That's what "we" do... compete. At all levels, for all things. Otherwise you fall into the "utopian" fantasy of the socialist and the communist. We compete from the time we squirt out of momma till the time we assume room temperature and they stick us in the ground.
If you realize that by "helping" your neighbor you both benefit, then you cooperate. If you find that by not helping your neighbor, but by helping his competitor you do well then you do it. That's what this country is based on. The right to compete and to succeed and to fail, both which you will get the rewards or the disaster.
It's called self interest and is a basic human characteristic . You may talk all you want about pie in the sky, kumbaya, hand holding... and it's not a bad thing, but don't confuse helping each other to compete as the same thing as "non competing" to allow all to achieve an equal outcome. Doesn't work.. never has, never will.
Our capitalistic society rewards hard work, innovation and persistence of effort... All three are needed to suceed. Not just "hard work".
My pop and I got into an argument when I was in the 7th grade about a teacher and I, when I came out with the statement, "That's not fair.".... He told me to go get the Bible, the Constitution and the Almanac and find out where it says that "Life is fair." .... He said, "Life, It's not fair son, deal with it. Sometimes bad things happen to good people, that's just life. It's not fair, it's just the way things are. So either change things, deal with things or move on. Otherwise you're just gonna be left by the side of the road whining like a little baby. "
Why should I pay $2000.00 dollars per car more if I don't have to. I can use that money to pay for better school for my kids, books, tv's, shoes, housing, and anything else I want to spend my money on. I don't need you, the government, or any liberal telling me how I "should" "give back" to anybody. Do I give to charities???? By the bucketful, why? Cause it benefits me. By doing good things, it helps to put my life in perspective, provides a balance to my family and gives them an example that money isn't everything. But it also shows that you reward hard effort.
As far as Corporations, CEO's and "stockholders"..... I don't think you understand what a stockholder is.... it's a bank to lend money to the corporation and by doing so will hopefully earn more money. Now the question is, are Americans used to short term gains to satisfy themselves... yes... I'd rather hold on to a company like Amgen, Mylan or Biogen for 12-15 years rather than by an internet stock hoping for a %1000 percent lottery homerun. If you hold a stock for 10 years and it goes up 3 times in value, but does so sporadically you AVERAGE %30 per year, but if you expect it to steadilly rise %30 every year... that person is a fool and deserves to loose his money for "gambling" and not analyzing the risk v. benefit of investing. Nothing personal, just business.... that's why libs hate "money". Cause it's just not "fair" to lose money when their kind little brains just knew they should make money.
sorry for the rant.. too much coffee.
I agree with you. However, look at the way the stock market is being worked today. I get the impression that most people have invested with the long term in mind. I don't think that officers of companies look at it that way though. They are focused on the short term gain - quarter to quarter gains and they don't even look for the long term growth of the company. If they did, they would invest in capital improvements. What's going to happen when all these companies that have moved to China no longer see the quarter to quarter growth they demand now. Where is there left to go?
That's what "we" do... compete. At all levels, for all things. Otherwise you fall into the "utopian" fantasy of the socialist and the communist. We compete from the time we squirt out of momma till the time we assume room temperature and they stick us in the ground.
While that is true in a human sense, I don't think that it has ever been as deliberate as it is now. We have become a nation of individuals competing with each other.
I'd read history if I were you
During World War II did we compete with each other? During the economic growth thta followed, did we compete with each other? I disagree. I think the one thing that made America strong was the concept of "E Pluribus Unum". Out of many one. Today it't just the opposite. Out of one - many. By that I mean we have lost the sense of oneness as a country. We are now millions of individuals competing for the same things. I don't think it was ever this bad.
I don't know what to do about it. I don't see competition as a bad thing per se. But, competition for the purpose of destroying every one else will do just that - destroy America. I have begun to look at things a little different now that I have 16 month old son. I truly fear for the future of this country and, by extension, his future.
You and I agree on most things, its the others that will carry this to the ultimate conclusion that frighten me.