Thursday, February 26, 2009

Bragging rights, Greed and Entitlement

My topic for this post is going to be greed. But before I get going on that I want to take a moment crow about something I wrote a while back that is being talked about more and more lately.
If you watch the news or listen to talk radio you have no doubt heard the recent “civil war” talk going around. If you watch Fox news you may have even seen Glen Beck ‘s “ War Games” The Coming Civil War. A special they ran a week or two ago. I’m not making it up, use a search engine and look it up for yourself. I, for one am not shocked that they ran this program. How not shocked am I? I am so not shocked that I wrote about it on Oct. 24th 2008. If you will indulge me for a minute I’m going to quote myself.

“This highlights to me what will really be the most frightening part of the impending Obama win and a possible Democrat majority. If you remember your recent history then you'll remember what the far right wing of the Republican Party was like those last few years of the Clinton administration. Abortion bombings, Tim McVeigh and homegrown terrorists, militia groups, and a venomous hatred that gave rise to the Rush Limbaugh's and Bill O'Reilly types. And most of that was at a point in time where the republicans DID control the Congress and a white guy was in the white house.”

For a little bit of context I was writing about Sara Palin’s comments (remember her?) that she was “un-sure if abortion clinic bombers are terrorists”. By the way Sara, Yes, they are most definitely terrorists and you are a fucking moron if you think otherwise.
So, I’m not shocked. Well, maybe a little shocked that they didn’t even wait out the first 100 days before bringing it up. I don’t really have any other point to make by mentioning any of this. I just want to state again that these people are so damn predictable it’s sad.

So anyway, lets move on to what I really wanted to talk about.

GREED

In his speech to the joint houses Obama mention personal and business responsibility. But the pink elephant in the room when talking about responsibility is Greed. No one ever seems to mention that part of being a responsible person is keeping greed in check.

What is greed?

Almost none of us are above it. It basically has been the downfall of every failed government from Rome to the U.S.S.R. It comes in many different forms. Greed for power, money, fame, material items and even love. It is the C.E.O. who lays off workers while giving himself a bonus for a “job well done”. It is also the guy who has to have the newest phone or the best car on the block. Those are the obvious ones. How about the not so obvious? Greed is buying things you can’t pay for without using credit. Greed is buying a house you “hope” you can afford and then expecting the bank or the tax payers to flip the bill when you default on your loan.

How Much is Too Much?

It is so easy to pick on the super rich. That top 2% that controls the majority of money in our country is a sick bunch. There are people out there who have more than they could spend in 2 or 3 lifetimes. They are the big believers in so called “trickle down” economics. I am going to say something that is rare for a self professed Democrat to say. At its heart it’s really not a bad idea. You give money to the guys on the top and then they use it to make sure everyone has jobs, simple right. And they would have gotten away with it to if it wasn’t for that pesky greed thing. Enough is never enough for them. Money can’t trickle down if it never leaves their pockets. Human greed wins another over human ideals. Like a dog breaking into his gigantic Sam’s Club sized bag of dog food and eating until he is sick they don’t just stop with what they need. They feel that they are entitled to every dollar they can get. They seemingly never stop to think that just because they can get it, that doesn’t mean they should get it. At its heart that is why Socialism died in childbirth and then turned into a failed Communist state. Only in that case it was greed for power more than for mere money.

A good idea takes even better people to make good on its promises.

But time after time greed gets in the way.

Like I said it is so easy to point the finger just at the super rich but like cancer, greed has spread to every limb of society’s body. We are encouraged to buy things we can’t afford. Credit score is more important than work history. We are a nation of people that, just like the evil and greedy super rich, feel that we are entitled to more than we have earned. This is what they taught us to keep us as their good little worker drones. Always buying until you are broke and thus can never get ahead and maybe one day join them at the country club. You need that new TV. You need to own every season of your favorite show on DVD. You need to buy that second house so you can flip it and make money to buy more stuff. You need to have every little thing you want. What the fuck, your worth it right. You deserve it don’t you? You are ENTITLED to it!

That sense of entitlement is something that seems out of control to me these days. The amount of people I talk to with their heads up their ass, people who really believe that they deserve the world handed to them it is amazing. I am going to throw two hard truths at you real quick. 1. Not every child is special. 2. You are not entitled to have absolutely everything you want no matter who you are or how much money you have.

Why? Because that’s the way it works, that’s why.

Life is about what we don’t have or what doesn’t happen as much as it is about what we do have or what does happen. Also, while I’m at it, getting there really is half the fun.

But seriously folk,

Take an honest look at yourself for a second. I say this knowing that it is pointless because most of the biggest offenders of this sense of entitlement that has swept our nation are in my experience incapable of looking at themselves honestly. But if somehow you can get over yourself long enough to make it thru this sentence then take a good hard look at yourself and ask yourself two questions.

Do you really need everything you have?

Do you have everything you need?

If you answer yes to question 1 while reading on one of your 2 new computers that share a room with one of your 3 TV’s before going to work in one of your 2 cars then you didn’t understand the question. I am not saying buying and having stuff is wrong but I am saying that buying everything you want just because you want it is greedy. No more or less greedy then the super rich C.E.O. just greedy on a smaller financial scale. So next time you talk about how wrong it is that “the oil companies” rake in billions or something like that be careful, because to the guy who lost his job and is living in his car YOU’RE the rich guy flaunting what he has.

If you answered yes to question 2 then I have this to say to you.

Why take any more then? If you are happy, healthy, and want for nothing then would it kill you too take some of that money and help someone else? Maybe help out the friend, family member, or co worker that is not doing so well. Not because you get a tax break. Not even because it makes you feel good. Do it just because you can, and they need it. Here is a hint to the super rich guys. Free of charge even. If you spread the wealth of your own free will then no one in the government will come after it to spread it for you. There is no need for Socialistic policies if you are already sharing the wealth.

For the record, I am not claiming to be above any of this. I am claiming that I see this in myself and that I make an effort to be responsible and control my greed. I will say that doing that makes me a better person then someone who doesn’t. If that makes me an asshole then so be it, I can live with being an asshole in the eyes of greedy mother fuckers!
Just something to think about while you are waiting for that e-bay auction to end or Amazon to finish loading up. I’m sure something good came out on DVD this week that you just have to own.

Until next time,
Goodnight,
From Parts Unknown

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