If you are of the um. . .older generation, you likely remember Kennedy’s inaugural speech that ended with what would come to be a famous quote: “. . .Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country.” If you’re my age (that is to say born well after 1961) you probably need to revisit this speech.
Our Sense of Entitlement
For some reason, our culture is embedded with a sense of entitlement. We feel as if we are owed. . .simply for existing. Now, I’m not speaking on an individual basis per se, but rather a cultural nuance that things should just be simply because we are Americans and we live in the United States.
In fact, dare I say, that much of our current distress has been brought on by this sense of entitlement. Take for example, the housing crisis. I have read extensively about these awful banks who took part in illegal or at the very least seedy lending practices, and our woes are all the banks fault. But may I point out that if people only bought houses that they could afford, and only borrowed money that they were relatively sure that they could pay back–the housing crisis might not be so bad? Yes folks, throw cyber tomatoes at me but I’m going to say it: if we redefine and clarify our needs and wants, we may find ourselves much more financially stable. While I certainly realize there are exceptions–dare I say that if we as a nation began living within our means–regardless of how modest those means are. . .we might be better off in uncertain economic times.
Now I’m not saying that the government is never corrupt–in fact I believe quite the opposite is true. But I don’t believe it’s the government’s job to fix all our woes. . .which brings me back to Kennedy’s famous speech.
He poignantly ends his speech with the charge to ask what we can do for our country. The other day I asked about campaign refinancing and if it was the people who were weak or the system. Today I’m asking this: if you want a stronger country–what are you willing to do to obtain one? We are not entitled, but rather those who have gone before us worked very hard. Do we have the same level of perseverance necessary to keep going?
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