tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8078379512095504946.post407886461659348325..comments2024-03-26T06:17:49.527-07:00Comments on Had Enough Therapy?: A Permanent Leisure ClassStuart Schneidermanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12784043736879991769noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8078379512095504946.post-35162101690434517772014-02-21T21:07:20.059-08:002014-02-21T21:07:20.059-08:00Work is a blessing. Adam was charged with taking c...Work is a blessing. Adam was charged with taking care of the Garden of Eden before the fall and sin entered the world. For Anonymous who says early retirement was great for his dad, he also said his dad worked part time, and kept busy with his church, etc. Ben Franklin observed that humans are social, that being isolated or shunned was harmful to the well being of individuals.<br /><br />It isn't all about working for health insurance. You have to eat, wear clothes, keep warm (or cool), watch tv, etc., that costs a lot also. <br /><br /> <br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8078379512095504946.post-25873211763939700682014-02-21T14:27:09.920-08:002014-02-21T14:27:09.920-08:00AO, good point. The work ethic only works if peopl...AO, good point. The work ethic only works if people have a vision how to succeed and that vision actually works.<br /><br />The real "slackers" are in training as we speak, those who don't have the self-discipline to use what they have been given prudently. So they can work two jobs, feel miserable, act out addictions and consumerism for instant gratification and self-pity and shame and denial at the end of the month, until they finally graduate into mental illness and government assistance.<br /><br />So Liberals "Help the poor" rewards failure and fails self-respect, and Conservative "People need pride in their skills to contribute to thrive" fails without a proper foundation which they refuse to fund.<br /><br />How do we rebuild a sense of community? Freedom to earn and spend money to buy things you don't need to impress people you don't like apparently isn't enough, even if it helps create jobs.<br /><br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8078379512095504946.post-66527421461536822902014-02-21T13:36:04.920-08:002014-02-21T13:36:04.920-08:00Envy seems the real problem with the wealth dispar...Envy seems the real problem with the wealth disparity and the declining middle class, with millions of people in deadend jobs they hate under crappy bosses, and underwater mortgages they'll never pay off, maxed out credit cards, and no hope of escape except by illness and death. <br /><br />So some people under such burdens can easily be manipulated into believing their suffering is caused by someone else's poor work ethics.<br /><br />The "work ethic" isn't a credible vision any more when everyone knows "real wealth" comes from investing money and getting lucky.<br /><br />The idea that employment is the only access to "community" for people is proof what our TV-addled consumer brains have become.Ares Olympushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09726811306826601686noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8078379512095504946.post-9090833870091595992014-02-21T13:05:25.817-08:002014-02-21T13:05:25.817-08:00re: "In truth, nearly all studies have shown ...re: "In truth, nearly all studies have shown that retirement is bad for your health."<br /><br />You could as well say "In truth, nearly all studies have shown that the universe is mostly empty." and you'd be saying almost as little.<br /><br />How many people need to stay at jobs they dislike so they can afford health insurance?<br /><br />My dad "retired" when he was laid off in his 50's and lived frugally off from stock options, and odd part time, no benefit jobs until he was 65+ and spent the rest of his time with his church community and ham radio community, doing things he loved doing. <br /><br />OTOH, he also had no health insurance for those 10+ years. It's a risky choice, and society pays the price anyway if "irresponsible" people like my dad eventually need expensive care.<br /><br />So if we now have 5% of "responsible" people ages 50-65 who stop working at McDonalds for health care benefits, because they've paid off their mortgages and can cheaply live off savings, ACA allows them a chance to retire, I don't think its going to hurt their health one bit.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8078379512095504946.post-5906622073054460672014-02-21T10:22:55.577-08:002014-02-21T10:22:55.577-08:00Not actually to make one, merely to call it one an...Not actually to make one, merely to call it one and hope that's close enough. Which it is for the NYT, WaPo, alphabet TV...Sam L.https://www.blogger.com/profile/00996809377798862214noreply@blogger.com