Entitlement Mentality

[vy65]

Some of the threads today got me thinking: is there any link between age and an "entitlement mentality?" By entitlement, I don't necessarily mean specific government programs (medicare, social security, etc...). I mean something more general: that someone or something should take care of you when you've fucked up. For example, in the HOA thread, the notion that the depressed lady should be relieved of her debt-obligations because she's sad expresses this mentality -- that she is entitled to some protection from the big bad powers that be because she's a "weak/powerless" individual against the big bad institutional HOA?

I know that's a pretty fast and loose definition of some loaded terms -- but I think that should be enough to get the conversation started. Is there any merit to that notion? Is that mentality a function of other factors besides age? What would those factors be?

To me, I think DOK (what's up nigg:lol) put it best


Boomers are by far the most lazy generation in American history. Their goal the last 30 years has been to get as much entitlement benefits as possible from the government while working as little as possible and paying the lowest taxes possible. Boomers, the people they've elected and the policies they've asked for are the culprits behind our national deficit. Once all of them start collecting social security and getting free healthcare it's gonna further bankrupt America.

[ElNono]

P36x8rTb3jI

[vy65]

:lol

touche

[MannyIsGod]

Boomers did quite a bit to fuck up this country.

[DarrinS]

I think it's a function of your expectations (obviously). For example, if you give your kids everything they want, and don't ask anything in return, e.g. basic chores, they will not value their "stuff" as much as the child who is taught a work ethic. I have been guilty of this myself and have seen the negative side effects.

[DUNCANownsKOBE]

Entitlement seems like it's something that's hit all ages, all political parties, etc. It's just particularly bad with baby boomers. Republicans also accuse the other side of wanting entitlements like crazy. The way I see it-



That HOA example is perfect. Depression isn't an excuse to breach your contract.
People who collect welfare shouldn't have kids. IMO, if you want welfare, you should be sterilized. Call it extreme, but it's the only way I see us getting rid of the layer of society that loves off tax payers.
People who smoke/are obese shouldn't get any free healthcare. If you won't take care of yourself, the government shouldn't have to.
If you don't want young people getting free health care then old people shouldn't get free health care either.
When you vote for Presidents who spend trillions of dollars on wars in the middle east, don't bitch about your social security being gone.


Just a few examples.

[baseline bum]

Which will be more expensive though? Her gas to get to KFC and mortgage for some run-down home in the ghetto, or every tax dollar we're paying to take care of Yonivore's dementia?

[DUNCANownsKOBE]

Which will be more expensive though? Her gas to get to KFC and mortgage for some run-down home in the ghetto, or every tax dollar we're paying to take care of Yonivore's dementia?
:lmao

[vy65]

I think it's a function of your expectations (obviously). For example, if you give your kids everything they want, and don't ask anything in return, e.g. basic chores, they will not value their "stuff" as much as the child who is taught a work ethic. I have been guilty of this myself and have seen the negative side effects.

That's bullshit. I got a lot of shit handed to me (college tuition, lol liberal arts major, and law school tuition). Never really had to pay any bills on my own until I had a job. But I don't feel entitled to shit. I understand that I have to work my ass off for what little I have. And I also know that I have to save my money because Obama ain't going to pay for my gas or my mortgage. I know several people like me who are in the same boat.

[Clipper Nation]

The Boomers are for the most part a bunch of lazy fucks who pretty much invented the "don't worry, the gub'mint will pay for that" style of living, tbh.... they vote for neocons and their Democratic equivalents, who tend to be older white milquetoast males who pander to their prejudices and promise to keep their gravy train going at all costs... then they turn around and call younger generations lazy for not having jobs, when the economy is fucked up partially because of their own selfishness, tbh...

