A discussion was brought up on another thread. I had said Rand had disdain for the poor, for the needy. The response was as such:
Rand did not dislike the needy. Again, that is an incorrect assumption on your part. What she disliked (or, more accurately, loathed) were people who claimed that people of ability had the moral (and legal) responsibility to provide for the needy. She also felt that those people were at least in part responsible for keeping the needy that way since, if your highest goal is to help the needy, what are you to do if there are none?
Now, you can argue all day about whether that is true or not, but within the constraints of her philosophy, it’s not the needy that are the problem. There are plenty of needy who would never think of asking for, let alone demanding, a hand-out.
My response was:
If you had any real concern for people, saw any real value or human connection to them, you would FELL that it was your moral obligation to help them. in fact, you would feel (and think) that people who thought like Rand were selfish, callous, whatever negative word you want to use. I’m not arguing with you about your claims of Rand, I’m not making my criticism personal to you, I’m saying the content of what you are saying is a logical mismatch.
So what say you all. Can you have true concern and compassion for the needy and at the same time be resentful if you are forced to help them?
actually, i probably give more money to homeless people than the average person and i don’t feel any misgivings. i’m not sure i am the best subject for that example.
are you saying, however, people can give money to the homeless, care about people in general, but still feel put upon when they do give this help?
Right because doctors want to keep people sick so that they can profit from their illness and cops really want crime and firefighters really want fires. This is just a retarded respopnse and I hope you told them so.
The problem is that a lot of folks have compassion for the needy but conservatives have convinced them that the people being helped by government welfare programs aren’t needy, they are lazy takers who take while you bust your ass to provide for your family and pay your taxes. Heck these moochers even have color TVs and microwaves.
If I ever feel resentful for helping a panhandler its because I think they are probably drunks. I don’t feel resentful that some of my tax dfollars are going towards the WIC program or food stamps.
If you’re giving an alcoholic money, you’re not helping them. When my long ago ex reached his nadir he was not eating at all, just living off the calories in the booze. Please buy them a sandwich and maybe some soap or toothpaste and a toothbrush, or clean socks, or something like that, or just don’t give them anything and instead contribute to the local soup kitchen or whatever.
yeah, i help homeless people a lot and you can tell the ones who have a “legitimate” need by saying let me buy you some food. the ones who really want help and not just a drink are very easy to spot. not that an alcoholic is by definition evil, i’m just backing up what you’ve said.
Since you’ve taken the time to start a thread in the appropriate forum for a change, allow me to say that you are a knuckle-dragging blithering idiot, a troll, or possibly both. Also, when did you learn how to punctuate correctly? You seemed rather proud of your unwillingness to use the shift key in your wimmins is week and illogical thread.
ETA: On preview, I see your inability to figure out how to use the shift key has returned.
Rand did not dislike the needy. Again, that is an incorrect assumption on your part. What she disliked (or, more accurately, loathed) were people who claimed that people of ability had the moral (and legal) responsibility to provide for the needy. She also felt that those people were at least in part responsible for keeping the needy that way since, if your highest goal is to help the needy, what are you to do if there are none?
Now, you can argue all day about whether that is true or not, but within the constraints of her philosophy, it’s not the needy that are the problem. There are plenty of needy who would never think of asking for, let alone demanding, a hand-out.
Rand seemed to forget all this right before she started receiving medicare
But it would be handout if the medicare services she received exceeded how much she paid into it, would it not?
That’s how the system works, after all. More people paying in than actually receiving. And some getting more services than others based on need. Which she loathed.
I have no idea whether or not she got more than she put in and that’s really not why I dislike the woman. Hypocrisy is the least of her faults.
We do. That’s why I’m not fussed about her getting social services which she paid into. The woman was a raging asshole. And yes, I’m aware that my reaction to her is visceral. But I’m not the least bit angry to see her benefit from a social system which she so obviously held in contempt. I’m sure the irony was not wasted on her.