Posted on 08/18/2013 6:00:08 PM PDT by Kaslin
For many years I've made a fundamental assertion about the American culture. There is a divide within the U.S.A. that is more divisive than homosexuality, abortion, and just about any left/right debate that can be imagined.
The trouble is it shouldn't be.
The singular difference that separates the two halves of America is repulsive, but it is dressed up as compassion. The issue creates enslavement, but the reality is--it should be liberating. It is manipulated by "civil rights" leaders, though they profit directly from the slavery. It is held in silence in America's pulpits less someone think that in discussing it a pastor comes off as too self righteous.
It is the only thing that separates the income levels people achieve.
And it is the solution to nearly every problem that Washington DC seems to take great delight in making aggressively worse these days.
People will be labeled racist for merely bringing it up, though it has zero to do with the origin, race, nationality, ethnicity, or biology of a person.
In many ways this issue is both a sign of hope, and a sentence of death for the nation that America could become. So what are we to do about it?
The issue is a mindset, a way of viewing the world, when Americans awake in the morning.
It divides us somewhat like this:
On one hand a man swings his legs over the side of his bed, plants his feet on the floor, first thing in the morning and makes a personal vow to himself that his children, wife, and self will not eat unless he does his job. That the true success of their family depends on him, and he knows that he must take personal responsibility for them in order to survive.
On the other hand is a man who swings his legs over the side of his bed, plants his feet on the floor, first thing in the morning and makes a public proclamation that the reason he can't get ahead is because the world is stacked against him, he needs President Obama's help, his Obamaphone, federally provided health care, welfare, food stamps, and more.
Not all humans fit neatly or perfectly as one or the other, but their way of thinking does. One sees himself as humble, responsible, and morally obligated to serve his family for the good things in life to be enjoyed. The other sees those who have more than himself as people who are the problem and should be forced to pay for his suffering, misery, and failure.
Typically progressive leftists prop up many of those types as political pawns to enjoin votes from the disaffected masses.
Which makes the words that Ashton Kutcher said to the Teen Choice Awards so profound.
Kutcher is a celebrated actor, married to Demi Moore--who is considerably his elder, and appears to have maybe the most fun of anyone in all of Hollywood.
When he was honored by the Teen Choice Awards he even rebuffed their courtesy by saying he was the "old guy."
But it was his assertion following that joke that stood out in the viral internet noise this week.
He told the teens that to him "opportunity" in life, looked to him a lot like "hard work."
He told of a series of jobs he had before getting into acting--all of them manual labor, all of them non-ideal, and then he added what may be the most profound thing to be said by a member of Hollywood... ever.
He said, "I've never had a job I'm better than!"
Meaning he found dignity in the opportunity to work a job... any job... every job, and to provide for himself.
The fact that the video has gone viral with thousands of copies racking up millions of views across the web, only serves to reinforce how rare this message is today.
And yet he couldn't be more correct.
There is a dignity that comes from working hard, sometimes in life working even harder than what you believe is endurable, but with it comes the confidence that you will be prepared for a better opportunity (more hard work) when it is presented to you.
If every American adopted this mentality, we could become a debt-free economic machine that could feed every family in our borders and pour philanthropy across the globe.
But while we have administrative handouts, disguised as "programs that help people", we won't gain freedom--but rather extended enslavement.
And that is a sad picture of America's new tomorrow!
A tomorrow--we no doubt believe--we are better than
‘zackly !
I learned something from every job I’ve ever had. It doesn’t matter whether I held the job for a week or 18 years.
Kutcher is right. You’re not too good for a job.
The dichotomy is decent as far as it goes, but there are a good many people in the world who fit neither description, and depend on the work of others. There is a reason kids don’t have jobs until they reach a certain age. There is a reason some people literally do not have the capacity to get out of bed in the first place. The proper context and foundation for living responsibly is realizing from the get go one is a creature whose very being in time depends every moment solely on the grace of God, the Creator. To the extent any individual swings his feet out of bed (or not) ignores this fact, he does so at his and his neighbor’s peril.
