Posted by alexandra_k on May 9, 2005, at 22:33:48
In reply to Re: I beg to differ, posted by gromit on May 9, 2005, at 19:39:34
It seems to be part of American ideology or whatever that people are wealthy because they have deserved it somehow. And people are poor because they deserve it somehow too.
The idea that everyone is on a level playing field to start with. That everyone has equal opportunities and then it is completely up to you what you 'choose' to do with your life. If you 'choose' to work hard then you will earn money. If you 'choose' to be a slacker then you will not. Why on earth should those with money help those without? They chose to slack around and they deserve what they get.
That seems to be the general idea.
But the playing field is not level.
As an example...
It isn't enough to simply free the slaves and then say 'they are free now - the playing field has been leveled' and then let them 'fend for themselves' and expect them to be able to compete fairly with people who do not have that background.
Oh no, it is not.
Not just because of continuing racisism etc which continues to shackle them but because in the race of life they were shackled from the starting line. It isn't enough to simply remove the shackles and expect them to catch up with their competitors who were never shackled.
To thieve someone or others shackled runner analogy which they use as an argument for affirmative action.
We do not choose who we are born to.
It isn't our fault if we are born into nothing
And it isn't because we are deserving that we are born into money.If money was solely a function of whether people were deserving or not then you would expect some people to 'climb the ranks' and other people to 'fall through the ranks'.
But what makes it most likely that you will get an education?
The fact that your parents did.
What makes it most likely that you will have money?
The fact that your parents did.
What makes it most likely that you will marry into money?
The fact that one of your parents did.
What makes it most likely that you will get a high paying job?
The fact that at least one of your parents did.Thats not because ones deserving is inherited.
Its because some people have an advantage from birth.
And other people have a disadvantage from birth.
The playing field isn't level peoples.IMO
Saying people are poor 'cause they 'choose' to be is just a way of justifying not having to worry about them.To say they deserve it because the playing field is level is simply false.
The playing field is not level.
And that is not fair.
I think it was Robert Nozick... Something about Anarchy, the State, and Utopia who wrote about this idea:
Imagine that somehow or other you are able to contemplate the world from a completely objective viewpoint.
Lets simplify... Just consider America. Consider all the people living there and imagine some people with money and some people without. Some people working good jobs, and some slogging their guts out for sh*t pay.
Now the point of the 'objective viewpoint' is that you have to develop a policy.
Should you let the rich keep their inheritance?
Should welfare be available?
Healthcare?
Should education be available for all?
Should people pay more tax to make such things feasible?The point of the 'objective view' is that you have to decide the policy. You have to decide all this WITHOUT KNOWLEDGE OF WHO YOU ARE.
You will have to go back and live in the country.
But you don't know whether you will be rich or poor.Now decide whether high taxes for the wealthy are worth it for the benefits of the improvement in the quality of life for the poor.
If you may be one of the rich...
But you may be one of the poor...But then if you get what you deserve maybe it won't matter if you end up with nothing. No welfare. No education. I mean if you get what you deserve, you will be able to climb your own way up - right?
Personally.
I'd rather things be levelled.
Sure you want to have more for working than you get for not working.
But either way you want enough to be able to have an education. To be able to eat healthily. To have medical care available to you.But even then...
Even then...
The playing field isn't level.
Not by a long shot.
poster:alexandra_k
thread:495094
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/poli/20050509/msgs/495827.html