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Our institutions of higher learning have had a paradigm shift in values. These so called Ivy League schools are supposed to be educating the future leaders of our country. That's the theory. And in some cases it works. It seems though, more often than not, that the leaders of industry, government, banking are put in place through family connections and/or alma mater loyalties. While this is nothing new and extends far back into history it seems to me that in about the 1970's a basic philosophical shift occurred within these institutions.
Now, these are just my personal observations over the past 60 years or so. But it seems we have gotten away from pricing things out at fair market value and have shifted into a 'whatever the market will bear' mentality. If this was confined to just the monetary pricing of goods it might be tolerable but there is a spillover in other facets of our everyday lives. It has become "I'm going to get as much for me as I can and as long as I've got mine, to he'll with everyone else."
The problem arises with the "He'll with everyone else" part. It would appear that very few leaders on a nationwide stage create policies that are good for the country as a whole. Multi million dollar bonuses in banking. Same for heads of industry. And politicians tack billions of dollars onto completely unrelated spending bills. Pork barrel spending to ensure they will be reelected. Because "they care and they brought the money to their home districts". And we eat it up. Shame on us. We are just as complicit in these fiascos as they are.
Early 90's was the last time I remember poppies being sold to raise money for Disabled American Veterans (DAV) The people that made the poppies, the veterans and the ladies auxiliary, all got to old and the market dried up. In short, the younger generations didn't care anymore. And the same goes for December 7th.
I understand time marches on, wars and their veterans fade to the distant past, but no longer acknowledging them seems a bit selfish. And I blame the new philosophies of our Ivy Leaguers. They started this new way of thinking 50 years ago, and now we are seeing its effects.
The top one percent of Americas richest people own 32.1 percent of the nations wealth. There is nothing wrong with being wealthy. You work hard, you should be rewarded. But this group of people have profited to the detriment of everyone reading this rant. They have achieved riches that are not good for the country as a whole. And I blame the "whatever the market will bear" mindset.
I'm sure Moe will disagree. He always does. I can only assume he is a one percent that thinks paying 90,000 for new Suburban is OK. Jeez, it's a Chevy truck. We paid $2,700.00 for a new Chevy truck in '67. Back then we'd work about 2200 hours to pay for it. Now a minimum wage earner needs to work about 6000 hours. That is not parity. What changed? "Whatever the market will bear"
What's wrong with fair market value? What's wrong with doing something for the country as a whole? What's wrong with acknowledging our veterans and the sacrifices they made individually for our country as a whole? Not a thing.
Oh, and tax the rich!!?? Oh he!! no. That means the government gets the money and they have NO fiscal responsibility. It needs to go back to the institutions that started this me, me, me crap. They need to instill a sense of personal responsibility to this country. Will it ever happen? No. Not in my or my children's lifetime.
But thanks for giving me the opportunity to blow that bit of rant off my chest.
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