Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
indicate a difference in the determination of your self-worth? If so, I have more than enough empathy for you. If not, I admire you.
I ask this because, to a certain extent, up until roughly two years ago, (in addition to everything else I've experienced in the many years before) it was an indication for me. This is where my many comments of 'REAL LIFE EXPERIENCE' come from. These experiences will always be what has made me who I am and adamant about what I now stand for. The money I have made and/or spent on 'things', in my life, has NOT and would NOT have given me the insight and compassion I have today. The loss of these things however, has. All of the material things were lost due to the myriad of games that big business and government enjoy playing, every day, with our livelihoods. Money replaces these things as long as our government and big business respects us. Something we've been tricked into believing they actually care about. All else is within ourselves and cannot be removed, taken away or repossessed. No one but the individual that has acquired these experiences owns that. Only by ones own decision can a spirit of ones self be kept down and/or extinguished. WE MUST NEVER GIVE UP. I lost insight and compassion through my own selfishness and anger at the ignorance of a nation. Experience, and ONLY experience, replaces these things. It is imperative they're taught through expression and example. And I am slowly regaining through patience, perseverance, HELP, and work (fortunately enough - seasonal work) the strength necessary to follow through with more than just typing my thoughts on a silly forum. (I'll be spending much less time here after the New Year) People need more than seasonal work. This is a good start or 'trial run' for what I have in my heart to do. Working, as I have been, since before I was 15 years old (legally beginning employment at the age 15) continued me with yet another 'new' experience. After being unemployed for some time, working with, and for, the Salvation Army (which ended Dec. 24, 2010) I have received much more appreciation from them and this community than I have ever received from our government, any other community or any other business owner - (with the exception of one in Florida). Charitable organizations have their administrative costs as well. However this organization, unlike our government, sees, cares, understands and has compassion for the plight of people as people. Not cattle-like slaves to greed.
15 million unemployed people is NOT a coincidence. It is money being used as leverage. A tool of self-worth. Not trade. An attempt at forcing people to feel less a sense of self-worth because of their 'position' in life. Money comes and goes. Money can be taken away at any time, for any reason by anyone. The 'legal theft' committed by big business and government is, and has been, inevitability the cause of the current state of our nations economy. It HAS TO STOP. For if it does not, we will lose what America was founded upon. We need Government. We need business. What we can do without is the behavior of selfishness, greed and lack of appreciation that this country has become plagued with. Greed, selfishness, and lack of appreciation are all attributes of children. Our government and big business are run by a very large group of children that don't play well with others.
Money, in reality, is nothing more than a tool to keep an economy in motion. To keep people busy. A simpler form of trade that has been around for awhile now. In times of such quickly advancing technology one would think more emphasis would be placed on all our well-beings.The working force in America are the hunter gatherers, of anew, and should be shown quite a bit more appreciation through DECENT (not struggling) wages. This does not mean that someone should earn $20/hr for a job only requiring a good, hard working, able bodied person with no more than a high school education or G.E.D.. So many people ridiculously and selfishly attempt to argue the justification of minimum wage with this figure. Simultaneously, it does not mean that these good, hard working, able bodied people with no more than a high school education or G.E.D., deserve less than $11/hr for working in these same stressful, physically demanding, mentally draining and unappreciated positions. And in my first hand experience there is no 'menial' job where physical as well as mental labor, is not involved or required. These, so called, 'menial' positions do require some time and skill to carry out. With many aspects to learn within each of these 'menial position', multi-tasking jobs. Learning all these aspects are supposed to make one, more of an asset, and should increase pay. Once again, from personal experience, selfishness and greed (some in the form of laws) often keep this from happening. People would certainly feel more appreciated which, in turn, creates motivation. They would have more expendable income which keeps an economy in motion. 'Spreading the wealth' and the 'trickle down' theories are just more excuses for the already self-serving leaders and business owners, of this country, to complain about America's 'lower' working class. 'Work for me for what will keep you struggling and us at an 'advantage' over you. And if you don't like it we'll find someone else, even if it means spiting my face, to find people, NOT of this country, (sending jobs overseas) to work for less'. This is but a childish and EVIL, greedy, way to justify selfishness and ultimately the idea that some 'parts' people play in our society have less 'worth'. The positions may be of less monetary value, but that does not make the lives they live, or 'parts' they play of any less worthiness. We ALL have families to support, needs to meet, bills to pay, educations to receive, cars to drive and so on. Anyone that works should have NO trouble paying, with their own currency, not credit, not loans, for these necessary things. The current minimum wage (and minimum wage past) is nothing more than a message that the only thing of value in this country is what government and big business will 'take' to keep people 'at bay' and just around the corner of success. Dangle that worm. And what for? (not really a question - )
This country and the people of 'power' have a rude awakening of what it TRULY means to be a prosperous powerhouse that sincerely values the worth of it's 'people'. Walk a mile in the shoes of the people you're complaining about and ridiculing. Something Abraham Lincoln, John F. Kennedy, Martin Luther King Jr., Mahatma Gandhi and others died in the process of fighting for. With no doubt of future outspoken people dying in the process of fighting for these things as well. And a cause well worth fighting and dying for, especially if it has some profound effect on enough people to cause a peaceful and much needed change in the psyches of the 'leaders' of this country.
