Re: Economic musing, or a theory of deservation

In article <47E01F6E.877A6755@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>,
 Bill Turlock <"Bill Turlock "@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote:

> Mary wrote:
> > 
> > On Mar 18, 2:10 pm, Bill Turlock <"Bill Turlock "@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>
> > wrote:
> > > Mary wrote:
> > >
> > > > On Mar 18, 11:42 am, Dover Beach <moon.blanc...@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote:
> > > > > Mary <mrfeath...@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote 
> > > > >
innews:99a1e0c9-323c-43b4-ba8e-ee43d71c7e6f@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> > > > > om:
> > >
> > > > > > But yes:  I do.  I worked my tail off to get where I am: 
worked on
> > > > > > acquiring marketable skills, worked on making myself valuable
to 
> > > > > > the
> > > > > > company, and I continue to work to keep up in my field.
> > >
> > > > > Well, that's kind of the point that the writer is challenging. 
We 
> > > > > can
> > > > > mostly agree that some of your earning power can be attributed
to 
> > > > > being
> > > > > white and middle class and having decent parents and access to
decent
> > > > > schools and so on.  The writer's point is that the part you're
> > > > > attributing to free will and hard work are also attributable to 
> > > > > either
> > > > > nature or nurture, and either way, you don't get moral "credit"
for 
> > > > > it.
> > >
> > > > You can have the moral credit.  I'll take the money.
> > >
> > > > Seriously, I think there's a fine line.  Yes, many of the
> > > > op****tunities that I had/have were open to me because I had good
> > > > parents, a good education, and was lucky enough to have been born
into
> > > > the American middle class.
> > >
> > > > But that's no guarantee of success either.  I know lots of people
with
> > > > the same op****tunities who are in jobs they hate, or jobs they're
> > > > overqualified for, or both.  And while it's not always because
they
> > > > were just unlucky.
> > >
> > > > Some people make decisions that delay or obstruct their ability to
get
> > > > jobs they want.  Some people never learn that certain behaviors
aren't
> > > > acceptable in the cor****ate world.  To the extent that Lisa Ann
knows
> > > > that she can't stand in AnnieB's cubicle and scream "YOU'RE AN
IDIOT"
> > > > at her, Lisa Ann's choices drive her success.  And I've known
people
> > > > who act like that, so it's not like it's not a choice.
> > >
> > > > And then there are people who overcome disadvantages.  One of my
co-
> > > > workers here is from Uganda.  He emigrated, attended college and
grad
> > > > school here, and worked his way up in the company.  Does he get
moral
> > > > credit?
> > >
> > > > Or me, even.  My hearing's awful - if you have normal hearing I
hear
> > > > about half what you do.  Any success I've had is despite that.  Do
I
> > > > get moral credit?
> > >
> > > > > > I also just plain old work hard.  We all work hard here, and
it
> > > > > > shows.  Our company is well-run and very profitable, and it's
fun
> > > > > > working here.  Honestly, this is the job I've been working
toward 
> > > > > > my
> > > > > > whole life, and it's great.  It really is.
> > >
> > > > > Man.  I wish I liked my job that much.
> > >
> > > > At the risk of sounding really smug, this has been the best year
and a
> > > > half of my life from a career standpoint.
> > >
> > > > Mary
> > >
> > > ::clap clap:: happy for you!!
> > >
> > > I've had years like that. It's fun.
> > >
> > > Actually, the past ten days have been some of the happiest days
> > > of my life, by contrast with the previous eight months. :-)-
> > 
> > Excellent.  Anything nice that you can share, or just good times?
> > 
> > Mary
> 
> well, ummm... TMI... the BMs

Thank you for not running on.

-- 
bill
remove my country for e-mail