We would rather be ruined than changedFollow

I'm trying hard to hope that you don't really think self-reliance is "outdated thinking". That'd be a sad commentary on some things.

Red,



And you wonder why you keep getting fired.


Ironically enough our idea of a good time is relatively similar. Well except for the sitting in the sun doing nothing but getting high bit.


These are the times when people like myself excel.

You know, I always assumed that people hung on my every word.

This has been a real eye opener for me.



Then why aren't you?

Here's the real kick: he thinks he's excelling by doing ****-all differently than normal.

Hell, by that standard I excel. We all excel! We're all like Lake Wobegon up in here.

I think the misconception by a lot of people who "fail" at it is that everyone can have a big stately home with 3 Mercedes in the drive. Recognition that every individual has an innate level, above which he or she can not rise, is the first step to true happiness. It may sound callous, but the world needs ditch diggers, too. Acceptance of one's place in the order of things (determined by their innate ability and nothing else, if the work hard enough), is key to thriving.

Some things remain true no matter the date.

It's not medieval, though. It's a recognition that every individual is born with a certain ceiling on his or her abilities. A higher ceiling will not necessarily be reached without hard work. A lower ceiling, with hard, work will sometimes result in a better end than a lazy person with potential. It's a recognition that even though the worth of a man may be no different one to the next their can be no such claim made as to the outcomes of their lives. Talent doesn't ensure success, hard work doesn't ensure success. Hard work coupled with talent rarely leads to failure when the expectation of the individual is realistic.

Flea,



True. But in times like these democrats tend to whine and b*tch about how unfair life is and turn that belief into a self fulfilling prophecy. And I have no problem taking full advantage of their misconceptions.

Have you people seen the price of houses lately? Have you seen the price of gold?

Constraints are different than outside forces.

I am optimistic. Not for the US, necessarily, to return to the 90's, US style, but for the US to look more like Europe did in the 1990s. And this is regardless of who politically is in power in the US. What I mean by this is: less spending on health care, less on the military, not a superpower militarily, less imports, more local production, generally: higher prices, higher wages, fewer jobs and far greater local autonomy.

By the way, this is not a hope, just what I feel is inevitable.

Here is roughly why: the world's population is transitioning from mostly poor to mostly some approximation of "middle class" (not US style, at least not yet). Now it is cheaper to produce goods where labor is cheap and transport them elsewhere. In the future, wages will rise elsewhere (China, for example) and fuel costs will be more expensive. Some of those manufacturing jobs? Ya, they are coming back. Not necessarily all back within US boarders, but closer. And at higher wages which means higher prices...and all the rest I said above.

About energy: I am an optimist on electricity. There are several ways we might generate comparably priced electricity. However, I am not an optimist on fuel prices. When the majority of people in China and India begin to drive cars, there will be a demand for fuel which cannot be offset by added exploration.

You mean when I wrote this...

Yeah. I'm relating it to ability.

So in your mind you can't conceive of a person with a natural ability for let's say, medicine, being unable to become a doctor if only he works hard enough, regardless of any other circumstance?