The Place Where Ludington Talks
Who are *you* to tell *ME*
Speaking to the younger generation can be baffling and well, baffling. These kids have no sense of reality. It is like they live in a great fog of un-reality. so, to one of these whipper snappers, and any others who think they have the right to tell ME. I say:
This is in response to a conversation I had with a 21 y.o. college drop out who thinks he doesn't need money to survive. Thinks he can talk to animals; thinks he is a "scientist"; Thinks he can learn all that is needed on the internet; thinks that money is evil-- as are corporations; Thinks that in 2012 when the world falls apart that he will be able to 'talk' to people and that they will listen to him; he thinks that if people would just change[the way they think]...well everything would be great. thinks that if we do away with dollars and instead have a "credit"(like tokens or points) system everything will be fair for everyone. Thinks that people will work for nothing because they want to--- without getting paid like we do now but getting credits. Thinks that everyone who wants anything will be able to just 'have' it because they exist. Thinks that social security will be gone, yet believes that saving is unnecessary because inflation will destroy the money to nothing anyway. Thinks that if all the world had one currency, things would be fair. Thinks that Americans are horrible brutes and that India and the Chinese are some eclectic do-gooders(I feel like giving this kid a year lease in the slums of Mumbai or Beijing and a plane ticket).This baffling line of thought goes farther into absurdity than I can explain here.
So in response to a conversation about banks, GM, the gov't bailouts, corporations, and a few other things.
The you here is not only him, but anyone who thinks they can control people, places or things those who think that their way is the *only* or *right* way.
So, here goes....
Who are you to tell me:
....how much I can get paid at my job?
If I go to school(or not), If I work for years(or not) and I find an employer who will give me millions in wages, and bonuses, who are *you*---persons of the world--- to tell me I can't get paid what someone is willing to pay me. Who are you to decide that the money should be 'redistributed' so that everyone is equal.
If I start my own business who are you to tell me how much I can earn and how much I have to give away to the people who won't work.
If I want to alter my mind who are you to tell me I can't.
If I want to abuse my body who are you to tell me I can't.
If I want to be a lesbian who are you to tell me its wrong, or to make a law that I can't marry who I love.
If I want to be a polygamist[with consenting adults-not LDS cult oppression) who are you to tell me we can't.
If I want to be a Christian, Jew, Atheist, Muslim, Humanist, Scientologist, Pagan etc and choose my own god(s) or none who are you to tell me I am wrong.
If I want to do what I want (as long as it doesn't infringe on anothers ability or rights to do what they want and to be free from harm, persecution or oppression), who are you to tell me I can't.
It seems to me that with NAFTA we've lost our right to produce, . With the "PATRIOT" act we've lost our right to exist free from fear of our government.
If these nuts who want the world to 'fair' for everyone take over, why should I work hard to live at the standard of my choosing.
In generations past many things were bad, and many people suffered(look what happened to pregnant girls pre-1970'). But at least people had a sense that if they put their mind to it they could become anyone or anything they chose. Now days many of these kids think that *my* or *your* work should support those with no ambition to work for their own nest egg, there own keep, their own value; they think it should be handed to everyone from the few. But, ya know what, the few that make it to the top deserve to keep the fruits of their labor. Without a lower class and upper class their would be no reason to work for anything. Why should the farmer farm if only to have his products taken from him and handed to those unwilling to earn their keep.
This is in response to a conversation I had with a 21 y.o. college drop out who thinks he doesn't need money to survive. Thinks he can talk to animals; thinks he is a "scientist"; Thinks he can learn all that is needed on the internet; thinks that money is evil-- as are corporations; Thinks that in 2012 when the world falls apart that he will be able to 'talk' to people and that they will listen to him; he thinks that if people would just change[the way they think]...well everything would be great. thinks that if we do away with dollars and instead have a "credit"(like tokens or points) system everything will be fair for everyone. Thinks that people will work for nothing because they want to--- without getting paid like we do now but getting credits. Thinks that everyone who wants anything will be able to just 'have' it because they exist. Thinks that social security will be gone, yet believes that saving is unnecessary because inflation will destroy the money to nothing anyway. Thinks that if all the world had one currency, things would be fair. Thinks that Americans are horrible brutes and that India and the Chinese are some eclectic do-gooders(I feel like giving this kid a year lease in the slums of Mumbai or Beijing and a plane ticket).This baffling line of thought goes farther into absurdity than I can explain here.
So in response to a conversation about banks, GM, the gov't bailouts, corporations, and a few other things.
The you here is not only him, but anyone who thinks they can control people, places or things those who think that their way is the *only* or *right* way.
So, here goes....
Who are you to tell me:
....how much I can get paid at my job?
