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It's a sad state of affairs made worse by undereducated, lazy people who blame the government and simultaneously elect politicians who promise to solve the prob

It's a sad state of affairs made worse by undereducated, lazy people who blame the government and simultaneously elect politicians who promise to solve the problem for them by handing out a gift-wrapped "american dream" that everyone feels they deserve. I see this kind of self-destructive philosophy/behavior every day, and I'm getting tired of it. It's always someone else's fault, yet it seems the "progressives" in our country keep shouting that the solution lies in more government involvement, forgetting that the only way we get decent jobs and favorable social and family conditions is by letting people fulfill their own dreams through hard work and less government intervention. The american dream isn't a gift - it's the idea that through blood, sweat, and tears, we can shape our own lives. From my perspective, the problem is a manifestation of a shift in popular ideals and a growing sense of entitlement.

creshal 11y ago
> the only way we get decent jobs and favorable social and family conditions is by letting people fulfill their own dreams through hard work and less government intervention We tried that during the industrial revolution. Didn't quite work out that way…
- TeMPOraL 11y ago
  Indeed. It's ironic how the new generation forgets that their grandparents and their grandparents' grandparents fought and bled so that we may enjoy somewhat stable and abuse-free employment today. Entrepreneurs will always complain about government intervention and will always spin dreams of better future "if only we could get that pesky government out of the way", but the truth is this future will be delivered only to few, and the rest will pay in blood and tears. We've been there. Be careful what you wish for - you may actually get it.
- curiousgeorgio 11y ago
  There's a role for government to play in ensuring public safety and transparency, in addition to providing national defense and perhaps a few fundamental infrastructure services. To function effectively in those areas, we don't need them trying to manage the finances of everyone, nor picking and choosing who should or shouldn't be deserving of tax breaks, subsidies, or any of the other countless benefit programs. When people are out of work or large classes of people are struggling to get by, it's because we haven't provided a suitable environment in which people can thrive (and yes, most people can and will thrive through their own action in a healthy environment), not because the government has somehow failed to give people enough prosperity. If it were a traditional business (without the ability to print money or use military force), the U.S. government would frankly be one of the most disastrous companies ever imagined - not just bankrupt (many times over), but mismanaged, fraudulent, and corrupt. A huge portion of our paychecks go to support this company today. And we want more of it?
  - creshal 11y ago
    Are you listening, or are you posting copypasta?
    - curiousgeorgio 11y ago
      A constructive argument might be more appropriate than simply trying to deliver an insult in your comment.
      - creshal 11y ago
        I'm just confused, because you didn't address anything in my comment, you're just spewing right-wing propaganda. We tried "small government", it failed horribly and lead to widespread misery and avoidable deaths. How do you plan to make a "small government" without repeating past mistakes?
        curiousgeorgio 11y ago
        I did address your reference to the industrial revolution indirectly, but perhaps I didn't make myself clear. The industrial revolution had numerous positive outcomes including more jobs, increased productivity, and a strong economy. Yes, it also uncovered some serious problems, many of which were addressed by the government (e.g., child labor laws, better working conditions, etc). In my opinion, those are valid areas of government involvement (hence my point about government ensuring public safety), but that's a far cry from the kind of government intervention we're seeing today. If we failed anything with small government as you say, those things were growing pains that we would have experienced with a government of any scale. I guess what I'm saying is that it's unfair to blame "small government" for the problems exposed during the industrial revolution.
Steko 11y ago
This is a laughable takeaway. These white rural voters haven't voted themselves any government benefits, they've voted to dismantle the welfare state, destroy collective bargaining, increase the middle class tax burden, drastically increase mandatory prison sentences for non-violent drug crimes, a parade of trojan horse giveaways to the rich, etc. Now those chickens are increasingly coming home to roost at their doorstep.
- curiousgeorgio 11y ago
  I'm not sure exactly who you're referring to by "white rural voters", but it's probably not the same voter demographic to which I was referring. Their votes may affect the lives of middle-aged white Americans mentioned in the article, but as you know, not everyone's vote is represented by the policies that are put into action.
intopieces 11y ago
Your statements are such a massive oversimplification of a system that is so endlessly complex and full of exploitation that I'm beginning to suspect it's a well formed parody. Only a person with little experience "on the ground" in the formerly middle class America could produce such a piece without a derisive snicker. I won't bore the audience with anecdata but sufficed to say: The idea that hard work is both necessary and suffient to shape one's own life meaningfully is six feet under everywhere between the coasts. The people are fooled no longer and we shall see next election if they're willing to vote that way.
- curiousgeorgio 11y ago
  I never said that hard work alone is sufficient to shape one's own life meaningfully, but it is necessary. The other ingredient is an environment where hard work can be rewarded. But I think we both agree that few people still believe that anymore, and that's what worries me most about our country.
ionised 11y ago
> t's the idea that through blood, sweat, and tears, we can shape our own lives. Which is a lie.

