I become pensive and whatnot when I'm forced to not do anything and I end up blogging -- usually that means I'm sick and am staying in bed to rest. This is not quite the case today. Or for most of the last 6 weeks for that matter. I am healthy and well -- thank God. I have a "job" -- thank God. So why am I not working? Well, to make a long story short, I am waiting for some crucial things to show up so that I can actually get to work. In the meanwhile, it's not that I don't have housework and tax stuff and an addictive Facebook game to work on. I would just like to take a little time to do something else.
So what's on my mind today? There's really a lot of things flying through but only one that's making me raise my eyebrow and some. I've been seeing these ads that say "[state] relief laws" which have been passed, enabling people with more than $10,000 of debt to legally remove 60% of it. That has brought the topic of personal responsibility to mind.
I can understand if people have accumulated debt for unfortunate circumstances like illness or daily survival. What I cannot condone is that people who have accumulated debt from non-necessity sources can take advantage of legal debt relief. For example, people who might have bought a 42-in plasma TV on credit just before they lost their job, or people who spend more than they bring in, or even college students who pay for school and books on credit while they are in college. (Keep in mind that I believe college is meant for higher learning and not for a better paying job, and also that attending college is a privilege and not a right. I know many people who take years to get a college degree because they work to pay for college.)
Parents who love their children will discipline them for wrongdoing. It does not change the parents' love, nor the forgiveness of that child, but the child must still face the consequences of their choices. (At least in good parenting they should.) If your mom told you not to jump off the roof, but you did anyway and broke your arm, she'll forgive you after her heart attack, but your arm is still broken.
I believe likewise that people should face the consequences of their choices. If they choose to use credit on the dangerous assumption that the money to pay it off will come in later, then they must face the consequences of that choice if the money does not arrive. Similarly, if people choose to take advantage of legal money making opportunities, then they must face the consequences of that choice -- if they succeed, they will have money. If they do not succeed, they will not have money. (Isn't it interesting that these entrepreneurs are the basic building block of American economy and they don't get any bailouts?... By the way, kudos to all with the guts to go out and make it happen.)
I do not believe that everything should be mandated, especially in America. This is the land of Freedom. Along with that privilege of Freedom comes Opportunity. With Opportunity comes the responsibility to make good choices. Whatever good or bad choice we make, we must take personal responsibility for that choice and whatever it brings.
So, in the most minimalist way I can say this... "Man up!"
So what's on my mind today? There's really a lot of things flying through but only one that's making me raise my eyebrow and some. I've been seeing these ads that say "[state] relief laws" which have been passed, enabling people with more than $10,000 of debt to legally remove 60% of it. That has brought the topic of personal responsibility to mind.
I can understand if people have accumulated debt for unfortunate circumstances like illness or daily survival. What I cannot condone is that people who have accumulated debt from non-necessity sources can take advantage of legal debt relief. For example, people who might have bought a 42-in plasma TV on credit just before they lost their job, or people who spend more than they bring in, or even college students who pay for school and books on credit while they are in college. (Keep in mind that I believe college is meant for higher learning and not for a better paying job, and also that attending college is a privilege and not a right. I know many people who take years to get a college degree because they work to pay for college.)
Parents who love their children will discipline them for wrongdoing. It does not change the parents' love, nor the forgiveness of that child, but the child must still face the consequences of their choices. (At least in good parenting they should.) If your mom told you not to jump off the roof, but you did anyway and broke your arm, she'll forgive you after her heart attack, but your arm is still broken.
I believe likewise that people should face the consequences of their choices. If they choose to use credit on the dangerous assumption that the money to pay it off will come in later, then they must face the consequences of that choice if the money does not arrive. Similarly, if people choose to take advantage of legal money making opportunities, then they must face the consequences of that choice -- if they succeed, they will have money. If they do not succeed, they will not have money. (Isn't it interesting that these entrepreneurs are the basic building block of American economy and they don't get any bailouts?... By the way, kudos to all with the guts to go out and make it happen.)
I do not believe that everything should be mandated, especially in America. This is the land of Freedom. Along with that privilege of Freedom comes Opportunity. With Opportunity comes the responsibility to make good choices. Whatever good or bad choice we make, we must take personal responsibility for that choice and whatever it brings.
So, in the most minimalist way I can say this... "Man up!"
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