Gary Drescher wrote:
"cjcampbell" wrote in message
oups.com...


Look at it this way: in my experience, most pilots do not routinely carry
expensive, extensive survival gear when they fly. Instead, at best, they
file flight plans and rely on being rescued if they survive a crash.
Nonetheless, pilots are (probably accurately) perceived as being, on the
whole, exceptionally self-reliant. Yet a comparable reliance on rescuers,
when exhibited by the hurricane victims, is extolled by some here as
evidence of the "gimme mentality" of the "welfare class" (without a shred of
evidence that most of the victims in question actually lacked employment).
People filter their perceptions through their prejudices, and see what they
expect to see. (These remarks aren't directed at your comments, CJ; I'm just
using your post as a hook.)

--Gary

I understand what you are saying, Gary. One of the big problems that we
are dealing with is a culture of dependency. It is too easy to extend
our perceptions of that problem to a point where people don't realize
how inter-dependent they are. A culture of dependency is classless. I
see it in rich and poor alike, among all races and people. It basically
says, "I cannot do anything for myself. It is up to the government, or
the rich, or somebody else, to provide for all my wants and needs." It
is basically a refusal to grow up, to remain forever a child who is
taken care of by its parents. The liberal mind, quite rightly,
perceives this belief as the tool of oppression.

Too many people try to fight the culture of dependency with a culture
of self-reliance. Although it may be somewhat of an improvement, the
culture of self-reliance says "I am responsible for myself. I have no
obligation to anyone else, nor does anyone have any obligation towards
me." Such a culture isolates people from one another. It is the culture
of the hermit. It does not recognize that your actions have an effect
on others, whether you wish it or not.

Both of these cultures are cultures of comparison. They dwell on the
concept of haves and have-nots, that what you are defined by how other
people perceive you, by your looks, your intelligence, your wealth,
etc. The culture of dependency views most people as children who are
taken care of by their wealthy and powerful mommies and daddies. The
culture of self reliance views people as competitors in a Darwinian
race where only the quick and powerful deserve to survive.

Many people pay lip service to a culture of inter-dependence, but in my
experience very few people really believe in it. No political
philosophy 'owns' the concept to a culture of inter-dependence. Both
modern liberalism and modern conservatism actually fight against it.
Politicians and governments for the most part are far more interested
in control than they are in helping people become better. So, like
lobsters in a pot, we keep pulling one another back into the boiling
water, and in the end we are all cooked. Far better to blame the
rescuers for being too slow, or not doing enough, than to help them out
or take what charge we can of our own lives. Far better to blame the
hurricane victims for being victims than to waste time and resources on
rescuing them. The actors come and go across the stage, but the script
is always the same.