No, it's not. What you are seeing in New Orleans is compelling evidence of the fact that poverty is less of an economic condition than a disordered state of mind. Granted -- there are a lot of folks trapped down there in New Orleans who are too old or infirm to fend for themselves. What is most disturbing, however, is the large number of people who are reasonably young and healthy enough to contribute greatly to the relief effort but who completely lack any sense of survival skills, initiative, etc. They've been denuded of these things through their life-long existence in an urban, nanny-state environment where it never took much effort to survive.
Just go back and read through all of the breaking stories on this topic over the last couple of days. If I read one more quote from a 40-something year old man who is bitching and complaing that "they're not doing nothing for us" (without ever really having a clear grip on who "they" is), I think I'm going to vomit.
Maybe I shouldn't be so harsh. It seems to me that the most able-bodied young males down there are firing guns at the helicopters and boats that are supposed to be rescuing these people.
Degeneracy is a lifestyle choice made easier when food, housing and medical care are provided at other people's expense. The vile behavior is a "saw the chance and took it" thing; they're not "deparaved on acounta they're deprived."
"No, it's not. What you are seeing in New Orleans is compelling evidence of the fact that poverty is less of an economic condition than a disordered state of mind. Granted -- there are a lot of folks trapped down there in New Orleans who are too old or infirm to fend for themselves. What is most disturbing, however, is the large number of people who are reasonably young and healthy enough to contribute greatly to the relief effort but who completely lack any sense of survival skills, initiative, etc. They've been denuded of these things through their life-long existence in an urban, nanny-state environment where it never took much effort to survive.
Just go back and read through all of the breaking stories on this topic over the last couple of days. If I read one more quote from a 40-something year old man who is bitching and complaing that "they're not doing nothing for us" (without ever really having a clear grip on who "they" is), I think I'm going to vomit.'
Might be a good time to grab some trash bags and teach the young ones how to keep pick up after themselves also. Oh well . . .