Sidewalks pit neighbor against neighbor

[Obama 2012 1,714]

I can actually see his point, however, like I said, it's fight or flight, not sit and b!tch. I'd hate myself if I didn't do anything about it and if I truly believed their sovereignty was null and void.

so you're pro 'revolution?'

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Sure they do. I didn't have much growing up at all. We didn't have money for me to get what I wanted/when I wanted. I was fed and clothed, but outside of that, I was very very lucky if I ever got anything outside of a few things at Christmas.

I realized what others had and what I wanted at a young age and I actually went business to business when I was 12 years old trying to get them to hire me (even though the law wouldn't allow me to be hired until I was 14.) - I got my first job finally when I was 14 and didn't look back, because I had a choice. I could live with the hand I was dealt or I could start doing some things on my own.

Ayn Rand also grew up in abject poverty, which probably contributed to her views of selfishness as a virtue rather than a vice.

[Obama 2012 1,714]

Ayn Rand also grew up in abject poverty, which probably contributed to her views of selfishness as a virtue rather than a vice.

Who said anything about being selfish?

You misunderstand me completely. It's not about being selfish, it's about personal responsibility. It always has been.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

so you're pro 'revolution?'

Under the right circumstances, sure. For example, if I were a Libyan citizen right now, I'd revolting against Gaddafi as well. As for my current status as a USC though, I recognize the sovereignty of the U.S. and it's laws, so there's no fighting-against-the-government genes turned on in me right now.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Who said anything about being selfish?

You misunderstand me completely. It's not about being selfish, it's about personal responsibility. It always has been.

How do you hold a three year old personally accountable for not having enough food to eat?

[Obama 2012 1,714]

How do you hold a three year old personally accountable for not having enough food to eat?

A child is the responsibility of the parents.

People should also not be having children that they cannot afford to take care of.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

A child is the responsibility of the parents.

People should also not be having children that they cannot afford to take care of.

Ok, so a child born into poverty isn't really personally responsible for their economic condition.

I'd like to meet parents who could truly afford all the costs associated with having a child (medical, educational). No society ever puts the true cost onto the parents. That cost is looked at as societal investment - that one day, hopefully, that child will be functional member of society.

[^_^ 5,021]

Ok, so a child born into poverty isn't really personally responsible for their economic condition.

I'd like to meet parents who could truly afford all the costs associated with having a child (medical, educational). No society ever puts the true cost onto the parents. That cost is looked at as societal investment - that one day, hopefully, that child will be functional member of society.

Steven,

The species will continue just fine even if every child who gets sick does not survive or even if every child does not learn to read and write. These things we say are needs are actually wants.

[Obama 2012 1,714]

Ok, so a child born into poverty isn't really personally responsible for their economic condition.

I'd like to meet parents who could truly afford all the costs associated with having a child (medical, educational). No society ever puts the true cost onto the parents. That cost is looked at as societal investment - that one day, hopefully, that child will be functional member of society.

I think there's been enough of a 'social investment' in the past century to last a couple of generations...

The last thing we need is continued exponential growth like we've seen.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Steven,

The species will continue just fine even if every child who gets sick does not survive or even if every child does not learn to read and write. These things we say are needs are actually wants.

There are children in this country that are dying from starvation, who would otherwise be healthy.

[^_^ 5,021]

There are children in this country that are dying from starvation, who would otherwise be healthy.

And that's sad but the species doesn't need for them to survive. They could all die today and the species would do just fine. It will continue to thrive.

Us wanting them to be healthy is a want. An emotionally driven want. Not a need.

[Obama 2012 1,714]

And that's sad but the species doesn't need for them to survive. They could all die today and the species would do just fine. It will continue to thrive.

Us wanting them to be healthy is a want. An emotionally driven want. Not a need.

There aren't many circles you can stand in and not be shunned out of for saying that either.

[^_^ 5,021]

There aren't many circles you can stand in and not be shunned out of for saying that either.

I have mandatory ethics training in half an hour. I am just using this thread to prep for it.

[Ban Hammer 13,484]

Ok, so a child born into poverty isn't really personally responsible for their economic condition.

I'd like to meet parents who could truly afford all the costs associated with having a child (medical, educational). No society ever puts the true cost onto the parents. That cost is looked at as societal investment - that one day, hopefully, that child will be functional member of society.

now that you put it that way, it sounds like a ponzi scheme.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

I didn't get why some streets had no sidewalks when I lived in LA. Just bizarre.

walk down the side part of the street in your neighborhood... who needs sidewalks?

Of course, I suppose this is dependent on the area you live not being overly busy with traffic, but most neighborhoods shouldn't have traffic unless you live in a very urban area, which would probably have sidewalks to begin with.

My problem is/always has been the 'publicly owned' but you're responsible for it... Screw that.

I'd rather (and did) walk on people's lawns rather than in the street. If the sidewalks were there, I wouldn't have done it.