Sunday, February 28

You Deserve What??

It is really an interesting World that we live in today. We have the most that we have ever had in all of our history. There are more people living today than ever before. And yet, SO many people have this belief that they have a right, an entitlement, to everything and anything that they want. There seems to be this belief that we are owed something, simply because of how improved things are in our World today.

I think that today, we should challenge that attitude. :-)

So, let’s turn to our favorite Mr. Webster and see what he says about Entitlement.

Entitlement is:
The state or condition of being entitled, or belief that one is deserving of or entitled to certain privileges.

And Entitled means:
To furnish with proper grounds for seeking or claiming something.

So, it looks as though entitlement is a state where we believe that we have proper grounds to claim certain privileges. You know…I think that’s fairly accurate. My question today though, is does it really apply to us as people living in the World today?

What are we entitled to?

You hear about it every day, some of us experience it and some of us might even believe it applies to ourselves. That’s a belief that in some way we deserve something; that it’s owed to us. Really? Honestly, I think not. At least not how most people choose to interpret this. :-)

Most people that they are entitled to some combination of the following:

  • A good job
  • Freedoms (depending on where you live)
  • A place to live
  • Food to eat
  • Children
  • Love
  • Faith
  • Happiness

This list is probably MUCH longer, but you get the idea.

The bad thing is; we’re not entitled to any of those things. We may WANT them, and most of us will WORK for them, but in and of ourselves, we don’t DESERVE them just because. None of those things in this list are just given to us. Even here in the United States, freedom and faith are not just given to us. Freedom has cost MANY lives and lots of blood to gain, as had faith no matter what you believe.

It seems to me that most people today believe that they are entitled to some sort of handout or assistance. Unfortunately, this attitude is being encouraged by Governments, Minority Rights Groups, Religions, and many, many others. Sadly, there are LOTS of people that accept this and even come to rely on this. They would rather choose a form of slavery and dependence over taking care of themselves.

Argue all you want about the people that sadly find themselves in a position of needing assistance and how they don’t choose it, but you all know the reality of the 100+ to that one that choose to and live off the system.

I asked lots of my friends about what they felt they were entitled to in this life. I got a lot of great answers back. The common consensus and my thoughts too, is that in reality, we are ENTITLED to nothing. There are no guarantees in this life. What we get comes from how hard we try and if you want more then you have to roll up your sleeves and work your ass off for it.

So take a moment and think about all that you might have, and remember that YOU did all that. YOU made it happen. YOU are responsible for where you are at. And it’s 100% up to YOU if you want to have more or be better.

YOU can do it. I believe in you.

2 comments:

Forlorn Foodie said...

There is a huge error in context in what you asked and how you are interpreting responses - but also - there is a huge difference between 'entitlement' and 'guarantees' - you never asked us what we felt we were guaranteed!

Though, in a particular sense, we were also 'guaranteed' Freedom - but in a different context - more like the Freedom to guarantee our Freedom - which we never took advantage of.

Context, context, context... you know, like 'location, location, location'. It matters!

As I recall, the documents that forged the US specifically stipulate that we have a right to FREEDOM - to pursue our lives, our liberty, and our happiness. I see this as a 'entitlement' - it is promised to us in our Founding Documents. In the US, the idea is that you are born 'free', ie., not the property of the state.

But promising Freedom, does not guarantee it. A HUGE difference!

I certainly do NOT believe we are 'entitled' to jobs, education (though the US public education system is hardly something to want!), anti-depressants, or whatever it is people are always holding their hands out for.

It is our job to destroy the system (another thing the Founding Father's knew we'd have to do!) that promotes dependency on the government, and infringes on our rights by forcibly demanding wealth and freedom from one set of people (think IRS, more feared than any Secret Police!) to give to others in the form of social welfare, and such..

The Founding Fathers predicted this as well - though we've not listened in over 200 years.

That is our fight, will always be our fight - because some of us understand that Freedom means the right to pursue what we want - without infringing on the freedom of others - but we also have the Freedom to FAIL... which we are doing quite nicely.

We are entitled to Freedom - humans are not born to be the property of any individual or state system - which is what the Founding Fathers knew and fought for. It was their guiding principle.

However, nothing in life is guaranteed - and they knew that as well...

If you want to see quotes from our Founding Fathers and other great intellectuals through the ages, visit the following site:

http://quotes.liberty-tree.ca/quotes_about/liberty

Anonymous said...

What's legal and what's real? After we are born, there are no entitlements.

We have opportunities of one sort or another all our lives. No matter where we are born. Some are more limited than others. There are no entitlements.

We take what we are given at birth and make of our lives what we can. No one owes us anything. Thanks for a thought-provoking post.