CommenTerry

Now Is the Time for Personal Responsibility

The other day, a young lady responded to one of my political articles by complaining about President Bush and blaming him and his friends on Wall Street for the current plight of many everyday Americans, especially the middle class. She found fault with him for everything from Katrina to the sub-prime mortgage debacle to the current financial meltdown. However, the fact of the matter is that the lack of personal responsibility on the part many Americans – not anything President Bush has or hasn’t done -- has brought on most of our recent woes.
 
Don't try to tell me it has been impossible for a middle class person to thrive during the Bush administration. For the last eight years, my taxable savings have increased at least 15% a year, and that's not even counting my 401(k) and Roth IRA contributions. I pay off my credit cards completely every month and I have absolutely no debt other than my mortgage. I'm not rich either. I'm not a doctor, lawyer, or some kind of high-paid executive. I'm just a middle class person with a modest salary.
 
If I can do it, other people can do it too. It just takes discipline and the will power to not try to keep up with the Joneses, buy everything that tickles your fancy, or get your kids the best this and the best that. I bought a house that cost less than half of what I could afford. I did this because I wanted some wiggle room in case of a setback -- while many others choose to throw caution to the wind because they thought times would always be good. I never put anything on my credit cards that I can’t pay off at the end of the month. It doesn’t matter how badly I might want it. I don’t waste my money on expensive vacations that are here today and gone tomorrow. I save up to pay cash for a car, furniture, and other big-ticket items instead of going in debt to get them.
 
And why do liberals blame President Bush for the Katrina damage? He is not God. He is not in control of nature. I know there were many victims of that disaster who still have yet to completely recover, but those people lost so much because they lived in a known flood-prone area and many were not responsible enough to buy insurance. And don't give me the renter's excuse. There is such a thing as renters insurance. They should have considered that option. Contrary to popular belief, the government does not owe anyone a new home, a new car, new clothes, or even food in the aftermath of a natural disaster. We are responsible for getting back on our feet and acquiring what we need.
 
We must learn to take charge of our own lives in this country, familiarize ourselves with the concept of personal responsibility, and quit blaming the government for every bad thing that happens to us. What has happened to our pioneer spirit? Are we becoming a nation of whiners? When we lose our homes because we signed up for a mortgage we ultimately couldn't afford, we have no one to blame but ourselves. We need to stop the crying and complaining that we were beguiled by a predatory lender. We are not children. We are adults and it’s high time we started acting like it. We need to lose the spoiled, got-to-have-it-now attitude and step up to the plate. We have to acknowledge the fact that financial security is no one’s birthright – it must be earned. The buck stops with each of us – not the government or anything or anyone else.

Don't Confuse Needs and Wants

People get themselves in trouble when they get their needs and wants confused. A person needs good health, a steady stream of income, food/water, clothing, and shelter. Those to whom God has given all these things have everything they need. Everything else falls into the category of wants. However, many people who have all these things still feel as if some of their 'needs' haven't been met. This attitude is the root cause of bad relationships, failed marriages, gangs, cults, religious fanaticism, etc.

True Measures of a Person's Net Worth

We’ve always heard about people’s net worth being measured by the amount of money and/or assets they own. However, I believe a person’s true net worth should be measured by other factors instead. Among these items are their work ethic; common courtesy; self-discipline; compliance with rules, regulations, and laws; personal ambition; and willingness to give back to society. 

A person with a strong work ethic will ultimately find success in life. People will always turn to them when there is something important that needs to be done. On the other hand, a person who is lacking in that area projects the image of not being worth very much. Lazy people are of little help to anyone, including themselves. And unless they win the lottery or inherit a large amount of money, they are likely to be dependent on others during their entire life.

Courteous people are generally held in high esteem, regardless of their financial situation. People who lack common courtesy and are inconsiderate of others generally rate very low with most people. No matter how wealthy they are or how much clout they might wield, rude people are not going to be well-regarded. They might think their money and/or influence gives them a right to be disrespectful to others, but they are sadly mistaken. This is something they will ultimately find out the hard way.

People with the right amount self-discipline can accomplish just about anything. They can also avoid many of life’s pitfalls like alcoholism, drug addiction, smoking, overeating, excess debt, etc. They are more likely to lead happy and healthy lives than those who do not possess as much self-discipline. People who cannot master the art of self-discipline rarely succeed at anything and are constantly having to be bailed out of the negative situations their undisciplined lifestyles get them into. Quite often, that kind of person ultimately makes a train wreck of his or her life.
 