[DarrinS]

On a more personal note, I always knew I didn't have a "safety net" -- single parent and she's poor. Very motivating

[DUNCANownsKOBE]

The Boomers are for the most part a bunch of lazy fucks who pretty much invented the "don't worry, the gub'mint will pay for that" style of living, tbh.... they vote for neocons and their Democratic equivalents, who tend to be older white milquetoast males who pander to their prejudices and promise to keep their gravy train going at all costs... then they turn around and call younger generations lazy for not having jobs, when the economy is fucked up partially because of their own selfishness, tbh...
truth bombs

[DarrinS]

That's bullshit. I got a lot of shit handed to me (college tuition, lol liberal arts major, and law school tuition). Never really had to pay any bills on my own until I had a job. But I don't feel entitled to shit. I understand that I have to work my ass off for what little I have. And I also know that I have to save my money because Obama ain't going to pay for my gas or my mortgage. I know several people like me who are in the same boat.

Then you were taught values.

[DUNCANownsKOBE]

pR8aFDosQBQ

[Creepn]

P36x8rTb3jI

Lol I think people take this lady's quote the wrong way. I believe she meant that Obama was going to do some shit with taxes or whatever that would leave her with some extra money in her pockets which would then relieve some of her financial problems.

[Clipper Nation]

People who collect welfare shouldn't have kids. IMO, if you want welfare, you should be sterilized. Call it extreme, but it's the only way I see us getting rid of the layer of society that loves off tax payers.
That's not just extreme, that's unnecessarily cruel... there has to be a solution that doesn't subvert every human's right to self-ownership and the principle of non-aggression, tbh....

[DarrinS]

truth bombs

More like gross generalizations

[DUNCANownsKOBE]

That's not just extreme, that's unnecessarily cruel... there has to be a solution that doesn't subvert every human's right to self-ownership and the principle of non-aggression, tbh....
It's not cruel. If you wanna have kids, then live independent of government aid.

Someone who needs government welfare is someone who can't afford to have kids. Plain and simple.

You give up your right to self-ownership when you seek out welfare.

[Clipper Nation]

More like gross generalizations

Election results and our current economic mess tend to back me up on this...

[vy65]

Gotta give before you can take tbh ...

The opposite (I should receive regardless of if I give) is emblamatic of the entitlement mentality, to me, tbh

[MannyIsGod]

More like history. Baby Boomers fucked this country up and thats why where we are today.

[Clipper Nation]

It's not cruel. If you wanna have kids, then live independent of government aid.

Someone who needs government welfare is someone who can't afford to have kids. Plain and simple.

As a pro-choicer, aren't you all about the government not having control over people's bodies? Not sure how that's a less valid concern here, tbh....

Personally, I say abolish federal welfare altogether and allow each state to set up its own safety net with its own stricter set of standards, tbh...

[MannyIsGod]

The newer generations will fix it, though. WE GOT THIS.

[ElNono]

It's not cruel. If you wanna have kids, then live independent of government aid.

:cry but government should encourage healthy christian families! :cry

[DarrinS]

Some people may blame entire generations, races, classes of people -- I prefer not to use such a broad stroke. There have been some bad people from the baby boomer gen, but there have been a shitload of brilliant ones too.

[DarrinS]

The newer generations will fix it, though. WE GOT THIS.

Perhaps, but probably when you get older, and more conservative.

[Clipper Nation]

Perhaps, but probably when you get older, and more conservative.

Funny, it seems that adage is lost on the Boomers, because they love decidedly unconservative entitlements, budget plans that don't touch the Fed, warmongering, and Christian theocratic laws, tbh...

[FuzzyLumpkins]

You should not judge an individual based on the whole.

You can discuss the behavior of a demographic. The baby boomer's have dominated the electorate since the mid 1970s. It's been almost 40 years and i do not think you can argue that there is a single demographic that has been more instrumental in the creation of our current environment.

[mingus]

It's not cruel. If you wanna have kids, then live independent of government aid.

Someone who needs government welfare is someone who can't afford to have kids. Plain and simple.

