clulup
Member
Registered: Jan 2003
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Posts: 191 |
 Incapable of health insurance?
quote:
Originally posted by MarkEagle
Sure it does. It proves she has the gusto to go out and do what she needs to do to be successful. She (or anyone for that matter) doesn't need to please the masses. She only has to be able to look at herself in the mirror and feel self-respect for herself and her efforts.
Isn't that what overcoming discrimination (of any sort) is all about? I'm sure she's had to work at honing those attributes since they don't tend to come without at least a little effort. I call it the Little Train That Could mentality: I think I can, I think I can, I know I can, I know I can...
It's also possible that as a man she'd be working twice as hard for half as much. She (and we) will never know... I realize that the statistics say women work harder for less than their male counterparts, but as with most things, I think they're painted with pretty broad strokes. Remember, there's exceptions to every rule.
As Yorick said, he felt he needed a change. Hopefully, he knew the risks before he took the plunge. I'm sure he knows that he's made his bed, so now he has to sleep in it. It seems to me that he's not looking for any handouts, but perhaps maybe just a hand up... and there's a huge difference between the two!
I've always followed a simple saying I saw as a youngster (I even used it as the quote in my High School yearbook): The future belongs to those still willing to work and get their hands dirty.
Get their hands dirty? Do dirty things? Or do you mean farming? (just kidding, ok?)
Life is not that easy. Not everybody has the same possibilities: E.g. intelligence is strongly heritable, other physical factors (looks, size, energy, etc.) also cannot be influenced by the individual. Many emotional aspects depend a lot on the social environment: some children are constantly neglected while both parents work, are drunk, or whatever. You would not say that it is the fault of such children to grow up in a disadvantageous environment and end up with limited capabilities, both emotional and intellectual?
There is no way you can claim that every individual has the same chance to lead the life he or she wants. Of course your "I think I can, I know I can" mentality is a great thing, but it is the product of advantageous nature and careful nurture, and both nature and nurture are not influenced by the individual.
Of course we should always encourage individual responsibility, but this responsibility has it's limits.
And since this thread started about health: Few people are responsible for the leukaemia of their children, the breast cancer they get, or also many other diseases that cost a fortune. It can hit everybody, it has nothing to do with individual responsibility. Therefore, health insurance for everybody is by far the best and most fair way to share those risks. I still can't understand why the US seem to be incapable of installing such a system.
Last edited by clulup on 05-21-2003 at 12:18 PM
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05-21-2003 01:10 AM
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