Everyone's being laid off.
Dozens here. Hundreds there. Thousands everywhere.
We're to become a nation of slackers, apparently. No workers, no taxes. No taxes, no government. No government, no jobs.
Uncle Sam wants you. He's hiring, but he's the only one.
Restaurants? Easy to get into these days. Forget making reservations. Cinemas? Empty, even for "hits." Parking? Parking's bad. Nobody has jobs so nobody drives.
Driving? Driving is good since nobody commutes anymore.
Dentists? Dentists get lots of work because everybody grinds their teeth when they are stressed.
Stress? Stress is on the rise. Did you realize that stress is the cause of most diseases, apparently. At least it always gets mentioned as a contributing factor.
Contributions? Contributions are down, and NPOs are hurting as a result.
Where does it hurt?
Now that is a silly question.
It hurts everywhere.
-30-
3 comments:
I love coming here, I get to put on my "cynical shades"...
We already are a nation of slackers! Why do you think we are in this mess? I digress, there are some things we are good at...gluttonous consumption, desecrating the constitution, and distancing ourselves from the principles that this country was built on.
We are a nation full of people who want something for nothing, as cheap as we can get it, as fast as we can get it, and at any cost.
Our freedoms are being traded for the value of an individual (which is in reality, invaluable), the value of the dollar (which in reality is valueless), and the most vile of all...political correctness (absolutely valueless)(I had to add this in reference to a comment made in one of your previous posts. Food vs. political correctness? We are screwed if we even need to consider that argument.) In our futile efforts to offend no one, offer help to everyone except ourselves, and coddle those who lack testicular fortitude, we have become lost. Yes, we should take care of the indigent, elderly, and those who cannot (in any way) provide for themselves. All those that can, yet refuse, because the milk from the government teat is more palatable than the realistic, often sour milk of life...like always, it will be you who once again will come out on top. But, it comforts me knowing the the largest demographic groups abusing both legal and illegal escape mechanisms (drugs{pharmaceuticals too) & alcohol) are the same groups directly responsible for our current condition. Why does this comfort me? If you have to escape from something, I dare say, it only proves your guilt, bearing heavy on your shoulders. Because I am not in either of those groups, and hence not attempting to escape guilt, I sleep rather well at night, thank you. (I will admit that I work for one of these demographic groups, which produces a love/hate relationship with the rich.)
The country is so backward in its' principles, that it won't even help people in need, unless there is a way to make a PROFIT! That is how f'd up we are!
The people of this nation, so desperately are searching for both the cause and the solution to these problems. The answer...look in the mirror!
Ultimately how we help each other is just that, helping each other, without regard to the "costs".
By the way, thank you for posting these and other comments, that at times may seem incoherent and irrelevant to your current blog...I swear I am sober...like the people at IMAO...I try to be "unfair, unbalanced, and unmedicated"
Anon: Thank you for your moving comment. My only concern is that you seem to believe that those abusing drugs and alcohol are the main people responsible for our current dilemmas. Actually, my belief is that it is those abusing our trust and those whose greed is so voracious that they happily collect millions and billions when so many others suffer who are causing our problems. My homeless friend down the street is an alcoholic and a former drug addict. He is a good man, a loving father. Most of the addicts I've known are sweet, kind people, perhaps too sweet and too kind for this world. But I've never met a person who makes a ton of money running some organization or another who I could describe as sweet and kind. We are a nation of addicts, which is sad, and I make no excuse for those choose to drink or smoke or inject rather than bear personal responsibility for their actions. But the worst addiction in the US, imho, is about money and power. Those are the assholes we need to get rid of!
(Thank you for inspiring more train of thought ramblings...choo choo!)
I would have to agree with you that, yes it is those addicted to money and power that are to blame. But it is their abuse of drugs and alcohol that exacerbates the problem, no? My point was, that those who are addicted to money and power use those substances (and many other escape mechanisms) because they KNOW that what they are doing is WRONG! Everyday I am amazed at why, when people know they are doing wrong they continue. That is probably what baffles most, and drives those that are honest, or too kind and sweet to fall into the vices that only hinder any progress, escaping the responsibility that one has by the mere fact of existence...to take care of your fellow man.
I point out my love/hate relationship with the affluent that I serve (and therefore they provide me with an income,for now!)...some days, it takes all my strength to keep from telling them just how big of an asshole they are. How negatively selfish they are acting! To point out the long term damage they are perpetrating on society and the individual. That their money and "power" is no more than a desperate cry for help that they, deep down, know just how they really think of themselves. That they too want help, but cannot admit to themselves for fear of confronting the shame, dare I say repentance, that they know they cannot escape from.
Everyday, I muster the courage to hold my tongue (and remind myself that I have responsibilities)...but that, right there, drives me even more crazy. I have to set aside my morals, my values, what I know is right in my heart of hearts, in order to help them continue on in their ways (and me, sadly to take care of my responsibilities). Enabling their behavior, their ignorance, the endless pursuit of what can never be. I don't want to be a hypocrite, but "that's just the way it is"...I don't accept that...it is the way we have made it since the dawn of human civilization. It does not have to be that way. Why is society (and the individual) so afraid of being true, focused, sticking with what you believe? Of not bending to societies whims, of fooling ourselves into believing that we have any control over anything outside of our free will?
"Be an example for good..." for who? My peers? They are just as torn with these issues as I. No, those who need to witness the example are too blind to see it.
I remember this commercial from the 80's...A man in a room, walking in circles, saying "I work more, so I can do more coke, so I can work more, so I can do more coke, (ad nauseum)"
To me, that pretty much sums up American society...going around in circles and getting nowhere!
Culturally we leave ourselves no time for reflection and introspection. Bent on solving the worlds crisis', sticking our nose in everyone else's business, acting like we have all the answers. Yet, nowadays, some of the world is snubbing their nose at us, viewing us as self righteous, pontificating, know it all's! Because, despite the good qualities (that we still have left) of this country, our negative impact far outweighs the positive. Like the friend that will step up and tell you "hey man, I think you have a problem", because you are too blind to see it yourself, too wrapped up in your own misery and suffering to acknowledge said misery and suffering. The world sees how we treat ourselves, how we mishandle our own citizens (Katrina, currently Kentucky), how we mishandle our fiscal responsibilities. But, just like an addict, we say "I don't have a problem, I am still a functional part (of what?)" Now, the world is trying to be our friend, and we just are too proud to accept help, accept how someone else views us. We even ignore the cries of help and warning from our own citizenry, accusing them of being unpatriotic, even traitorous. Our pride is going to be the undoing of us all.
We don't need soft leaders. Maybe what we need is a drill instructor to scream at us, make us understand just what our major malfunction is, and realize that if we don't get it together, we are going to find ourselves in a "world of shit!"
If it wasn't for some hope and faith that is harbored inside of me (divinely placed) that we collectively can get it together, I would certainly run to the hills, grumbling to myself "screw you all, you are lost, keep running in circles, chasing your tales, the answers are right there, in front of you," but there is NO PROFIT in waking up!
The major flaw of ANY economic system, is that it places value on human life. Slavery never went away, it was just transmogrified into more subtle and insidious forms.
I will continue to fight the good(God) fight, bite my tongue, pray for those who are lost, the wandering sheep without a shepherd, and not be afraid to say that I have steadfast beliefs, unwavering in this culture of God-lessness. By design, God is offensive and "politically incorrect"...to those that know they are offending!
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