60 Hard Truths About Liberals, page 3

gmcnulty,
I just reread my post and can quite understand what your saying.
I never once used the term "making it" I simply refered to thriving and gaining social power.
Are you disagreeing that the poor have less social power (I.E. the power to affect/change society) are you disagreeing that the rich/famous have more? whether or not someone wants to be rich/famous is irrelevant. I know many people who are middle class and are happy but noone can dispute that the middle class have more societal power than the poor and less than the rich (as an individual not as a group) Are you disagreeing that people in America dont want to be poor? The point I was making is that the way American society is structured makes people fear/dislike poverty and seek wealth/fame/status do you disagree.
As far as no one way to define "making it" yes all people have different goals But thats beside the point. you asked me to clarify why Americas social darwinism is responsible for our prominence on the world stage. As I showed it ensures our leaders (whether corporate/political) are competitive or superior in faculties to others.
As to "sour grapes" I have nothing to be sour about. I make more than 80% of the american populace in terms of net income (I'm not bragging just stating a fact based on the most recent economic data) I am happily married and I love my job. as for honoring our "uniqeness" I believe my whole point was that because of the U.S. social structure a man could parley that uniqness into social power.
As for my example of sweden the point I was making is that if there is no penalty to having low social/economic standing then people (as a whole there are always exceptions) are less likly to cultivate the ambition needed to seek a high standing. After all if every time you are out of work the government provides for you well being what is the motivation to provide for your own?
I thnk god every day that America allows, nay forces, its peoples to fend for them selves financially. I like many people am lazy by nature If I had been under the impression that the government would have provided for me when I couldn't I would not be as successful as I am today. It was a fear of poverty which motivted me to become successful. If that fear is not present many people would not put out the effort needed to become successful. A higher percentage of people in america own thier own homes than anywhere else in the world,If the government gave everyone a free place to live would this be the case? A higher percentage of americans own thier own business than anywhere else in the world, If americans were not motivated to succeed financially would this be the case? It is IMHO the confluence of the "american dream" (owning your own home, business , financial freedom) and the american nightmare (homlessness poverty) that is responsible for the extrordinarily high worker productivity in america. The nuber of people who work all thier lives to achieve Financial success is the reason for americas success. Many of the technological advncements we take for granted today would not have happened if thier inventors had not been out to "make thier fortunes" The fact that Americas gives everyone the right, and the responsibillity to make thier own fortunes is responsible for americas prominence. Does it lead to people cutting corners, stealing, In some cases yes, But the Myth of the Criminal mstermind is just that a myth. The fact is people become criminals BECAUSE they cant succeed by legal means. A socialist state does not engender an atmosphere of innovation or advancement because by removing the responsibillity for success or lack of it from the indivdual and placing it in the hands of the government It removes the individuals desire to succeed. nd when the indivisuls due not have the desire to succeed the society as a whole suffers.