If a law were passed that made stealing legal, would stealing still be morally wrong?
Here's the problem. It would still be wrong. It's problematic for the left to state that something transcendent imposes a reality greater then government law because it undermines their own demands for more. How can you take from somebody, what that higher power says does not belong to you?
A big problem at occupy wall street is theft of personal property. The basis of the movement is, "I am entitled to what you own...all your evil excess". "People who are successful have more then me and are therefore ripping me off, thus I am entitled to a share of their work" is partly the justification for theft with the group think marchers.
Theft is wrong. It is wrong to be entitled to one's $5, 000 mac computer, as it is wrong to be entitled to ones success. Coveting is when you wrongfully want what is not yours and theft is when you take it. They are doing to themselves what they want to do to successful people: steal, at least they are consistent.
Well, until they say that the stealing of the mac is wrong. Why is stealing the mac computer wrong, but not stealing another persons hard earned wealth? Because they cheated? Sure, crony capitalism enabled and emboldened greed. Got it. Then the solution is to make the market more free, smarter and less regulation, and less government intervention. The direction this rally is headed is undermining capitalism: it's class warfare.
By marching at occupy wall street rallies, the illusion of empowerment is being conjured in the db levels of each event. Sadly, the marches will have the opposite impact as intended. Just like a fridge was not built to house hot molten lava, so our bodies were not built to covet and steal. I believe people will feel less empowered as they confer more power to a government to act more on their behalf. More laws will lead to more support for more people in more ways. This is a dangerous and effective way to kill innovation, pride of ownership, work ethic and further undermines one's moral convictions. The problem here is, 'more' government. The deepening of our quasi-socialist society will surely produce the opposite result that is intended. Today they march for 'social justice'...soon they will be marching to ward off austerity measures to keep their entitlement lifestyle (Spain, Italy) then they will be rioting like the Greeks to preserve some semblance of their once generous governments handouts in the face of an otherwise bankrupt nation. Government planned economies kill jobs, incentive, innovation and economic growth...all in the name of compassion, fairness and sharing. Reality is when you steal, nobody wins, and that is exactly what this movement wants to do, covet and steal what is not theirs. This movement, if it comes to fruition, will ruin our economy and I have a fading hope reason and not time will help all see this...
This movement is about making the real thieves accountable. The rich get richer, the poor get poorer and the middle class disappears.
ReplyDeletea ridiculous comment anomymous; your movement is nothing more that a front for radical socialists, communists and lunatic Al Gore groupies; it amazes me how many of these leftist parasites cry about corporate greed yet have cell phones, cars, clothes etc, etc, made by the so called greedy corporations but give a pass to the greedy big unions. Before making idiotic comments about corporate greed these people really should deal with their own greed first because all I hear from them is how they want to redistribute other peoples wealth. But why do they need other peoples wealth, aren't these the same people who say we should lead simpler lives with lower emissions? Maybee they should lead by example and insted of demanding something they didn't earn, they should start some Suzuki approved self sufficient communes.
ReplyDeleteWait a minute, since when was the wealthy 1% "successful"?! Most of that 1% became rich because of a life of privilege from being born into rich families... Many never having to work in their lives and all get tax breaks by Conservatives making them even richer...
ReplyDeleteI work harder then most and am more qualified then at least 85 to 90% of those in my field and I make near the bottom of my industry for no other reason then a lack of training among those who are less qualified then myself who, in most cases, are the directors/executives who cause more issues then they solve (in fact I quit a job after incompetent superiors could not foresee the obvious and ignored my risk-assessment that warned of potentially dangerous issues; a few months after I quit my risk assessment happened and those same unqualified directors/executives publiclly stated "no one could have predicted this act)!!!
I'm a single parent, yes I do have a cellphone after 3 years of saving, and I do have a car... a 2006 Kia (which is not one of the greedy big auto makers) and only got it out of my divorce!!
ReplyDeleteGreat post - the occupy wallstreet movement should be occupying the whitehouse. It is government who is enabling the problem, not corporations.
ReplyDeleteIf you disagree with this, look at corporations and government and ask which one of them lets you opt out of their services, ask them which one of them takes part of your income every year, and which one of them gave $700bn to big banks.
climatecriminal
ReplyDeleteIt is difficult to have a discussion when you spout stereotypes and generalizations. Why do you assume that they did not earn? People can have opinions and ethical ideals that are not linked to their pay cheques. At the same time, most people (according to protestors, 99% of the population) work hard so that the 1% can earn large sums off of the work of the 99%. I am not sure I would be so quick to call the 99% greedy for being a little upset by that. Also, enlighten me please on "the greedy unions". I am thankful always for the unions and the people in the labour movement who protested in the streets so that all workers benefit from things like... the weekend, a 40 hour work week, lunch breaks, a ban on child-labour, anti-discriminatory labour laws etc. I do not know what the answer is but I do know that people are suffering (not the 1%), but clearly too many people are suffering. I don't think it is fair to call these people greedy or to insist that they start a commune just because they recognize that there is something wrong.