I don’t understand what happened to drive, ambition & self respect. There was a time when people worked hard to advance themselves. It was common knowledge that you had fight to get ahead in this world. That nothing comes easy and no one’s gonna give you a hand out. But that’s not the case anymore. Now everyone expects to be given everything on a silver platter as if they’re entitled to it, have the “right” to it just by nature of existing. And if you refuse them, then YOU are a selfish evil person.
I remember when I was in high school in extracurricular activities or clubs and we needed money for something. We used to come up with 101 fund raisers like selling chocolates, crispy cream doughnuts, flowers, balloons, valentines, had dances, carnivals, walkathons, you name it. If Danceline needed new uniforms or the basketball team was going to State or the Freshmen, Sophomores, Juniors or Seniors needed money for supplies for a homecoming float, we would raise the money in some way.
Now when kids want to raise money for their football team or whatever, they grab a jug & go begging on street corners. Is this what we’re teaching kids now?
I don’t have any children at the moment but I wonder... are people still doing the old allowance for chores thing? Are kids being taught to offer to mow the lawn or paint something for an elderly person for pay? Are they still being taught the value of a dollar? How to save? How to be independent? How to appreciate having something because they earned it? How to start at the bottom and work your way up?
I believe that this is a dog eat dog world. I believe in natural selection. Survival of the fittest, only the strong survive, sink or swim. I’ve had highs and I’ve had lows and there have been times when those lows have left me fetal with barely any will to go on. But sooner or later you learn, that no one’s gonna cry for you or feel sorry for you or fix you but you. So how are you supposed to figure out how to rise above when you’re being conditioned to be a bottom feeder? What’s worse is there is too much pride to work at McDonalds but not to be a deadbeat. Talk about contradictions.
I get so disgusted every time I see someone standing on one of those street corners panhandling. I’ll usually grab my phone & pretend to be too busy to acknowledge them. But most of the time, that’s not a big enough hint for them to go away. They actually have to knock on your closed window and force me to say I have no money on me. This is usually true. Ever since they started accepting debit cards everywhere, I have no need to carry cash anymore. So I’m not lying.
It’s not to say that I am completely heartless. There are exceptions. Like the one's selling roses or food. Like the Santa ringing the bell out in front of Walmart raising money for the Salvation Army. That guy is not raising money for him but others through an organization that’s existed longer than I have. I have no problem sponsoring a friend who participates in the AIDS Walk every year (I have not forgotten C). Also, there is the clearly hungry homeless person. I will scrounge up what I can. There is a difference. A person in that state has hit rock bottom and are out of options. But the kid raising money for his team is not! I think I’m gonna make my own little flyer to hand THEM with a list of fundraisers. And as for the guys who are obviously not homeless with a jug and something written in a black marker looking for beer money… GET A JOB!
