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Don't you think throwing an epic/unaffordable party is a bit too much? 1. He came home empty handed. This doesn't really mean he won't leave again nor that he

Don't you think throwing an epic/unaffordable party is a bit too much? 1. He came home empty handed. This doesn't really mean he won't leave again nor that he will make up for the damage he's done. 2. Why the other brother has to work like a slave with no reward? Not even a promise to change the current affairs. Just the old empty/vague encouragement "what i have is yours <but not now, later...>, we must all work <but actually you work and I watch.. >". Let's make this a modern story about the financial crisis in 2008. The party guys get bailed out by the hard working people. Big Party? Fast forward 2021: party guys will be rewarded even more.

papandada 6y ago
You are taking the older son at his word but not the father. That's not the only way to read it.
1123581321 6y ago
Inheritance is central to the story. The older brother is working to increase the value of the estate, because he’ll inherit half one day. The younger brother asked for his half up front in cash and wasted it. The older brother is pissed because he cares about doing the right thing, and he’s not especially rewarded for doing it when others don’t. There’s another story in the Bible about this, the vineyard workers. Workers are hired for the day with the promise of a day’s wage. Some are hired in the morning, others at noon, afternoon, and an hour before dark. The morning workers are angry because everyone got paid the same, and the vineyard owner reminds them that they were paid fairly, and that they should not let what others receive damage their contented-ness. Christianity’s emphasis of forgiveness and full welcoming has been criticized by many austere and rigorously just religions and philosophies.
- RodgerTheGreat 6y ago
  "A deal is a deal, no matter how raw you realize yours is." Seems like a useful philosophy to keep your workers (or, by analogy, a populace) in line.
  - 1123581321 6y ago
    I didn’t downvote you, but think about whether that was actually being said.

papandada 6y ago

You are taking the older son at his word but not the father. That's not the only way to read it.

1123581321 6y ago

Inheritance is central to the story. The older brother is working to increase the value of the estate, because he’ll inherit half one day. The younger brother asked for his half up front in cash and wasted it. The older brother is pissed because he cares about doing the right thing, and he’s not especially rewarded for doing it when others don’t. There’s another story in the Bible about this, the vineyard workers. Workers are hired for the day with the promise of a day’s wage. Some are hired in the morning, others at noon, afternoon, and an hour before dark. The morning workers are angry because everyone got paid the same, and the vineyard owner reminds them that they were paid fairly, and that they should not let what others receive damage their contented-ness. Christianity’s emphasis of forgiveness and full welcoming has been criticized by many austere and rigorously just religions and philosophies.

RodgerTheGreat 6y ago
"A deal is a deal, no matter how raw you realize yours is." Seems like a useful philosophy to keep your workers (or, by analogy, a populace) in line.
- 1123581321 6y ago
  I didn’t downvote you, but think about whether that was actually being said.