You give up your right to self-ownership when you seek out welfare.

It is cruel. This is by far the most egregious suggestion I've ever heard on Spurstalk.

Liberals make me laugh.

One day you are jump on for believing infant circumcision should be legal, and the next day you are hearing that human sterilization should be legal.

:rollin

[ElNono]

Liberals make me laugh.

Did it make you laugh when the resident conservative proposed the same thing? :lol

[baseline bum]

Did it make you laugh when the resident conservative proposed the same thing? :lol

Correction: the resident Libertarian.

[FuzzyLumpkins]

I will say that the institutional make up of our government probably makes this a moot point.

The millennials and to a lesser extent gen x was instrumental in getting Obama elected. The desire for change by these generations was coopted with campaign slogans and false promises. Over 60% of millenials came out to vote.

What happened?

The political will certainly was not expressed. Why is that?

[ElNono]

Correction: the resident Libertarian.

stand corrected, IMO

[mingus]

Did it make you laugh when the resident conservative proposed the same thing? :lol

Conservatives make me laugh as well.

[FuzzyLumpkins]

What makes me laugh are people that claim to not be 'conservatives,' instead claim to be 'libertarian' or some other label, and then still vote straight GOP.

[DUNCANownsKOBE]

As a pro-choicer, aren't you all about the government not having control over people's bodies? Not sure how that's a less valid concern here, tbh....

Because the way I see it when you seek out government welfare, you need to live by the taxpayers' rules, which means cutting out unnecessary expenses (alcohol, tobacco, kids, etc.).

[DUNCANownsKOBE]

Did it make you laugh when the resident conservative proposed the same thing? :lol
:lmao

[boutons_deux]

"By entitlement, I don't necessarily mean specific government programs (medicare, social security,"

By ignorance, I necessarily mean people who are suckered by the VRWC into calling SS, medicare, "entitlement" (in the sense receiving something for nothing). Medicare and SS were paid for, so yes, the payers are "entitled" to them because they paid for them.

The fact that what they paid in is surpassed by what they get out, esp what the gouging, predatory, inefficient, for-profit sick-care racket sucks out of all Americans, isn't their fault.

[Wild Cobra]

What makes me laugh are people that claim to not be 'conservatives,' instead claim to be 'libertarian' or some other label, and then still vote straight GOP.
That's because we aren't stupid enough to vote for authoritarian democrats.

[Clipper Nation]

That's because we aren't stupid enough to vote for authoritarian democrats.
You're just stupid enough to vote for authoritarian Republicans instead....

[Wild Cobra]

You're just stupid enough to vote for authoritarian Republicans instead....
Really...

I vote 3rd party more than you may think.

Who's the last authoritarian I voted for.

[Drachen]

It is cruel. This is by far the most egregious suggestion I've ever heard on Spurstalk.

Liberals make me laugh.

One day you are jump on for believing infant circumcision should be legal, and the next day you are hearing that human sterilization should be legal.

:rollin

Just so we are clear, the first person to suggest it on spurstalk was the great libertarian (WC).

edit: I should try to make it a practice to finish reading a thread before I post. LOL

[Clipper Nation]

Really...

I vote 3rd party more than you may think.

Who's the last authoritarian I voted for.

Aren't you supporting Willard, who's pro-Patriot Act, pro-SOPA, pro-NDAA, and pro-drones?

[CosmicCowboy]

The newer generations will fix it, though. WE GOT THIS.

:lmao:lmao:lmao:lmao

[Wild Cobra]

Aren't you supporting Willard, who's pro-Patriot Act, pro-SOPA, pro-NDAA, and pro-drones?
No.

I'm voting against Obama. I still may vote 3rd party, but unlikely. If all of us who hate Obama spoil our votes, Obama may have another 4 years to fuck this nation. A 3rd party vote will definitely be a spoiler.

