2 ms·

"that goes against every core value of the United States." This is upside down, but maybe an understandable perspective for someone who is from (or very famili

"that goes against every core value of the United States." This is upside down, but maybe an understandable perspective for someone who is from (or very familiar with) a totalitarian state? "Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country" - JFK Civic duty is absolutely a 'core value' of the US, and most other successful nations. I'm constantly amazed not only at the level of civic cynicism among large swaths of people, but also that so many don't seem to grasp that our social systems are utterly dependent on civic duty, not self interest. Civilizations are not made by Mark Zuckerbergs, they're made by your mother, father, brother, neighbour, guy down the street - all doing their jobs responsibly and effectively, and being good citizens irrespective of what the laws are.

aaomidi 8y ago
The country has money. Pay people for this civic duty. You want to help decrease crime and low jobs? Pay people to do public works. We have a crumbling infrastructure. This isn't going to be solved by having a boy scouts system of free labor. Pay people out of high school to do work for the government and for the cities they live in.
- sonnyblarney 8y ago
  "The country has money. Pay people for this civic duty. " 'Civic duty' is not a 'job' - it's the responsibility that every citizen has to be conscientious and to consider their acts in the context of the greater good. Also, you fail to consider that many acts of civic duty transcend notions of 'money'. How much would you have to pay someone to risk their life for your little startup's capital shares? Imagine the 'worker protections' and kind of power a Union might have for a fully privatized military force that had to operate under real rule of law. It would be infinity. Well, in reality, some poor people would be forced into it on the cheap, and then you'd have a real social problem. Again - I'm always fundamentally amazed at the selfishness of some people who cannot grasp that a cause greater than the dollar in front of them is essential to a well formed nation. All functional states depend on this, if anything, the civic ethos is taken advantage of by selfish people unwilling to do their part, or to consider that it's a requirement. As this cynicism creeps into the population, it rots from within. See: the assassination of Roman Emperor Pertinax, who's murderers - the Praetorian Guard, literally sold the seat of Emperor to the highest bidder. The Praetorian Guard originated before the Roman Empire, and was made up of equestrian families i.e. those who could afford to bring a horse into combat. During pre-Empire Rome - all citizens were required to be part of civil defence - and the more money they had - the more they were required to contribute. 'Laymen' brought their own sword and shield, the 'wealthy' brought horses etc.. When a critical mass of individuals within a group fail to recognize their inherent responsibility to the greater good - it eventually collapses.

aaomidi 8y ago

The country has money. Pay people for this civic duty. You want to help decrease crime and low jobs? Pay people to do public works. We have a crumbling infrastructure. This isn't going to be solved by having a boy scouts system of free labor. Pay people out of high school to do work for the government and for the cities they live in.

sonnyblarney 8y ago
"The country has money. Pay people for this civic duty. " 'Civic duty' is not a 'job' - it's the responsibility that every citizen has to be conscientious and to consider their acts in the context of the greater good. Also, you fail to consider that many acts of civic duty transcend notions of 'money'. How much would you have to pay someone to risk their life for your little startup's capital shares? Imagine the 'worker protections' and kind of power a Union might have for a fully privatized military force that had to operate under real rule of law. It would be infinity. Well, in reality, some poor people would be forced into it on the cheap, and then you'd have a real social problem. Again - I'm always fundamentally amazed at the selfishness of some people who cannot grasp that a cause greater than the dollar in front of them is essential to a well formed nation. All functional states depend on this, if anything, the civic ethos is taken advantage of by selfish people unwilling to do their part, or to consider that it's a requirement. As this cynicism creeps into the population, it rots from within. See: the assassination of Roman Emperor Pertinax, who's murderers - the Praetorian Guard, literally sold the seat of Emperor to the highest bidder. The Praetorian Guard originated before the Roman Empire, and was made up of equestrian families i.e. those who could afford to bring a horse into combat. During pre-Empire Rome - all citizens were required to be part of civil defence - and the more money they had - the more they were required to contribute. 'Laymen' brought their own sword and shield, the 'wealthy' brought horses etc.. When a critical mass of individuals within a group fail to recognize their inherent responsibility to the greater good - it eventually collapses.