Occupy Wall Street, London and Evereywhere Else

That's not what most parents, teachers and schools told the kids. We warned our boys to the contrary; not to expect anything to be handed to them. They would have to do the footwork to find a job. They were advised to do things that mattered and to purpose in themselves to do them. They had to work hard and strive to make themselves secure. If they wanted to raise kids, they would have to accept the personal responsibility needful to train and raise kids in the way they should go. They would have to either find affordable housing within their financial ability, be it renting a modest dwelling, be it a fixer-upper in a cheaper district or be it a little trailer home (as was the case with me and my new wife), etc. Every day in this freedom founded nation affords opportunity to survival. Each must learn, work and plan for their own survival. Survival in the land of the free is largely the responsibility of the individual, not something handed to them, as is the case with all of the aboveNo! Of course not. By and large they/we had to earn the grades to get the degrees, either find a job or create our own businesses and enterprises, work, save and/or build our own homes, businesses and living. The reality is that it wasn't true with us, nor will it be with them. All must assume personal responsibility for their own welfare in order to earn and enjoy the blessings.That's a Biblical principle. The great apostle Paul, who by the way supported his own ministry as a tent maker, wisely said, "He who does not work should not eat." II Thessalonians 3:10.--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Not me, my parents or any I knew. We saw to it that they went to school and studied so as to prepare them for the work place. Nobody told me that I'd get a job just because I went to school, nor did we tell that to our boys. Both me and my boys went out seeking employers who would hire us. They and I began working in low paying jobs, all the while looking for better ones. Having no college degree and no trade, I started my own business, first out of my garage and then in a $45 per month rent small building on a busy street.My boys, both college graduates, after graduation, did the footwork until they found whatever job they could get. They went from job to job until they both got good paying jobs, one in an aircraft company and the other in the security sound system business. The one in sound and security systems, after learning the business, set out on his own and is doing very well with so much demand for him that he's already contracting work to be done by sub-contractors.I and they started from the bottom up with nothing handed to us. Had we sat on our arses waiting for opportunities to come to us, we'd all be in the poor house. The only hard work you've described is school, Dr. Adequate. School is helpful. Anyone can go to school. School work is not hard to find. The rubber meets the road after school is done. Then comes the time to begin working to earn a living. Then is not the time to whine, but to get to work, in the best place you can find, be it at McDonalds or where ever. McDonalds will teach one the work ethic so as to prepare the young-un to move up to something better.America is not a dreamland. It's a land of opportunity for anyone willing to work hard, build, invest and move on from the set backs which one should expect.

Crashfrog, all I ever had was a high school diploma. I miss-spoke when I said "we" about degrees. My boys have them. The eldest endured 3 years at West Point Academy, one at Prep School and 2 the last year of hazing. He still has a chest injury from a gun butt shoved in his chest at the academy by an upper classman. He went on from there to get a college degree.Neither of my boys, having degrees, got their first jobs just because they had degrees. They took whatever they could get until they could move up.Yes, they were told that a degree would help get the higher paying jobs, but that all depends on their own ambition, motivation, work ethic, honesty, etc. That depends on how assertive they are in doing the foot work needful to find work. It also depends on the economy, etc. The worse it gets, the more willing one must be to do whatever they can find.FYI, I am not retired. All we get is Social Security which I've paid into for over 50 years. I never had a retirement plan and don't have a lot of cash. I have to keep working. I want to work, so long as I am able, even at my age, 76.We drive $500 to $1000 used cars and no more than $2500 for business trucks. The last one, a 92 Buick Century has some rocker panel rust cost less that $500. It's a wonderful car with low mileage. It gets us anywhere my boys can go with their expensive newer ones, with just as much comfort and efficiency. We've learned to live well on little income, lacking nothing, leaving enough to send substantially to missions ministering in poverty ridden nations .Having said the above, we trust God and pray about everything. God reveals himself in unusual ways, so as to show us he exists and did it. Never in my life have we taken food stamps, Medicare, Medicaid, prescription drugs, etc. We would qualify for food stamps, but take none because we don't need them. We want nothing at the expense of others.Neither I or my wife have had a family doctor. Neither have been to a Dr, in over 40 years, since my wife's pregnancies. We do the herbals, holistic and diet regime to keep healthy. We raised our boys without docs or drugs of any kind, including aspirin. Edited by Buzsaw, : No reason given.

So far all you've conveyed to me that they worked at or did right was their schooling. What else have they done right besides study for school?Nearly all of the ones that I know of who didn't make it in life in the capitalist land of the free are the lazy, the feeders at the public trough, the addicts, the drunkards, the street people like so many in the Occupy W.S. loud mouth types, the ones who spend recklessly, the ones who borrow beyond their means, the thieves, etc, etc. Most of the industrious and hard working honest folks manage to make it, regardless of hard times.--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The difference is that the Social Security contributions I've paid in were a whole lot more than I would have had to pay into a private retirement plan and receive the same return.I don't have to be sick to receive Social Security. On the other hand if I take care of my body as I do, there is no need to use Medicare, etc. Social security was suppose to be a retirement plan for all.The Social Security $$ I paid into the system decades ago would have bought 25 to 35 cent a gallon for gas. For Social Security $$ I'm getting back I have to pay $3 to $4 for a gallon of gas. So you young-uns hadn't ought to complain. You're paying $3 to $4 gas money in. If you were to retire on $3 to $4 gas money you'd get a whole lot better deal than us old folks are getting.Having said the above, we trust God and pray about everything. God reveals himself in unusual ways, so as to show us he exists and did it. No. Many food tamp recipients take all they can get regardless of whether the actually need it or not.Many of the sickly folks put the best oil in their cars and junk in their bodies. Most of sickness is due to either ignorance or one's own carelessness as to what they eat. God led me to someone when I was in the Air Force who got me apprised on the holistic diet and healing regime. It takes a lot of discipline and knowledge if one wants to be healthy The science and knowledge on it had increased many fold since when I first got into it. It's all over the internet for anyone willing to study up and practice being healthy. It's not fortune. I pray daily for God to provide my needs, keep me well and strong and protect me from harm and loss. Then I pray for the same for all on my prayer list, especially my beloved family and Christian brothers and sisters who know God. This has been often how God reveals himself to be real in a personal way. This, coupled with all of the other corroborating evidence of the Biblical record is why I'm doggedly stick with Christianity.I've read the book of Job numerous times. Those OT accounts of the patriarchs etc never bore me. They are so much more inspiring than anything in either the Johnny come lately Koran and Book Of Mormon. Their immensely more inspiring than any other religious book. Thus The Bible being the global best seller for so long. ABE: Perhaps some of the above will address the concerns Crashfrog and Phat have aired above. Edited by Buzsaw, : No reason given.