joad58_847 Posted June 19, 2006 Share Posted June 19, 2006 As I view the ruins of a once great nation from its post-industrial squlor, I am not suprised. The attitude that the world owes me a living has over run our culture. In my city of Austin, Tx there is a big fight going on over the construction of toll roads. The current road system is totally inadequate as is the mass transit system for that matter. The attitude seems to be "you owe me a highway so I can drive any way I feel like any time I want to any place I feel like at 100 miles per hour on gas the President is expected to personally deliver to my house at a cost of 2 cents a gallon." The concept that everything costs something is totally lost on everybody. Another observation: my wife and I are square dancers, In the 20 years I have been dancing, I have watched the activity steadly decline. Clubs active for many years have folded due to lack of membership. Callers have stopped calling due to lack of work. Our national convention used to attract 8 to 10 thousand people. At last word, this years convention will have only about 5,000 people attending.The excuses people offer are all the same " I don't have time" " I'm not into commitments" " You have to learn to do it?" " You dance every week?" I believe this indicates a total inability to commit to anything- job, marriage, kids, school, a way of life. I am sorry to see this happen. My Grandfather came to this country from Italy in 1905 as a member of a labor gang to work on the New York City subway 10 hours a day 6 days a week with a pick and shovel for $1 A DAY. HIs son my father passed away in July of 2003. He was a COL in the Air Force, a graduate of St. Francis College, An oral surgeon and dental anesthetist. His grandson is me. I am a 1969 graduate of Texas Tech University. I am retired from the Texas Army National Guard as well as the Federal Civil Service. At the age of 58 I have started a second career as a warehouse laborer. I own my own home which is paid for. We have two cars one paid for. None of this was accomplished by anyone who sat around with a joint in one hand and a beer in the other and said "you own me". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merlin Orr Posted June 19, 2006 Share Posted June 19, 2006 Joad I welcome YOU to this Forum. I don't know how many here share your views...but be sure of this.....I DO! ( Insert firm handshake icon!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skywalker Posted June 19, 2006 Share Posted June 19, 2006 Jim, unfortunately it's a worldwide problem, and I happen to hate it too. I'm from your ancestors country, and I experience the same problems here... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tightloop Posted June 19, 2006 Share Posted June 19, 2006 Nice post.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bigbadaboom Posted June 19, 2006 Share Posted June 19, 2006 Lazyness starts with lazy parenting. It's the "Trickle Down" effect. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AustinMike Posted June 19, 2006 Share Posted June 19, 2006 Ain't it the truth! Austin seems to have more than its fair share of people barreling around in bloated gas guzzlers weaving around on I-35 while yapping on cell phones and drinking Cafe Lattes, eating Krispy Kreme doughnuts, wondering why traffic is so slow and why there are so many accidents and why somebody won't do something about it, for free, of course! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SiG Lady Posted June 19, 2006 Share Posted June 19, 2006 Ah, the Italian heritage thread. My great-grandfather came here from Italy, settled in the then-lush north San Francisco Bay Area, proceeded to work his a** off for ages, started several businesses, founded a small town, managed a sawmill and generally was loved and respected by many. Entitlements? Heck, they didn't know the meaning of the word. You worked or you died... It was that simple. You pulled your weight or you died. At my current age, I've started over several times, but am currently engaged in a new job that is very physical as well as technical, and lifting and carrying is part of the gig. Makes you really stop and think... at my age. It's never really too late to 'start over' if you WANT to. Mostly, though, I feel that I MUST work and I actually ENJOY it. One of my co-workers is 90 and he's incredible. Another one is over 70 and I thought SURE he was younger than me. I also do a bit of steady community (Sheriff's Office) volunteer work--a commitment that must make young "you owe me" types cringe with disbelief. Criminy, what ELSE are people supposed to do with their lives if not 1.) pull their weight, and 2.) contribute to their respective communities??!! This is not how I was raised but it is, somewhere along the way, how I decided to BE. Long live responsible people!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3quartertime Posted June 19, 2006 Share Posted June 19, 2006 Good rant! Always a good thread when someone gets some crap out. Always another bonus when the thread gets our Siggy fired up! lol... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SiG Lady Posted June 19, 2006 Share Posted June 19, 2006 Well, I'm in close proximity to an individual who has wasted his/her entire life doing nothing, feigning illness, clinging dependently to another individual who's not fit to "care" for this person and who will ultimately profit hugely from it all... while I work my ass off for minimum wage most of my life and take the health and psychological beating that goes along with it. However, I've gained knowledge and experience and satisfactions that this person will NEVER gain in his/her current lifestyle due to his/her self-neglect and blatant neglect of others and of his/her community. These people deserve nothing as far as I'm concerned. So, about these matters I get easily fired up. But righteously so. I'm holding up MY end. Why can't other people...??!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tightloop Posted June 19, 2006 Share Posted June 19, 2006 Who said you weren't holding up your end..? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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