The dreaded day

For some, the ultimate goal of life in 2015, even after thousands of year of human society, is still the survival of the individual. Although having more education, more technology, more knowledge than what billions of humans before them, they still feel like their personal survival is some sort of achievement that MUST be withheld by the same zeal by everyone.

One would of thought that this zeal would be gone by now, that the attray of being self reliant wouldn't be prevalent any longer as being the ultimate reason to live in the entire universe now that survival of the species isn't an issue any longer.

But no! These people still roam the earth and actually believe that their way is better, that society shouldn't try to advance because their way, is THE way...
"Stop wanting to help each other!" They say.
"That will never work!" They say.
"It's been tried before!" They say.
"Human kind will never be better!" They say...

Well they might be right. Human kind will never be better if we don't stop thinking with nostalgic views that rarely offer solutions, only criticism and a blinded perception of a time they never even knew. A time that is long gone, a time of innocence and fear that belongs in the past.

I believe in a better tomorrow, a better world for everyone...I dread that one day I won't believe in anything but myself because on such a day, I would give up hope for mankind and become conservative.

Yea Conservatives are pretty unpleasant people. 'Things are bad. More bombs. No. Do it yourself. Entitlement much? Not my job to help anybody else. Lazy non working Americans sucking my labor teet.'

But yea. You made some great points OP. I hope that dreaded day never comes for you. It is annoying but hopefully the people with these mindsets will continue simply dying off. We will be allowed to progress eventually. But not until they bitch about how we deserve nothing a bit longer.

Are you speaking of that dreaded term "Personal responsibility"?
Should we not try to make it on our own and not depend on everyone else to take care of us? I don't mind helping folks out, but there are many who make a career of being "helped". My own sense of personal responsibility tells me to get out and work for what I want, not expect someone to feel sorry for me and give it to me. You don't help anyone by taking care of them past a certain point, you're just teaching them not learn to take care of themselves.
"Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day. Teach a man to fish and he has no excuse for whining at you to give him another fish."
People will find any excuse for others to give them what they want, so they don't have to earn it.

There is a difference between giving someone a helping hand and being compelled to give someone a helping hand. One is an act of kindness by a free man while the other is the act of contrition by a government slave. I don't work for government. They work for me.

originally posted by: Metallicus
... I don't work for government. They work for me.

Wow... What planet are you from? Sounds like a wonderful place!

a reply to: theMediator


Maybe a visit to My Perfect Day In LALA Land would be in order.

originally posted by: DAVID64
Are you speaking of that dreaded term "Personal responsibility"?

I am not...conservatives like to think liberals have no sense of personal responsibility. Well that's generalization and a wrong perception of the term.
I am personally responsible but when I had nothing at all because of bad luck, I was happy a system was there to help me out. Some don't have parents you know? Don't get me wrong, I pity those that have no higher aspirations than being fed by the system but I feel that it's the responsibility of helping those in need and "teach them how to fish".

originally posted by: DAVID64
My own sense of personal responsibility tells me to get out and work for what I want, not expect someone to feel sorry for me and give it to me.

This is where you are wrong about your emotion, your perception. That's not your sense of responsibility, that's out of the issue because our survival isn't at stake, it's your ego, your desire to get better, have better and feel better about yourself. And there's nothing wrong with that unless this makes you step on other's heads in an evil way or become over obsessed with wealth.

I'll take Star Trek, again, for example...
Does Captain Picard have the same room than people on the lower decks?
Will people have a parade for and remember Stan Wilton from 34C left wing?
Will kids want to be like Stan or Jean-Luc?

Of course not, it would be absurd to live in a world where achievers would receive nothing in return!

But I will tell you what Stan and Picard had the same...
A house, food, health care, education and a chance to become just as important if they work for it.

Some just haven't found their star, their dream, their path and see no point to aspiring for more and that happens! And it's mostly temporary and always a minority. Just like some like to philosophize and some prefer to watch reality TV. The intellectual rewards of thinking sure outweighs watching reality TV but that's to each his own.

originally posted by: DAVID64
You don't help anyone by taking care of them past a certain point, you're just teaching them not learn to take care of themselves.

I fully agree with you on this.

originally posted by: DAVID64
Teach a man to fish and he has no excuse for whining at you to give him another fish."

Unless he has no waters to work with.

originally posted by: DAVID64
People will find any excuse for others to give them what they want, so they don't have to earn it.

But that's a minority! And that minority could become smaller if everyone had more or less the same opportunities instead of this unjust world that makes many bright minds just trow the towel. Anyway, a workable minority for a well established society and this shouldn't be an issue.

My feelings of personal responsibility have long been shifted to civil responsibility and this feeling of personal responsibility is nothing more than the transposed animal instinct of survival, into aspiring to personal achievements.

originally posted by: Metallicus
I don't work for government. They work for me.

So it's all take take take for you...

But the government is all of us, you are part of it too. You ancestors paved those roads, secured those borders, built those schools and churches...and now you see giving back to your future generation as slaving? The only reason we are slaves is because of the crooked economy system not because some want to make the future better.

originally posted by: Metallicus
There is a difference between giving someone a helping hand and being compelled to give someone a helping hand.

In your egoistical mind there is.
Where you feel forced, I feel duty. But I doubt you'll understand me.

originally posted by: soulpowertothendegree
a reply to: theMediator
Maybe a visit to My Perfect Day In LALA Land would be in order.

I feel the rage, the envy, the passive aggressivity in your words.
You do not want for things to become perfect...you want people to suffer, just, like, you.

You have no control over your life and don't want others to have control of their own lives just because YOU fail at it.

You are part of the negative force from the conservatism I dread, thank you for a great example of who I don't want to become.

a reply to: theMediator

Seems you are confused. They have medication for that.

originally posted by: soulpowertothendegree
a reply to: theMediator

Seems you are confused. They have medication for that.

You seem like someone that as been seen trough, doesn't know what to say and finds comfort in petty insults with no foundation.

I hope you find happiness.