Comment by thegrimmest
2 years ago
So it sounds like you're saying that modern life is too complex to effectively navigate? There are many examples of rather simple people from humble beginnings navigating it successfully.
Your straightforward example consists of someone who consciously makes a short-term decision on the basis they won't be around to deal with the consequences. In your specific example, why should we externalize their risk? Isn't it theirs to take, and aren't the consequences theirs to own? If their assumption turns out to be wrong, don't they already have more than enough to be happy about?
You're basically suggesting we subsidize the short-term thinking of people who for whatever reason are not planning for their own future? What is the moral reason that entities them so such a subsidy?
I'm also speaking from lived experience. I was born into a single parent household of very poor recent immigrants. I'm also not a financial expert, but my thesis is you don't need to be to avoid falling into obvious debt traps.
> the left behind in the 2020
I am sorry about your brother. Do you think he was not personally, individually responsible for his decisions and actions? I've not met any employer who isn't clamouring for someone that will: 1) be sober 2) show up on time 3) work hard. Anyone who can do these three things can excel. There are countless instances of careers that span from entry level to executive. This is substantiated by research that shows "grit" as the key determining factor for economic success.
> I’ll kindly thank you to address the substantial points
Your thesis is that not all individuals have the same capacity to manage risk due to systemic inequalities or immediate crises. I agree with that. I simply disagree that this is a morally unacceptable status quo. I see society as a liberal ecosystem, where organisms are continually succeeding and failing. The authority required to mount a collective response to these inequalities is too susceptible to corruption, and represents injustice in its departure from liberalism. Not to mention that well-meaning interventions by federated authority have an abysmal track record.
My brother was also cursed by epilepsy, which was likely in large part due to the lead poisoning all of us received living in a house that should be condemned as young children.
I wish people like you faced anything like the consequences you so gleefully dole out for others.
I’m going to forget your username. Make sure I don’t have cause to remember it.
Do you mind me asking how your vocabulary is so good? Mine has shrunken over time and I'm looking for ways to help expand it.
As I said, I'm sorry about your brother, truly. That doesn't take away from the fact that all our curses and all our blessings are fundamentally ours to bear. I'm not doling out any consequences, just advocating for individualism and voluntary association. These are the principles that underpin our prosperity. I've lived through plenty of misfortune and suffering. All of that is mine though. I would rather die screaming in agony than pry greedily into the pocket of an unwilling stranger. I'm somewhat disappointed we cannot disagree about this in a friendly manner.