The answer for me is never. There is a corollary question which is equally telling. “Have you ever held a job foe which many or most people would look down on you?” A caveat - the job must be non-criminal and morally proper.
I’ve held an assortment of agricultural, service, blue collar and management positions. They paid the bills, even during numerous strikes which idled me though I disagreed with the actions. I even had my own small import business which was the most difficult. During a strike and later when coming back from an industrial injury, I was a janitor. Unpleasant but essential work, why look down on it. Imagine a world without janitors.
Kutcher’s best work was in the “70s” JMO
His statement rings wonderfully true though. In tho older days this would have been stated as “if you are too proud to sweep floors to feed yourself or your family, then starve.”
Moving up from an entry job used to be about ambition, drive, and hard work. It seems now that it is an entitlement.
Even with all the YouTube hits, it may be too little too late.
KYPD
I am pretty fortunate to have n office that appreciates every job as important. Because every job IS important.
The few new employees we have had that don’t agree have been replaced.
I do have an issue with the younger folks that want to come in and run the company.
I think you are way over thinking his response. His response is that any job is better than no job. You take the job you can get, work hard and look to step up to the next opportunity.
Good possibility. I over think a lot of things.
Yes, it was a very good message...
You or others (in the past at least) did not need an education to get ahead but you did need the right attitude. That means that you understood that you were uneducated and maybe not as smart as others nor as educated but you would strive to succeed. If you wanted to exceed in a particular field, there were books...
The result in my case worked out well. No high school diploma, but with some education (mostly just the experience of something new in my life) in the military succeeded very well. It was mostly done by excitement of learning new things via books rather than school learning. That actually paid off many fold later. I’ve always said since that experience that I can do anything if it is available in books. Actually that is the experience of my similar aged folks - Jobs is an excellent example.
The most important thing to my mind, even today is do you want to learn new things. If you do, you will succeed! There is nothing else that will replace that attitude.
Today’s generation - my hopes are becoming a bit less hopeful. Maybe it is just the expected outcome of government today and it is really bad!
Yes, it was a very good message...
You or others (in the past at least) did not need an education to get ahead but you did need the right attitude. That means that you understood that you were uneducated and maybe not as smart as others nor as educated but you would strive to succeed. If you wanted to exceed in a particular field, there were books...
The result in my case worked out well. No high school diploma, but with some education (mostly just the experience of something new in my life) in the military succeeded very well. It was mostly done by excitement of learning new things via books rather than school learning. That actually paid off many fold later. I’ve always said since that experience that I can do anything if it is available in books. Actually that is the experience of my similar aged folks - Jobs is an excellent example.
The most important thing to my mind, even today is do you want to learn new things. If you do, you will succeed! There is nothing else that will replace that attitude.
Today’s generation - my hopes are becoming a bit less hopeful. Maybe it is just the expected outcome of government today and it is really bad!
Sorry for the double posts, seems to be really slow response with this site right now...
Upon reflection, you missed the point entirely. Of course you moved on, we all strive to do that, but the author was saying that he was not better than any job he had held. If you are to be believed, you were too good to tutor. That is not what the author said or meant. You take pride in your work, no matter what it is, and I'll just bet that you were a good tutor and took pride in that.
Apples and space shuttles.
“I learned something from every job I’ve ever had.”
Hear, hear. This statement is absolutely true. I learned a great deal about working with people when I was a busboy in a restaurant at 15. It’s a darned shame that the way our society is structured now, regulations and laws, and so on, many “children” - and I do mean, children - don’t actually get their first job until they graduate college. This, of course, makes them almost completely worthless until they are in their late 20’s.
I always get a smile when asked if i would like a store card.
‘Would you like a CVS card?”
“No I like to pay for my stuff.” : )
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