It’s sad and pathetic that a man running for president of the United States has such a bias against a large portion of society and is so willing to write them off, but I’m not surprised. What bothers me most are the commenters—as is often the case. Comments such as: “What you guys don’t understand is that Newt is telling the truth” or “A work ethic is a learned behavior, imprinted usually from watching your parents work. Democrats actually do not want poor folks to become independent and self sufficient. They need the votes….”
Forgetting for a moment that poor children are probably the only children in the US who actually know what real work is, it’s ridiculous that people are so willing to blame the poor for….being poor. I realize that it helps people’s conscious because they can believe that not only do they deserve what they’ve gotten, but that they’ve EARNED it the way those poor folks haven’t. But this is a problematic view of things. For one thing whatever class people are born in is the class they most likely stay in. This is not because of work ethic, but because those in upper classes have advantages that those in poorer classes don’t and this is perpetuated throughout our society.
But if there is more crime in these areas that can't be reconciled by the fact the minority and poor people are arrested and jailed more often for the same crimes, it also overlooks the simple fact that when you’re poor eating and surviving becomes the most important thing in one’s life. Morals and “honor” don’t go out the window, they change to fit your survival necessities. Would I steal bread from the store or have my children go hungry for the night? I may be admitting something about my morals, but my children eat first. Period. That’s morally right to me.
People who have not had to worry about these things, don’t think about these things. And they put a lot of emphasizes on doing the “right” thing and whatnot. However, can it ever be the right thing to do to let the poor slowly starve?
Of course, the one thing that will inevitably come up is the mention of “these” people not being willing to work. Not only is this blatantly not true, but it stigmatizes people who have not had the same education opportunities, and have fewer job opportunities. Furthermore, it causes affluent people to rationalize their own positions. No need to want to fix poverty when it’s the impoverished fault they’re that way.
I’m going to go out on a limb while being a bit facetious as well.
But you see, I don’t understand what the big deal is. Isn’t this what a capitalist society is for? Earning money no matter the consequences? A nice young man without any job prospects decides to open an enterprising business in the slums or middle America somewhere and there’s a problem? He can employ a group of people, make sure he keeps a steady set of customers flowing back in, and is making decent money where there’s no other jobs found. It’s capitalism baby. Making money. People don’t matter (we just call our business a person). Ethics don’t matter (thousands of people lost a job but I saved money when I moved my business to where I can pay 10 year-old kids 50 cent an hour to do what Americans were doing—NOW THOSE ARE KIDS WITH WORK ETHIC, MAN). Nothing else matters. Big companies do it. Our politicians do it. The only difference is that the big company have laws that can ensure that they aren’t breaking them.
Of course I’m being over the top but by laying it out like this I don’t think it’s that much of a stretch to see that there are real problems in our society. Real disparages that will not go away while those who “have” continue to blame those who don’t. Instead I think we need to evaluate our priorities and put PEOPLE first. All people, not just some of them.
But perhaps we as a society have appraised the situation and concluded that this is exactly what we want?
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admnaismith : (no subject) [+0] - (Anonymous) : Let me introduce you to my neighbors. [+1]
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A work ethic is a learned behavior, imprinted usually from watching your parents work.
I agree with this statement.
Now, who will watch their parents work the most?
Will it be the children of poor parents, maybe single parents even, who must juggle low paying jobs with child care responsibilities? Parents who are watching every dime, and who stretch their food budget to cover flour, eggs, cornmeal, raw meat and veggies in small amounts and cook them at home instead of bread and ready-made meals? Who do dishes and laundry by hand because they don't have access to machines? Who sew the living shit out of their oldest clothes themselves to make them last until they're not even good for rags? Who, if they even own cars, do their own repairs and who have learned every preventative maintenance there is to get every year they can out of the most valuable asset they may ever own?
Or will it be the children of rich parents who hire the Merry Maids to clean their houses, throw away and buy replacements for anything on a whim, take luxury vacations several times a year and rarely if ever deny the kids anything they want?
Tell me the Waltons have no work ethic, Newt. Tell me that to my face.
Because it pays so well.