If I go to school(or not), If I work for years(or not) and I find an employer who will give me millions in wages, and bonuses, who are *you*---persons of the world--- to tell me I can't get paid what someone is willing to pay me. Who are you to decide that the money should be 'redistributed' so that everyone is equal.
If I start my own business who are you to tell me how much I can earn and how much I have to give away to the people who won't work.
If I want to alter my mind who are you to tell me I can't.
If I want to abuse my body who are you to tell me I can't.
If I want to be a lesbian who are you to tell me its wrong, or to make a law that I can't marry who I love.
If I want to be a polygamist[with consenting adults-not LDS cult oppression) who are you to tell me we can't.
If I want to be a Christian, Jew, Atheist, Muslim, Humanist, Scientologist, Pagan etc and choose my own god(s) or none who are you to tell me I am wrong.
If I want to do what I want (as long as it doesn't infringe on anothers ability or rights to do what they want and to be free from harm, persecution or oppression), who are you to tell me I can't.
It seems to me that with NAFTA we've lost our right to produce, . With the "PATRIOT" act we've lost our right to exist free from fear of our government.
If these nuts who want the world to 'fair' for everyone take over, why should I work hard to live at the standard of my choosing.
In generations past many things were bad, and many people suffered(look what happened to pregnant girls pre-1970'). But at least people had a sense that if they put their mind to it they could become anyone or anything they chose. Now days many of these kids think that *my* or *your* work should support those with no ambition to work for their own nest egg, there own keep, their own value; they think it should be handed to everyone from the few. But, ya know what, the few that make it to the top deserve to keep the fruits of their labor. Without a lower class and upper class their would be no reason to work for anything. Why should the farmer farm if only to have his products taken from him and handed to those unwilling to earn their keep.
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Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by XLFD on
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I know a few people on the verge of being grown-ups Sheila, and their views are very similar to the 21 y.o. guy you featured. Are they getting these ideas from the schools or big media, or is it just a transitional period that others around them have to endure as they find out how the real world works? Very perceptive piece; your sentence "Without a lower class and upper class their would be no reason to work for anything." provoked me into doing some actual thinking.
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Permalink Reply by Sweater Cows! on
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I think in a way it is a transitional period.
I also think that many people who blame it on the schools or big media for getting these Idea's in there heads, more likely grew up when you or I did and that when you and I were this age there was no internet and no where near today's ability to communicate with others around the world.
If we(pre-internet generations) didn't get it from school or Big Media we didn't get it period. Now days kids and adults alike can find all this with out the schools or big media.
In our day we studied the same, it was a survey of many things as it is now. The big difference being that we couldn't go home and research it for further interest with relative ease. We had to go to the Library and use the card catalogue, there was no google. Therefore leading us to quickly become indifferent to the many things kids now have the ability to independently research until their curiosity is satisfied.
While researching the Ayn Rand piece posted a few days ago I came across a wikipedia entry regarding Karl Marx. As I read that I realized that the 21 y.o. is pretty much stating Marxist philosophy( I am quite positive he thinks he thought it up all on his own and is unaware of the similarity to Marx.
Here is the basic premise of Marx's argument From each according to his ability, to each according to his need (or needs) is a slogan popularized by Karl Marx in his 1875 Critique of the Gotha Program.[1] The phrase summarizes the principles that, under a communist system, every person should contribute to society to the best of his or her ability and consume from society in proportion to his or her needs. In the Marxist view, such an arrangement will be made possible by the abundance of goods and services that a developed communist society will produce; the idea is that there will be enough to satisfy everyone's needs.[2][3] source page: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/From_each_according_to_his_ability,_to...
I don't believe the 21yr old came to this through the knowledge of Marx though because his idea's are not as well thought out. His idea's are a lot of "if only people would...." or "people will if they only can understand....." .
Surprisingly, to me anyway the Ayn Rand thread and mine are correlated or complimentary to each other.
OBTW, it's good to know you do some 'actual thinking' once in a while X. LOL ;)
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Permalink Reply by Willy on
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He's just going thru a stage most everyone passes thru. He's thinking about how things were, how things are now and what things need changing or improving. He hasn't dealt with the real world long enough to fill in the idea voids. Just like all generations, there are those that dream, those that are realist, those that are go getters and those that just slide along. By the time he's 30 he will have formualated a basic idea of what is really important and necessary and will have settled into this life. Don't be so hard on him. At least he is thinking. He just needs a good dose of reality given on a regular basis over a period of ten years or so. Then he and you will see what kind of person he really is and he will know what basic direction life will be taking him, unless he gets some young lady pregnant, then his path will be decided for him.
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He's not a bad kid. Quite intelligent too, just out of touch with how things really work. But not the sort you can say that to or you can see the head begin to swell.lol
Oh, to be so young again. well, I'd take the body but keep this ages mind.
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