On 24 Mrz., 21:34, Don Johnson <[email protected]> wrote:
> > As I've said before, we can agree that some people need and deserve help but > it should be voluntarily provided. America has long proved our generosity > to needy peoples around the world and because of that I resent a little > Fran's blog post on HCR that seems to me to be a bit condescending. I feel > it wasn't meant that way but people like me will see it that way I'm > afraid. We have many years to see how this will play out but even the best > case scenario doesn't look good. > > I now have a burr under my saddle to see what benefits I can get for my > autistic son. He is MUCH less capable the you, Fidd. He is probably over > medicated but when I tried to ween him off his meds a couple of years ago > disaster struck. He's dependent now and that's life. I have signed hm up > through DARS and am starting the paper work to get guardianship and get on > the gravy train. I feel a little dirty but it's the only way to get some > money back from the greedy politicians. If they would just leave us alone I > feel I could take good care of my family on my own but taxes are KILLING > ME. Property, fees, energy bills, water bills, capital gains, AARRGG. > > I give up. I'm getting in line for my cut of government's ill gotten > gains. It makes me feel a little ashamed but I feel I'm backed into a > corner here. I'm going to try to go on the hand out list and if I need to > take a pay cut to get on it I may go ahead and get another job that doesn't > pay as well. I'll have to weigh the cost/benefit. If I'm at home more I > can stop paying the house cleaner and do more of my own yard work. > I've been thinking over this reply for a while, Don. Please believe me, condescension wasn't at all on my radar when I posted about HCR on my blog. What goes on in the USA IS of interest to us all over the world, if only because you're one of the biggest kids on the block and our lives and fortunes are linked with yours in all kinds of ways, politically, militarily, economically and (perhaps most importantly) culturally. Networked world, global village and all that. And this linkage is reciprocal - something that many US Americans often seem to forget. As I stated on my blog, one of my main concerns is to try to understand what makes Sarah Palin's "Joe Sixpack" tick (not that I would dream of putting you into this category - for me you are a great example of a thinking, engaging conservative, which is one of the reasons I value you so much). He's not a unique phenomenon, his German equivalent is called "Hans Wurst," reads the "Bild" newspaper and believes, for example, that the euro is way softer than the good old D- Mark and is completely impervious to all evidence which proves the contrary - but that's just an aside. On reflection, I think I recognise a fundamental difference in attitude between us, or between US and European culture, more generally seen. I stress that this observation is, from my side, not value-laden in any way, simply something which helps me reach an inkling of understanding. You describe a possible move to obtain public benefits for you and yours as "get[ting] on the gravy train" and "getting in line for my cut of government's ill gotten gains" and state that this "makes [you] feel a little ashamed." I think this comes from that great positive value-meme which is so central to the US American experience; freedom/self-reliance/personal responsibility. In a similar situation, I (and, I believe, the vast majority of Europeans) would think very differently, seeing particular needs, which were not self-caused, as being cases of entitlement in a mutually dependent society. In that sense, it's nothing to be ashamed of; far from it, it's a right. It's another positive value-meme, having to do with societal solidarity/communal responsibility. Europeans get just as hot under the collar as US Americans about welfare fraudsters - and they also (at least those of us in the middle) get angry at rich tax evaders. Perhaps the emphasis is slightly different because we see both groups as trying to deceive and exploit the necessary solidarity which is the basis of a decent society. I don't think these two value-memes are contradictory, on the contrary, I believe a healthy society needs both. Perhaps it's a question of emphasis, where cultures can learn from each other. Which, of course, assumes that they are prepared to listen. Francis -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups ""Minds Eye"" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/minds-eye?hl=en.
