Somewhere around 1985 in California I noticed that my students were hoping for a state job first, a federal job second, a municipal job third — and a private one last. Around 1990, suddenly two sorts of commercials were aired everywhere: how to join a law suit by calling a law firm’s 1-800 number or how to get a free power chair, scooter, or some other device by calling the 1-800 number of a health care company that would do the paper work for Social Security on your behalf.
People are being herded into imbecility by our government. No matter who’s at the helm.
By making education mandatory in one system, this is the inevitable outcome.
Charles Adler made a few comments today that were very similar to the ones Hanson wrote in the paragraphs under the heading “We are good and therefore can act badly”, and I agree 100%.
Morality can’t be regulated. It is taught, and it isn’t.
Now they want federal jobs first…
When I was growing up and going to elementary school in the early ’80s, my parents were convinced to enroll me into French Immersion. The main reason for it was so that I could have a chance at getting one of the cushy, for-life government jobs.
What sickening cynicism.
This also explains the difference between culture and politics. When I return to Saskatchewan the culture of NDP mentality hangs in the air. You don’t notice it at first, but the longer you’re there the more recognizable it is.
When I mention this to people they say, “Brad Wall was elected!” as though a change in government indicates a completely new change of slate in ever facet of life.
It’s not enough.
20% working people in Sask. are some type of government employees. They lead the way in wages and benefits. These are the most desirable jobs.
“the culture of NDP mentality hangs in the air”
It takes a very long time to completely remove a stench of this magnitude especially when backward, thuggish organizations such as SGEU, CUPE and SEIU use every means at their disposal to turn back the clock to the 1970’s.
The election, and upcoming re-election of the Sask Party is certainly a huge step in the right direction.
“When I was growing up and going to elementary school in the early ’80s, my parents were convinced to enroll me into French Immersion. The main reason for it was so that I could have a chance at getting one of the cushy, for-life government jobs. ”
Yup, same here Tom. Even the school curriculums were geared in that direction, including counselors starting at a very early age pushing students towards French and getting that useless BA in university so they could get that government job.
Somewhat emblematic of our American cousins malaise is the popularity of “American Pickers” and “Pawn Stars” on TeeVee – Glorification of short-term profit with minimal effort.
My parents were pushed into putting me in French immersion because of the federal funding. It did end up being a benefit. The french immersion schools were much better than the other ones. It’s just too bad that it was french immersion instead of cantonese or mandarin. You know, a language that would actually be useful to know.
Both of these commercials have always bothered me. First there are the power chair or scooter commercials, partly because the people shown in the commercials always seemed to be the kind of people that could afford to pay for it themselves. And then of course there are the law suit commercials; always aimed at the drug companies. There should be no one in our country, US, who should complain about how much the drug companies are charging us for their drugs.
“In Suetonius’s Twelve Caesars, the theme is not just imperial decadence and cruelty, but also the blind passions of the mob that the elite so cynically manipulate for their own useless privilege and nonsensical indulgence.”
Sheer poetry!
One of life’s most egregious disappointments is when people on a crusade cannot see that they ARE being manipulated,and it’s even more sad that the manipulators aren’t particularly discreet about it.
The first fruits of Western Neo-Liberalism: a population of Eloi.
It’s Medicare that pays for the fancy power chairs. Social Security just gives people cash.