creshal 11y ago

> the only way we get decent jobs and favorable social and family conditions is by letting people fulfill their own dreams through hard work and less government intervention We tried that during the industrial revolution. Didn't quite work out that way…

TeMPOraL 11y ago
Indeed. It's ironic how the new generation forgets that their grandparents and their grandparents' grandparents fought and bled so that we may enjoy somewhat stable and abuse-free employment today. Entrepreneurs will always complain about government intervention and will always spin dreams of better future "if only we could get that pesky government out of the way", but the truth is this future will be delivered only to few, and the rest will pay in blood and tears. We've been there. Be careful what you wish for - you may actually get it.
curiousgeorgio 11y ago
There's a role for government to play in ensuring public safety and transparency, in addition to providing national defense and perhaps a few fundamental infrastructure services. To function effectively in those areas, we don't need them trying to manage the finances of everyone, nor picking and choosing who should or shouldn't be deserving of tax breaks, subsidies, or any of the other countless benefit programs. When people are out of work or large classes of people are struggling to get by, it's because we haven't provided a suitable environment in which people can thrive (and yes, most people can and will thrive through their own action in a healthy environment), not because the government has somehow failed to give people enough prosperity. If it were a traditional business (without the ability to print money or use military force), the U.S. government would frankly be one of the most disastrous companies ever imagined - not just bankrupt (many times over), but mismanaged, fraudulent, and corrupt. A huge portion of our paychecks go to support this company today. And we want more of it?
- creshal 11y ago
  Are you listening, or are you posting copypasta?
  - curiousgeorgio 11y ago
    A constructive argument might be more appropriate than simply trying to deliver an insult in your comment.
    - creshal 11y ago
      I'm just confused, because you didn't address anything in my comment, you're just spewing right-wing propaganda. We tried "small government", it failed horribly and lead to widespread misery and avoidable deaths. How do you plan to make a "small government" without repeating past mistakes?
      - curiousgeorgio 11y ago
        I did address your reference to the industrial revolution indirectly, but perhaps I didn't make myself clear. The industrial revolution had numerous positive outcomes including more jobs, increased productivity, and a strong economy. Yes, it also uncovered some serious problems, many of which were addressed by the government (e.g., child labor laws, better working conditions, etc). In my opinion, those are valid areas of government involvement (hence my point about government ensuring public safety), but that's a far cry from the kind of government intervention we're seeing today. If we failed anything with small government as you say, those things were growing pains that we would have experienced with a government of any scale. I guess what I'm saying is that it's unfair to blame "small government" for the problems exposed during the industrial revolution.

Steko 11y ago

This is a laughable takeaway. These white rural voters haven't voted themselves any government benefits, they've voted to dismantle the welfare state, destroy collective bargaining, increase the middle class tax burden, drastically increase mandatory prison sentences for non-violent drug crimes, a parade of trojan horse giveaways to the rich, etc. Now those chickens are increasingly coming home to roost at their doorstep.

curiousgeorgio 11y ago
I'm not sure exactly who you're referring to by "white rural voters", but it's probably not the same voter demographic to which I was referring. Their votes may affect the lives of middle-aged white Americans mentioned in the article, but as you know, not everyone's vote is represented by the policies that are put into action.

intopieces 11y ago

Your statements are such a massive oversimplification of a system that is so endlessly complex and full of exploitation that I'm beginning to suspect it's a well formed parody. Only a person with little experience "on the ground" in the formerly middle class America could produce such a piece without a derisive snicker. I won't bore the audience with anecdata but sufficed to say: The idea that hard work is both necessary and suffient to shape one's own life meaningfully is six feet under everywhere between the coasts. The people are fooled no longer and we shall see next election if they're willing to vote that way.

curiousgeorgio 11y ago
I never said that hard work alone is sufficient to shape one's own life meaningfully, but it is necessary. The other ingredient is an environment where hard work can be rewarded. But I think we both agree that few people still believe that anymore, and that's what worries me most about our country.

ionised 11y ago

> t's the idea that through blood, sweat, and tears, we can shape our own lives. Which is a lie.