JFK said...
"And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you - ask what you can do for your country".
And so it starts for me that I will ask, "What can I do for our country"?
I am no where near happy or satisfied with the lack of justice and ineptitude of people in the places on high in our country. All because money has become the 'new' personality of self-worth.
Now, I could post a bunch of links to the many different comments I've made here and would if I thought it would make a difference. But I just spent a good amount of time writing, commenting and editing my own feelings, thoughts and aspirations of indisputable truth(s) which are of much more value than links I've already used to reinforce these writings. Search the truth, and you shall find it. Irony, at it's finest hour.
So does it? Does money make you who you are? Will you do something for someone trying to make things better, help themselves, so they may help others? Can you take time to learn empathy and understand the plight of others?
Or will you just keep taking from, what used to be, proud American workers so you can keep taking nine out of ten pieces of the pie?
Written by: Brad C. on Dec. 26th 2010.
Last edited by shroombeanie; 12-26-2010 at 07:40 PM..
Reason: Written by,
Think very carefully about exactly who is taking. For starters... those who pay no federal income tax, 47% of American households, are takers.
How do you figure? Those people aren't taking, they are simply not receiving as much... if you worked full-time and still barely earned enough to feed your family, would you voluntarily pay those taxes when you're not required to? How does that equal taking, exactly? Not sure I get your logic here!
..... Does money make you who you are? Will you do something for someone trying to make things better, help themselves, so they may help others? Can you take time to learn empathy and understand the plight of others?
Or will you just keep taking from, what used to be, proud American workers so you can keep taking nine out of ten pieces of the pie?
Help me out here, Shroombeanie. I spend my working hours helping people improve their position, helping them help themselves, improving their position both financially and in terms of reaching non-financial goals. Empathy is the key trait that enables me to do my job.
Those people are very happy to express their gratitude by paying me. And I make a very good income doing this work. The more of this work that I do, and the better that I do it, the more money I make. I expect my already high income to double over the next few years.
What makes me who I am is my usefulness to the rest of society.
That can be measured in part by money. I am starting to accumulate some.
And I am not unique. My friend the grocer will make more money if he helps more people feed their families. My friend the car dealer will make more money if he helps more people meet their transportation needs. We all have competitors, so we all must provide the most value that we can in order to win the business of customers. Every transaction that any of us enter into has two winners--the buyer and the seller perceive a benefit in the transaction or it does not happen.
So I think your worldview of decent people and "takers" is flawed, because the more value we provide others, the more money we make.
How do you figure? Those people aren't taking, they are simply not receiving as much...
No, they are TAKING federal government services and benefits that they aren't paying for. Others are paying significantly more to subsidize those who pay nothing. Those who pay no federal income tax are TAKERS, without a doubt.
How do you figure? Those people aren't taking, they are simply not receiving as much... if you worked full-time and still barely earned enough to feed your family, would you voluntarily pay those taxes when you're not required to? How does that equal taking, exactly? Not sure I get your logic here!
Taking, as in applied/filled out paperwork to receive tax money paid by people who work for a living....
This is my second time I have lost it all and had to recover. The first was because of family property being sold this time was due to bad investments and real estate.
What I do is still act rich. I act like a wealthy man. Not golf courses and new cars. I know what a wealthy man dose when times change and I have to do to regain wealth. I live a mediocre life now. Stay out of debt, keep away from pawn shops and check for cash places, no credit cards or car loans. The other thing that is real important was staying away from welfare, unemployment and assisted housing. I know that to regain my wealth is not by digging myself a deeper hole.
At the same time I pay attention to whats going on around me. I watch other wealthy people. What are they doing and how. I also watch poor people what are they doing and how.
I see people losing there cars and homes so I eliminated that from my life. I sold my expensive car and truck and ATV. I now drive an old 92 Chevy pickup. I sold my house that had huge debt and bought a 40 ft trailer I live in. I did this knowing that my finances were collapsing so I wanted to eliminate any debt that would hurt my credit later. The only debt I still have is basic services. Cell phone by net 10 now not Sprint, no web, no land line phone, Electric, Internet, I dropped Dish Network and Wild Blue and now have Virgin Internet. I took 2 PT jobs one is on call that gives me time to do my own thing the other pays the lot rent. The money I make I feed myself and reinvest small amounts in several industries. Since I have no interest payments or late fees the money I make is all mine.
Basically I haven't panicked. It sucks now but it doesn't have to suck forever and my mind is set up for success not pity myself. I do this because that is what a rich person dose when they lose it all. I don't keep spending beyond my means I save so I can regain.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
) 
Did you drop in from the 'Dark Ages'? 
