tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7786112280005647188.post1309991210806835849..comments2023-03-25T05:49:46.499-07:00Comments on Journey of Life: InheritanceJourney of Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14814279353807130008noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7786112280005647188.post-22598591997220590172012-08-15T13:36:00.452-07:002012-08-15T13:36:00.452-07:00Interesting reaction. Do not wish to hijack the J...Interesting reaction. Do not wish to hijack the Journey so to speak, so I'll just make four quickie comments.<br /><br />1) I agree that it is a measure of the basic decency of a "society," how it cares for those "in need." <br /><br />2) "Society" and "the government" are hardly the same thing; Americans are, in my experience, the most compassionate, giving lot in the world - far, far more willing to give of their OWN time, talent, and treasure than many other putatively "compassionate" societies<br /><br />4) Forcing someone else to foot the bill for what we feel priorities ought to be (tax burdens placed on others as opposed to our own voluntary giving to charitable causes) is not compassion<br /><br />5) The definition of "in need" is likely open to wide interpretation. As an example, a child born with severe handicaps or an old-age pensioner who cannot work are truly needy. A student at an elite university (say, Georgetown Law School) who likely will graduate to a high-profile, high-pay job is not.Jenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12518138151323242017noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7786112280005647188.post-28000578417388425752012-08-14T22:11:26.188-07:002012-08-14T22:11:26.188-07:00Yeah ...very true!Yeah ...very true!Journey of Lifehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14814279353807130008noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7786112280005647188.post-83618911487533670112012-08-14T18:23:11.265-07:002012-08-14T18:23:11.265-07:00Interesting post. What most upsets me is the lack ...Interesting post. What most upsets me is the lack of compassion what seems to have entered American politics. A civilisation is only as durable as how it cares for those in need. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7786112280005647188.post-7950451226059637662012-08-14T09:14:24.400-07:002012-08-14T09:14:24.400-07:00I couldn't have said it better! Very UNFORTUNA...I couldn't have said it better! Very UNFORTUNATE that "corruption, arrogance, and sloth .." have returned them to the 'poverty of sandals.' <br /><br />I was quite troubled --to the point that I was saddened, by the sites that I saw, especially in Egypt aside from its majesty temples and pyramids. Journey of Lifehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14814279353807130008noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7786112280005647188.post-89679261226273078272012-08-14T08:51:12.390-07:002012-08-14T08:51:12.390-07:00"Inheritance" is an interesting concept...."Inheritance" is an interesting concept. There is an age-old saying about family wealth: a family goes from sandals-to-sandals in three generations.<br /><br />Simply put, the first generation, through hard work starts poorly in sandals only, putting aside luxuries in building something. The second generation, taking the fruits of that work, rather than building, simply takes what it feels it is entitled to, spending on expensive leather shoes until... the third generation, lazy, greedy, and incompetent, returns to the poverty of sandals.<br /><br />All three of the civilisations you cite (China, Egypt, Greece) have experience this - at points in time being at the pinnacle of world wealth and power, but ultimately, through corruption, arrogance, and sloth (i.e., "we are the BEST, need to do nothing to maintain that, will always be the BEST, and are entitled by God, the fates, our own inherent superiority, to remain that way).<br /><br />All fell into torpor and poverty. The Egyptians have never really recovered. The Chinese, after a couple of centuries are starting to regain their position near the top.<br /><br />We've all seen this dynamic played out on a personal level - who doesn't know of a family where the parents built something that ultimately, their sons squandered. I agree that the most important, basic inheritance our children can and should receive is that of guidance and support to develop <i>themselves</i>; they are not entitled to our money, or wealth. To imply that they are is to hobble their ability to stand on their own.<br /><br />In Proverbs, there is a famous passage:<br /><br />"He that troubles his own house shall inherit the wind: and the fool shall be servant to the wise."DWBuddhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12955276932812880108noreply@blogger.com