Is Money The "Root of all Evil?"
February 22nd 2008 13:01
Howard (Real Crash) and I have been having something of a debate recently. He seems to think that money is, indeed, the root of all evil. He equates self interest with selfishness and prosperity with greed. Go to his blog or read some of the comments he left on mine if you want to know his rationale. I disagree with him and am taking this opportunity to explain my reasoning.
The free countries have something the dictatorships and communist countries don't. Opportunity. It is possible to have a dream, work toward it and achieve whatever goals you have. Education isn't free, but it is available (as well as grants and loans to help pay for it). Many people work and go to school to complete their educations. Advancing students beyond their abilities is not the answer to having a well educated population. Government funded schools have turned into "indoctrination centers" rather than places of learning. In a free country, education is desirable but not mandatory (higher education, that is) and those with dreams and determination can have whatever career they are able to qualify for. Their pay depends on many different factors.
In the workforce, some jobs require advanced education and some don't. The incomes vary widely, depending on the field of endeavor. Self-interest is what makes people go into a field of their own choosing, based on their interest, advancement possibilities, and (of course) pay. Self interest is what propels someone along the "business route" toward a good income, so that they can provide for themselves and their families. People who have engineering or medical degrees don't usually aspire to a job at McDonald's or life on the welfare rolls. It would not be in their self-interest to do so.
Selfishness is another matter. Sitting around and expecting everyone else to support you is selfish. Hoarding food while someone you know goes hungry is selfish. Refusing to "get involved" to help someone in need or in danger, is selfish. Giving no consideration to others while expecting it for yourself, is selfish.
See the difference, folks?
Howard doesn't seem to like money, although I'm pretty sure he has a roof over his head and food to eat, that are paid for with it. He has commented that the government should support us with projects like the TVA (from FDR's era) and keep the "lower 80% of the population" happy and productive with "programs" while the "upper" 20% do something else. He isn't very specific as to what the upper 20% are supposed to do. I have tried to point out to him that the government gets it's money for all those TVA type programs from taxes. The taxes are paid by working people who have real jobs not government programs. Maybe I'm just not making my points as well as I think... Am I?
The free countries have something the dictatorships and communist countries don't. Opportunity. It is possible to have a dream, work toward it and achieve whatever goals you have. Education isn't free, but it is available (as well as grants and loans to help pay for it). Many people work and go to school to complete their educations. Advancing students beyond their abilities is not the answer to having a well educated population. Government funded schools have turned into "indoctrination centers" rather than places of learning. In a free country, education is desirable but not mandatory (higher education, that is) and those with dreams and determination can have whatever career they are able to qualify for. Their pay depends on many different factors.
In the workforce, some jobs require advanced education and some don't. The incomes vary widely, depending on the field of endeavor. Self-interest is what makes people go into a field of their own choosing, based on their interest, advancement possibilities, and (of course) pay. Self interest is what propels someone along the "business route" toward a good income, so that they can provide for themselves and their families. People who have engineering or medical degrees don't usually aspire to a job at McDonald's or life on the welfare rolls. It would not be in their self-interest to do so.
Selfishness is another matter. Sitting around and expecting everyone else to support you is selfish. Hoarding food while someone you know goes hungry is selfish. Refusing to "get involved" to help someone in need or in danger, is selfish. Giving no consideration to others while expecting it for yourself, is selfish.
See the difference, folks?
Howard doesn't seem to like money, although I'm pretty sure he has a roof over his head and food to eat, that are paid for with it. He has commented that the government should support us with projects like the TVA (from FDR's era) and keep the "lower 80% of the population" happy and productive with "programs" while the "upper" 20% do something else. He isn't very specific as to what the upper 20% are supposed to do. I have tried to point out to him that the government gets it's money for all those TVA type programs from taxes. The taxes are paid by working people who have real jobs not government programs. Maybe I'm just not making my points as well as I think... Am I?
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