Tuesday, August 10, 2010

People Who ALWAYS Need Help

Are people who will always need help.

In a conversation with a woman, whose new home I was in the process of building, the topic turned to people who were paralytic or injured or maimed.
I mentioned that I knew; a guy with one leg who turned his home based casino into a legal computer gaming company, a woman paralyzed (for the second time due to car accidents) who owns a successful insurance company, a guy paralyzed from a fall who owns a successful construction company, a woman with one leg who owns a successful ticket brokerage company, a guy with one functional arm who owns an automotive repair shop, and on and on... .

But why do these people succeed where others with more use of their faculties fail?
Why do some let simple things such as gossip at the water cooler, the heat of the day or low pay hinder their success?
Are some people only able to prosper under the limited scope of optimal conditions?
Are others "hard-wired" with the adaptability required to succeed regardless of the conditions?
And can these traits be taught or learned?

My initial thought was that many from the hood could be taught to do better for themselves, if only given the resources and knowledge of those who live middle-class lives.
Maybe this is true but this change has to first come from within.
One must have the volition to change.
Such a change must be seen as being in ones best interest and follow the path of least resistance.
Such a change must either be accomplished by removing oneself from oppositional forces or be strong enough to overcome the inertia of the established memes, culture and traditions of these forces.

But at what cost?
And is that cost worth the result?
In many cases the basic needs of food, shelter, clothing, education and even medical care are met by our government.
Even with these ''needs'' being met, many still fail to remove themselves from the condition of being a member of the subjugated class.
Even if taught that work is the requirement for success, many still imagine that they are free and successful because they may have the same material goods as the middle or upper classes.
Many still buy a bootleg copy of an original luxury item before paying their bills and establishing good credit.
Appearing seems to be more important than being.
Many people who confuse 'class' with 'money' are those who have neither.

Much of what is spent in the form of government entitlements is wasted.
As an example; try filling a funnel with water.
How much water is wasted because the funnel is not built to hold water?
In the end, isn't there more water on the floor than in the funnel?
In the end, how much water does the funnel actually hold?

This is why government aid often fails.
Most of the people who require constant assistance would fail regardless of the conditions.
Most of those who succeed would succeed regardless of the conditions.
Maybe some people are meant to fail.
Maybe government assistance fails because it postpones the culling of weaker (and in turn, less desirable) individuals who cannot adapt to environmental, societal and/or economic hardships.

Most government assistance is wasted because it fails to reach those who would benefit.
Most of the money and resources are spread out so thinly that it becomes diluted to the point of being almost non-existent.
Most of those who receive such aid just see it as another resource and not as a temporary state.
Most government aid programs have taken over the responsibilities of the family, community or even church.
While I am not a Tea Party member I don't feel that is my legal responsibility to clothe, feed and educate those who should be doing so for themselves.

I know, I know...
I've said it before.
But this time I mean it.
I'm done trying to help people.
I'm done trying to fix the problems of those who created the conditions for these problems in the first place.
I'm done robbing these individuals of the character gained from these struggles by my assistance.
I'm done with giving resources to those who squander them on impressing those who don't matter to begin with.
I'm done.

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