People who comply with rules, regulations, and laws have a greater chance for success than those who do not. They know that one must play by the rules in order to stand any chance of winning. Scofflaws and others who don’t think the rules apply to them tend to remain in the lower echelons of society. They just can’t wait their turn, can’t play fair, and can’t acquire things honestly – and are ultimately punished, sometimes severely, for it. They can’t stay of trouble long enough to accomplish anything significant. Of course, there are also many people in high places who won’t operate within the rules either – because they believe they are above the law. In many cases, though, they are eventually caught and brought down off their high horse.

Those who have the personal ambition to make something of themselves usually do. Many of the more difficult tasks in life require a great amount of personal ambition in order to be accomplished. People who lack personal ambition usually remain close to where they started out in life. They get less because they expect less and are willing to settle for less. If they are satisfied with that, fine -- but they should not complain about their lowly status in life. They should keep in mind their lot in life is a direct result of their own choices.

Finally, those who give back to society with their time and/or money rate highly in the area of true net worth They are generally thought of as being more important than those who live only for themselves and their own families and friends. Think of people who are the most highly regarded in your community. They are the ones who give back. And it’s not necessarily those who are the wealthiest and have finest homes and the nicest cars. People who are too caught up in materialism to be mindful of the needs of others do so the detriment of the standing with their fellow man. Their true net worth may not be all that they believe it to be.

The Most Dishonest Time of the Year

School has now started back in all parts of the country. By now, we have all seen the bumper stickers and have been reminded umpteen times by police, local media, and school officials that school is back in and that we therefore need to “drive more safely.” But that implies that it’s okay to drive less safely during the remainder of the year, even though we never see bumper stickers to that effect.

Of course, the propagators of these school-season-driving safety campaigns would argue that they imply no such thing and that one should always drive safely, just more safely when school’s in. But such an argument is intellectually dishonest. Simply driving safely (minus the “more”) still means driving less safely than driving more safely. Why not cut the euphemism and plainly admonish people to drive safely at all times?

This time of year, police departments around the country like to remind drivers about laws concerning school zones and school buses along with the consequences for violating them – with a special emphasis on the consequences. But are they really serious about the safety of school children?  If so, then why are police so gung ho about enforcing these laws at the beginning of the school year, only to slack off long before Thanksgiving? This happens every school year, without fail. One local police department is even admitting that is what they do. Drivers like myself are very well aware of this drill. That’s why we’re extremely cautious through the end of September and then relax after that.

Yes, these laws do have real value. Obviously, they exist for the purpose of keeping school children safe. However, it seems that they are used by police departments mainly as tools to extort money from unsuspecting drivers. This causes drivers to be resentful of school zones and to look at school buses as nothing more than big yellow inconveniences. I think an appeal to one’s civil duty would be a more honest method of protecting children than the current strategy of sporadic enforcement of laws and threats of hefty fines.

Always Know Whom to Offend

I don’t know about you, but I hate to offend anyone. I try very hard to get everyone to like me. Obviously, no matter how hard I try, such a goal is impossible to achieve in the real world. Sometimes, one gets stuck in a situation in which he or she must offend one person or the other. Much to my chagrin, I have found myself in this predicament much more often that I would like. Having been there so frequently, I have pretty much figured out how to handle that dilemma.

So how does one decide whom to offend? I suggest offending the one who has the least opportunity do you harm or good. For example, if a man has to decide between offending his boss or a co-worker, pick the co-worker for obvious reasons. Now, if the decision is between his boss and his wife, then it gets a little more complicated. It would come down to which he valued more, his job or a peaceful home life.

They Have a Right

I’m going to use this blog to coin another new word: “rightsers.” This is a name I have given to people who put what they perceive as their personal rights above all else. And they constantly stand ready to defend and fight for those “rights.” Funny thing, though, many seem to assume rights that they would never acknowledge anyone else as possessing. Here some characteristics of rightsers:

They are not obligated to stand in lines or wait their turn. They can move to the front any time they want. They have a right.

They can park anywhere they want, even in spots that are not true parking spaces. They have a right.

They are not required to fulfill their obligations, make good on their commitments, or pay their bills on time. They have a right.

They deserve a living off the labor and sweat of others and don’t have to work unless they want to. They have a right.

They deserve maximum compensation for what little work they do and expect to pay a minimum for what they buy or use. They have a right.

They deserve to be treated with the greatest of dignity, even though they are not required to treat anyone else that way. They have a right.

They can freely speak their mind, while not having to take any guff off of anyone else. They have a right.

They expect society to conform and cater to them, and not the other way around. They have a right.

They expect passing grades in school or college without studying, doing any homework, or even cracking open a book. They have a right.

They deserve forgiveness and understanding for their mistakes and misbehavior, but can hold everyone else to the highest standards of conduct. They have a right.

They are easily offended by the worlds and actions of others, but can’t understand why anyone would be upset at them for anything they say or do. They have a right.

