Perhaps this change is the result of a pervasive sense of entitlement.
Or perhaps it's the other way around: the sense of entitlement naturally yields a nation ever in search of more and more conveniences.
Either way, whining has become the new "work ethic." The result thereof is a constant sense of dissatisfaction.
Reminds me of a sign I once saw in attractive homemade calligraphy at a little Mom & Pop restaurant in rural Pennsylvania.
ReplyDelete"Fast Food Ain't Good. Good Food Ain't Fast."
I thought is spoke volumes.
One of my Dad's favorite little sayings speaks succinctly to the point at issue as well.
ReplyDeleteANTICIPATION is GREATER thn REALIZATION.
That translates to me as harking back to the bygne era of transatlantic crossings on luxurious, elegantly appointed ocean liners:
"GETTING THERE is MORE than HALF the FUN!"
AOW, this dovetails Sam's excellent post from yesterday, doesn't it.
ReplyDeleteI wonder at how the word WELFARE suddenly is called ENTITLEMENTS.
Like LIBERALS are now PROGRESSIVES, RED STATES suddenly became Republican instead of the original Democrat label, because of the RED connotation. And the list goes on.
And yes, we want WHAT we want WHEN we want it and if we can't get it, the gov't damned well better provide it, right?!! :-)
Z,
DeleteActually, I wrote this before I saw Sam's post. The topic of this blog post has been on my mind for a long time.
They go well together, that's all. I think this is on all our minds lately.
DeleteI shiver when I read Ducky and Jersey; we used to be a country that welcomed huge success ...it hires others, it buys expensive things, etc.
Now rich is only about how much they can give away; we can't afford to hire anymore and jobs are in China.
Great job, liberals
You're right. The wealthy in this country have developed too much of an entitlement attitude. Time to raise taxes on the wealthy and start building this country again.
ReplyDeleteJMJ
Good luck getting the leftwing progs like Zuckerberg and his fellow Silicon Valley robber barons to pay their fair share. They're too busy contributing to leftwing causes, filling out HB1 visas and hiring illegal immigrants to clean their toilets for them because they don't want to pay a fair wage. What makes you think they will want to pay their fair share of taxes? Fool.
DeleteBuild this country? Who? The DC bandits who tore it down? Fool.
Who cares what they think? There are a lot more regular folks out there than Zuckerbergs of the world.
DeleteIf we could get the sycophants on the right to start voting their own actual interests, we could start building this country again.
JMJ
I agree... And I contribute towards that erred thinking, I'm afraid. Having divorced, I overly try to keep my kids happy when they are with me (every other week). For instance, in a simple example of this subliminal brainwashing, I ask the kids, "What do you want for breakfast?" when it should be just be grateful to eat what's in front of you.
ReplyDeleteYes, an advancing society has always strived for "conveniences". The difference [now] seems to be that, while such once came about through hard work and innovation, what was known as the "work ethic" is being erroneously replaced by "wining".
ReplyDeleteMargaret Thatcher once said that "The trouble with Socialism is that eventually you run out of other people's money." To this end I submit:
United States National Debt $17,590,893,019,088.03 United States National Debt Per Person $55,165.27 United States National Debt Per Household $142,878.05 Total US Unfunded Liabilities $123,285,907,775,407.34 Social Security Unfunded Liability $15,111,053,335,103.65 Medicare Unfunded Liability $79,028,478,674,076.89 Prescription Drug Unfunded Liability $19,944,321,797,171.17 National Healthcare Unfunded Liability $9,202,053,969,055.65 Total US Unfunded Liabilities Per Person $386,626.20 Total US Unfunded Liabilities Per Household $1,001,361.87
Materialism is a mental disorder; it comes from the inability to achieve inner contentedness. It leads us to unhappiness with self, unhappiness with others who have more than we do, and it takes to a place replete with negative thoughts. Given this, who can be surprised to learn that leftists are the most materialistic faction of our society? And it is almost incomprehensible that these same people who brandish their expensive European automobiles, who incessantly yap on the trendiest smart phone, can demand that middle class Americans fork over even more taxes to support the opiate demands of the poor for even more of someone else’s stuff.
ReplyDelete@Sammy --- these same people who brandish their expensive European automobiles, who incessantly yap on the trendiest smart phone, can demand that middle class Americans fork over even more taxes
ReplyDelete-----
Such envy, such pathetic hand wringing.
Well Sam, I'm pretty similar to my close friends.
I drive a Saturn. I have never owned a cell phone and I believe we should return to a more graduated income tax which taxes the wealthy.
I pay a higher effective rate than Mitt Romney.
But you demonstrate the central tenet of the fringe right, your money is being stolen (along with your exceptionalism, mustang would say) and given to the blacks and the illegals. You can't even find it in your poor envious supposed Christian soul to acknowledge their humanity.
Duck,
DeleteDon't sneer.
I hardly call it sneering.
DeleteSam is clearly envious. The left is the most materialist element in the society. What a pant load.
He is envious of the well off and he's envious of the poor receiving luxuries such as medical insurance.
It's a far removed from reality as calling Obama a Communist.
I don't sneer. I pity.
All those Hollywood types and media sensations driving around in fancy cars and being 'seen' with the latest bling aint rightwingers.
DeleteTry again, Quackerman
Ducky, I hate to be the one to tell you this ... but not everything said here is about you. Grow up.
ReplyDeleteI don't know, Sam. You seemed fine about talking about me specifically on that z's censored blog.
DeleteLet's face it Sam, your mix of Calvinism and Rand is pretty bankrupt.
Snear is all you know. It's part of what makes you pathetic.
DeleteCORRECTION:
ReplyDeleteIn my previous comment "wining" should have been " whining". My proof-reader embarked on a long weekend.
And this new push that “If it’s offensive to one person, you’ve got to change the name.” Or if anything is offensive to anyone, then it must be corrected and the offended praised. Stupid. http://freebeacon.com/blog/the-dumbest-thing-said-about-the-washington-redskins-controversy-yet/
ReplyDeleteSorry AOW, I have to take the other side here. I would say this is just our constant improvement process in the standard of living. Yes, it does have its downside as mentioned above, but it will continue through eternity with occasional backward steps taken as gigantic catastrophes befall our species and we have to pick ourselves back up by the bootstraps and start over. To Infinity and Beyond My Neighbors !
ReplyDeleteKid,
DeleteDon't misunderstand. I do love certain conveniences.
My concern is that so many have become obsessed with acquiring more and more conveniences.
Have we become slaves to pursuing conveniences?
Have we become addicted to conveniences? Sometimes, I see young people nearly apoplectic when they are instructed to silence their iPhones during Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner. Sheesh.
Understood AOW. A valid point to which I'll add Einstein said as technology progressed, human intelligence would regress.
DeleteKid,
DeleteEinstein was correct, I think.
Speaking of conveniences (June 20, 2014): Swanky California hotel uses drone delivery service.
ReplyDelete$10,000/night for those luxury suites.