I am hesitant to even start this thread, but this has been tugging at me for a long time.
When did our desire as a people- the American people- become to make as much money as possible? It seems in listening to my friends and co-workers that all anyone cares about is how much money is in their pockets. I hate that. It is very cliche to say, but I don't want to teach my children values like "those people are taking away money that should be mine" or "federal policy must help the individual keep their money". I would rahter teach- "take care of yourslef first, but then help others" and "we are all in the same boat". I know this puts me directly at odds with most of the people who will read this, but I want to say it out loud.
We are greedy. Me too. I just hate that our whole culture has become this way. What are the terrorists fighting against? Not our freedoms as we are told! They're fighting against Godless materialism. That is what we have become. No radical has ever said 'down with America and her right to vote!'. What I hear is 'down with America and her consumer culture and sex for sale'.
Am I alone here? Does anyone still care about helping others? Please tell me I 'm wrong, I want to hear someone tell me how our current politics espouse anything but greed. I need to have my faith in America reaffirmed.
E
When did our desire as a people- the American people- become to make as much money as possible? It seems in listening to my friends and co-workers that all anyone cares about is how much money is in their pockets. I hate that. It is very cliche to say, but I don't want to teach my children values like "those people are taking away money that should be mine" or "federal policy must help the individual keep their money". I would rahter teach- "take care of yourslef first, but then help others" and "we are all in the same boat". I know this puts me directly at odds with most of the people who will read this, but I want to say it out loud.
We are greedy. Me too. I just hate that our whole culture has become this way. What are the terrorists fighting against? Not our freedoms as we are told! They're fighting against Godless materialism. That is what we have become. No radical has ever said 'down with America and her right to vote!'. What I hear is 'down with America and her consumer culture and sex for sale'.
Am I alone here? Does anyone still care about helping others? Please tell me I 'm wrong, I want to hear someone tell me how our current politics espouse anything but greed. I need to have my faith in America reaffirmed.
E
posted by Big E at 3:10 PM
2 Comments:
We are all greedy however, the majority that read this have sacrificed a lot of money to enter a profession that pays very little. I am not upset with my present salary, I made a choice. I could have gone to Med School or been an engineer. That is not what I was called to do. You and I are both ones that put our family first, always! I would like to think that I can give my kids everything they will ever need. I do not want to deny them a great opportunity because we cannot afford it. Class warfare is huge in the country and BOTH parties use it constantly. I do not agree with income redistribution. I work hard for the little that I get, I should be able to choose what to do with it. My kids are being taught to give. However, in our household, they are more likley to give time and stuff instead of money. The boys have a 70-10-10-10 piggy bank. One of those 10's is for charitable giving. When they have saved up some money they can give to whatever they'd like.
Now, we are taught to worship at the altar of the almighty dollar. We hear it everyday. It's sports it's all about money. How may times have you heard how much money Matt Leinart lost by staying in school. I swear it's all Cowherd talked about for three days. During the draft we heard about upfront money "all the new millionaires..." We hear how Tom Cruise gets 20 mil per film. We are bombarded with this.
I see your point...but look around, I don't think it is as bleak as it may appear. This country has always needed somethinf to rally around. Now we appear to be searching for something. Hopefully we will find it, before something else finds us.
Keepin' it real wit luv
-B
I'd like to clarify that Brian could not have been an engineer or a doctor.
I agree with a few things that Brian said too, like I should choose what happens to it. I have no faith in Social Security- that's why I have a Roth IRA, my wife has a 401K, we have life insurance, and we are trying all we can to get savings where we need it. I don't need the govt. to plan my retirement. What I get from them and my TRS, I'll be fine with. If I still need money, I'll go work at a bookstore or something like that. You know I can't sit still. Money rules all it seems. It determines what we do every weekend and every day. I'd like to think that people are in financial trouble because of decisions they made and lack of self-control, not because of the govt. If I have a high credit card bill, Uncle Sam didn't make me buy stupid crap, I did.
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