloating on their grades or their financial good fortune, though. Nobody likes a braggart. But, geez, Elizabeth, and Mitt, and Newt, and basically everybody else in these races--OWN IT! You're rich. Tell us how you're going to help the rest of us do it too, starting with our country.
I agree with Kad. The American dream is promises success...becoming better than what you are.....and if that is good grades or great wealth...or just really happy where you are at....that is what it's all about. Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness....that we should not begrudge each other.
What we are seeing is a pervasive "movement" of sorts to recast success as either getting what the other guy has but doing it faster and cheaper....or by belittling it to the point that it becomes relatively valueless. After all....what is it worth if you put in 80 hours work weeks for a number of years, end up with a sizable fortune, and are socially inhibited from any sort of display of your wealth because some bunch who are jealous decide that if they can't have it...neither should you.
There is a real modern day problem with the dynamic meaning of the word "fair."
Why can't politicos like Mitt and Newt, and Elizabeth simple own up to their success and move on to something more substantive....
Importantly, government does not and cannot provide the means by which individual success can be attained. Only a system of supply that meets demand via the marketplace does that. Currently, our ability to successfully satisfy that demand is broken. Make it better..or make it cheaper than your competition....and they will come. Proclamations to superior quality or cost effectiveness are no substitute for reality. There is a reason that Samsung is leading the market in refrigerators and washers and dryers. Address those reasons and we can create competing jobs. BTW....having the NLRB essentially force private business to unionize is NOT the pathway to economic success.
The current air of shame surrounding wealth reminds me of the same thing surrounding good grades that has crept into our public education systems over the years. As sure as the latter "dumbs down" everybody in its process, I'm thinking the former surely must act to impoverish us to some degree as well.
ReplyDeleteI'll say I happen to think it's ok to trash talk anyone gloating on their grades or their financial good fortune, though. Nobody likes a braggart. But, geez, Elizabeth, and Mitt, and Newt, and basically everybody else in these races--OWN IT! You're rich. Tell us how you're going to help the rest of us do it too, starting with our country.
I agree with Kad. The American dream is promises success...becoming better than what you are.....and if that is good grades or great wealth...or just really happy where you are at....that is what it's all about. Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness....that we should not begrudge each other.
ReplyDeleteWhat we are seeing is a pervasive "movement" of sorts to recast success as either getting what the other guy has but doing it faster and cheaper....or by belittling it to the point that it becomes relatively valueless. After all....what is it worth if you put in 80 hours work weeks for a number of years, end up with a sizable fortune, and are socially inhibited from any sort of display of your wealth because some bunch who are jealous decide that if they can't have it...neither should you.
There is a real modern day problem with the dynamic meaning of the word "fair."
Why can't politicos like Mitt and Newt, and Elizabeth simple own up to their success and move on to something more substantive....
Importantly, government does not and cannot provide the means by which individual success can be attained. Only a system of supply that meets demand via the marketplace does that. Currently, our ability to successfully satisfy that demand is broken. Make it better..or make it cheaper than your competition....and they will come. Proclamations to superior quality or cost effectiveness are no substitute for reality. There is a reason that Samsung is leading the market in refrigerators and washers and dryers. Address those reasons and we can create competing jobs. BTW....having the NLRB essentially force private business to unionize is NOT the pathway to economic success.