They never have to show on time for anything. Everyone else should have to wait for them. They have a right.

Laws, rules, regulations, restrictions, and limitations don’t apply to them. They have a right.

The world is their playground. They may freely use or occupy the property of others, although their own property is for personal or private use only. They have a right.

They have a license to destroy or damage the possessions of others, but God help anyone who messes up anything that belongs to them. They have a right.

They always deserve more than what they actually get. They have a right.

Their rights are unlimited, while everyone else’s are strictly finite. They have a right.

A Little Sleep, a Little Slumber

"Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep: So shall they poverty come as one that travelleth; and thy want as an armed man." Proverbs 24:33-34 KJV

Back in biblical days, one of the major causes of poverty was just plain slothfulness or laziness. King Solomon, the wisest mortal who ever walked the earth, knew this and often commented on it the Book of Proverbs. He wasn't concerned about political correctness.

The same is true today, but you wouldn't know it from listening to left-wing Democrats and the liberal media. Why, they'll list just about every reason for poverty that you could imagine, but laziness will not be one of them. That's too politically incorrect. For the most part, they will cite the "lack" of government spending on give-away programs and discrimination against minorities and the poor for the bulk of poverty in the U.S.

True, there are many people living in poverty due to reasons beyond their control such as children born into poverty and those who have suffered from job losses, major medical problems, or mental illness. However, there are many others who are just too lazy to work or cannot get a decent job because they were too lazy to do their school assignments and ultimately dropped out, rejecting the public education that was freely offered to them. In addition, we as a culture have reinforced this characteristic in many people by helping them develop a sense of entitlement. At least in the old days, if one refused to work, he didn't eat.

The Three Biggest Hazards of Bragging

Bragging about your personal accomplishments in front of others can be very hazardous.

First, there will always be someone who has exceeded the achievement(s) you are bragging about and will not hesitate to bring that to your attention.

Second, you are leaving yourself open to sarcastic and/or patronizing remarks.

Third, it could prompt someone, motivated by jealously, to verbally relive a very embarrassing and/or hurtful episode from your life. 

Desperate and Cynical Cheaters

Any kind of contest, game, bidding, or other type of competition must always be conducted in a controlled environment in which the rules are strictly enforced. Otherwise, there will be those who cheat and skew the results in an unfair manner. It’s a crying shame that this is the case, but it’s just a sad fact of life that will never change. If you don’t believe it, just take a look any competition that isn’t tightly controlled. It’ll turn out not be a competition at all, but rather a pretense with a manipulated and fraudulent outcome.

A prime example is the reader-posted article competition at a certain popular political website. Articles receiving the most “votes” are bestowed the honor of getting linked to from the site’s front page and, as a result, get the most page views. The idea is that each reader will vote just once for each article he or she likes, so the articles getting the most votes will be a representation of those that are the most well-liked by the site’s readers. Well, at least that’s the way it’s supposed to work.

In reality, it’s a crooked deal. That’s because the website doesn’t prevent people from voting over and over again for their own articles and getting their friends do so as well in exchange for voting for theirs multiple times. What you end up with are basically the same authors’ articles listed on the site’s home page all the time. These articles will usually garner a large number of votes within minutes of being posted and before many people have actually had a chance to read them, making those cheaters’ tactics quite obvious. Articles written by people who play it straight get fewer votes and are therefore banished to a more obscure page of the website, even if those articles are actually much better.

I’ve always wondered why people felt the need to cheat like that. Are they that desperate to come out on top? Do they lack the self-confidence to compete on an even playing field? I have found that some people who cheat will justify themselves in doing so. They will generally do this in one of two ways. They will either claim that (1) they have a right to do it because life has been unfair to them or that (2) they might as well cheat because everyone else could do it too and that someone else would do it if they didn’t. That’s a very cynical view of life. I can only hope and pray that I never develop such an attitude.

No Gas Lines for Me

I can’t understand those people who are willing to wait in lines indefinitely to get free or discounted gas. You’ll see this happen quite often now – a radio station or other business runs a promotion in which it pays all or part of the cost of gasoline at a given station for a limited number of customers. This kind of thing attracts people like bees to honey. The problem, of course, is that one must wait in line for what might seem like eternity to get the benefit of such a promotion.

Like they say, “there is no such thing as a free lunch,” and that maxim certainly applies here. Sure, people might be getting gas for free and or at discount, but they are paying for it with their time. On top of that, waiting is very inconvenient. I don’t know about others, but my time is valuable and I’m not going to give it away for just anything. And, to me, convenience is worth something as well. Therefore, don’t look for me to be sitting in a gas line any time soon. I wouldn’t allow myself to be that inconvenienced if someone were giving away gold.