There Seems To Be Something Wrong
Posted: Friday, January 22, 2010
by Jack H. Schick
After the stock market dropped over 300 points the last couple of days, I heard two people say they were glad about it. I was shocked and troubled, maybe a bit angry. Each person had a different reason why they were glad that so many people lost so much money. I was even more concerned when each person's reason resonated with me to an extent. I wondered if some dark mania had over come me, if some perverse spirit had taken root in my heart. How could I, for a moment, believe what happened was good?
At first I thought, "Yeah, where's my piece of the pie? These crumbs ain't cutting it. They give me a 3% raise and my electric goes up 10%. It's not fair that I can't get rich too." But, I thought about it for a minute. If I steal money out of the pockets of the "Fat Cats" because I think they stole money out of mine, are we both thieves? Who says they got the money illegitmately, anyway? I've got my retirement money on Wall Street. I got hurt yesterday. I don't really know what they do on Wall Street. It seems that if they make money I do too. Am I jealous? Am I greedy?
The other guy was happy so many people lost so much money because he thinks it will hurt the Obama adminstration. He believes that the "fundamental change" he was promised is an intentional destruction of the society as he knows it. He believes we will change to a socialist 'nanny state' that will eliminate all individual responsibility. He believes the first guy's opinion is a big part of the problem, that he wants everything handed to him with no work.
"I'll jump on that band wagon," I thought. I don't like the philosopy of entitlement I think I see emanating out of the White House and Congress. It does seem like they are intent on the destruction of what I consider the American Ideals. But, after reflection, I thought, "I'm first and foremost an American. Majority rules. I believe in the Constitution. I've lived through administrations I disagreed with before. I can 'vote the bums out'." But, to be glad people get hurt to assure my point of view is eminent is a failure of my heart and a prostitution of my intellect.
So, some think The Rich are cheating us. Some think The Government is trying to enslave us and corrupt our ideals. Neither cares if people are hurt. I agree with both sometimes. I'm going to have to meditate on this awhile. I'm going to have to look inside myself to see where the problem is. There seems to be something wrong.
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More commentsYou are all over the place with your argument(s) and further more the points of information you use to prove your ever shifting position(argument) are as much all over the place as the argument(s) you are attempting to make.Ultimately I think your closing statement is the best point (that can be made period) you made; furthermore, a statment such as "look inside myself to see where the problem is" should be the only focus of the argument you are making.In my opinion humanity needs to take a good look at it's self as a whole and in part, and not a good luck at the humanity we so cunningly portray to each other every day, but the dirty truth about who we are and how we've come to operate.* Personal Note for the WriterRemember, just because you have grown to believe something (believe in something), feel the need (live) to be a certain way doesn't mean that ways right. It just means that's how things are, this is why "change" is so important...it leads us on to greater things we may have never otherwise known were possible. Fear mongering keeps people in check and others in charge, so to think that there are many unwitting evil forces in the world constantly wanting things to stay the same should not be a stretch of the imagination for a person to believe.For as long as things stay the same so will the powers that be and the people who control them.Ts.Thanks for reading and commenting. The final paragraph is, after all, the only point, isn't it? Look at it as a psycological study, rather than a persuasive essay.
I agree Jack! There are no shortages of opinions these days on what others are doing wrong! I guess sometimes it is easier to complain! Thanks for making us think!Thanks for reading and commenting, Laura
Enjoyed this before and now on Reader's Club - well put thoughts and good way to get the reader thinking also. Marijo
Thanks for the food for thought.thanks fro reading
I think you bring up some good points that many of us are thinking about. I agree with you about needing to care about whether people get hurt or not. I believer that two wrongs never make a right. Even if people do something wrong, treating them wrongly in return doesn't make it right. There are ways out there to deal with the problems we see in a given society or administration without bringing it to a personal level against people involved. Bringing it to a personal level lowers our credibility, changing the focus from objective principles to simply how we feel about people... Society today needs people who are able to rise above personal feelings, even if they have been wrongly treated or hurt, in order to address the root issues - policy, ethics, principles... Thanks for your reflections!Thanks for reading and commenting. I agree with you. As a Quaker I realize that the Truth and the Light lies within me. I seek for harmony with the Spirit.
Thanks for your article. You don't wish people back just to correct injustice. It's not only the rich that have stocks, the poor also have. So the meltdown affects everybody in some special way.Yes- Thanks for reading and commenting
I understand the conundrum. I find myself there from time to time. Article definitely makes you think about your views and perspective.Thanks for reading and commenting
Great article Jack. I think we need to drop the word blame from our vocabulary and try to get to root causes so we can find a solution. It would be nice if our country would become united again. Thanks for sharing. Linda Dthanks for reading
Jack,I don't tend to get too worked up when the market drops. It's going to go back up.Similarly, I don't get too upset when an administration tries to fundamentally change this country against our will. Americans tend to remember these things, at least until the next election.Thanks for sharing, and pointing out some misguided reasoning.Thanks for reading
There is always one positive way to benefit financially when the DOW losing points: Trade options instead of stocks directly. If you know to play the game right, you earn a profit when the value of the stock goes down.thanks for reading
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