I rarely vote republican in state and local races if you must know. I want to see more and more 3rd party candidates have a chance. Have to start at the county and state level.

[Clipper Nation]

If you're only voting so you can vote against someone, don't even bother, tbh.... just shows a lack of research on your part....

And since you're voting against Obama, and won't vote third-party, then you'll be voting for authoritarian Willard if Ron Paul doesn't pull the upset in Tampa... Ron bless

[Wild Cobra]

If you're only voting so you can vote against someone, don't even bother, tbh.... just shows a lack of research on your part....
No, just a strategy that doesn't agree with you.

Both major candidates are not good people, and use politics for their own gain. The way I see it, we have a choice between bad and worse. I would rather vote for bad and reduce the possibility or worse.

[DisAsTerBot]

Lol I think people take this lady's quote the wrong way. I believe she meant that Obama was going to do some shit with taxes or whatever that would leave her with some extra money in her pockets which would then relieve some of her financial problems.

LOL that would be an even funnier quote. "Obama is going to do some shit with taxes or whatever"

[CosmicCowboy]

LOL that would be an even funnier quote. "Obama is going to do some shit with taxes or whatever"

Creepn is clearly short bus material.

[DMC]

Boomers did quite a bit to fuck up this country.
Their parents did quite a bit to fuck up other countries.

Entitlement comes from improved standard of living and babies being raised in that environment. We no longer consider bare nature to be the zero crossing point for survival. We now think everyone automatically has food and medical care, else it's not fair. Teens now grow up watching the lives of the children of the wealthy, and see their own lives as substandard even if they are living in a upscale neighborhood and driving a nice car. No, they want the 200K birthday party and the new BMW that what's her name got on TV for her 16th birthday. Otherwise it's not fair.

That kind of thinking used to go away with adulthood. Nowadays adulthood seems to not come around until the mid 40's if ever.

[FuzzyLumpkins]

:lmao:lmao:lmao:lmao

You can laugh all you like. It's actually a baby boomer cliche to denigrate younger generations. The irony is not lost on me

At the end of the day, the proof is in the pudding. Since the mid 1970s, the boomers have driven the electorate and thus policy making up at least a quarter of it. The fuck up that is the status quo is the product of the decisions of your generation.

What more that is ironic is that of all the demographics, boomers are the most 'angry' about government. Introspection has never been much of a strong suit for your generation.

[Capt Bringdown]

One wonders where is this "entitlement" state that the glibertarians keep babbling about. If we compare like-to-like (other industrialized nations, europe in particular), the US social welfare system falls way short.

[DarrinS]

One wonders where is this "entitlement" state that the glibertarians keep babbling about. If we compare like-to-like (other industrialized nations, europe in particular), the US social welfare system falls way short.

When they have as many people to support, let me know

[MannyIsGod]

When they have as many people to support, let me know

When they have as many people to pay in, let me know.

Germany has a population of 80+ million. That's not exactly chump change. Why is population a limiting factor? We have more resources than Germany and somehow they can do better with less?

[DarrinS]

When they have as many people to pay in, let me know.

Germany has a population of 80+ million. That's not exactly chump change. Why is population a limiting factor? We have more resources than Germany and somehow they can do better with less?

So, you are think there are too few people in the US paying taxes? I agree.

[Drachen]

When they have as many people to pay in, let me know.

Germany has a population of 80+ million. That's not exactly chump change. Why is population a limiting factor? We have more resources than Germany and somehow they can do better with less?

Dude, stop. I had clicked quote and had a reply box with a blinking cursor in front of me then it hit me, if someone is so massively stupid to make the statement he made, there is nothing I can personally say that will make him understand. I do not have time to begin at 2nd grade math and bring him up to speed to understand proportions. I think that neither do you.

[Creepn]

LOL that would be an even funnier quote. "Obama is going to do some shit with taxes or whatever"


Creepn is clearly short bus material.

Did she say that Obama was going to pay for her gas?