Last night, my husband and I were discussing what a civilizing influence work has on people. When you have to work for a living, you can’t afford to be a jerk. One of the many downsides of the welfare state is that multiple generations have lost the ability to solve conflicts in a civil way. Before you know it, we have feral youths committing assaults over cupcakes or murdering for tennis shoes.
That was something I had to learn -- fast. I didn't have Mommy & Daddy, let alone government, to fall back on.