Hello
Posted by amsterpaul 11 years, 5 months ago to The Gulch: Introductions
I have always wondered where the producers of the world have gone. Atlas Shrugged was an eye opener. I will never ask for anything free again.
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The "sin," as I see it, is demanding someone give you something you did not earn.
They want more, and appreciate it less -- the entitlement mindset has robbed them of their ability to be grateful for what they have received.
I'm not doubting your thoughts, just saying my experiences are quite different.
Purposefully corrupted and dumbed-down educational systems churning out mindless automatons whose only task is to vote, delivered into the hands of purposefully corrupt and evil politicians who extort resources from those who are "too smart" for them to brainwash, and turning them over to the slave-voters, who will, in turn, pop out another generation of brain-damaged children to continue the process.
What is ironic is that VP Biden recently accused the Republicans of wanting to put minorities "back on the plantation"!
Revisionism...double speak...racism. All tools in the Progressive liberal's political toolbox.
I joined the gulch for free, and spent a time as a "moocher" reading messages and posting replies. Nobody made me feel less of a contributor because of it.
Receiving something from another, gratis, is not the sin. It is when getting something you did not earn or pay for is demanded that the sin begins.
The reason that I say that is because my youngest son is currently back in college, and recently told me that he has started to receive food stamps. As far as I know he didn't "demand" these stamps, but just his application for them could be considered to be just such a demand.
But, the real concern that I have is that he made the comment that he is going to seek out any, and all, 'freebies' that the government has to offer. He is applying for an educational grant, and he is talking about buying a house, and looking for a Federal plan to cover his down payment. Never mind that he doesn't earn enough money to own, or maintain, a home....
I responded that this "free" money doesn't come from the government, but from me and all my working neighbors. That didn't seem to make an impression.
"Free" stuff is like a gateway drug to his generation, and they don't seem to flesh out where this money originates from, or 'why' it is so readily available. They're hooked, and the Progressive liberals are the street corner pushers.
If we (here in the gulch) can suspend the concept of entitlements and government largesse at the expense of the producers from whom they extort the money for a moment, perhaps I can explain further.
I am building an Aquaponics Ecosystem in my back yard. I am documenting this in the local newspaper. They are donating space in the paper plus editorial services, and I am donating time to write and edit the article. I am not being paid for the articles.
I give away my research and my successes (and failures) for free to the public at large. This is me, of my own free will and accord, giving away something which is of real value.
I am edified in that I am building the Aquaponics ecosystem (anyway), and this does kind of keep me "on task" with that.
Others are edified in that they are seeing how this can be done here in the Texas Panhandle.
Now one might say that the readers are paying for the paper, so they do not get the information for free, but since none of the readers are paying for the paper for my article, I'd say that is a spurious comparison.
There are a number of local residents who are reading my missives, and building their own -- or at least making plans to do so. They are asking for help (questions / advice), and I am giving it.
So...
-- I am giving it away,
-- a few are receiving, and taking advantage of it,
-- most are blithely going about life without it making a dent.
In the grand scheme of things, I see no problems with this arrangement.
Where the "sin" comes in is when folks go out of their way demanding the "entitlements" they think they "deserve."
Once we leave the gulch, and are attempting to deal with the entitlement crazed society around us, these concepts are less clear cut. Just for giggles and grins, I will post (as a separate thread) last week's article, so you can see how I feel about those who are demanding things.
But: not to be confused with taxes, which I abhor immensely. It could very well be that I would approve of where this thievery ends up, but no one gave me this option.
I read your Aquaponics post next!
Not to be confused with Kudzu....
I can't wait for them to be of age....
As soon as one literary thought leaves the 'nest', another one (or two) seems to hatch.
This seems to have picked up speed after joining you Gulchers....
silkscreen some gold dollar signs on them