Entitlement

The word "entitlement" is lately used by neo-Fascist ideologues as a verbal truncheon to bash everyone who views programs like Social Security and Medicare, not as tax-funded hand-outs, but insurance programs whereby the people who pay into them their entire working lives can reap the benefits of retirement income and affordable healthcare late in life. I am convinced that the most "entitled" group of folks in the United States are those who want to gut those programs and grab the money for themselves and their corporate puppeteers.

They deserve it. Just ask one. The poor corporate brethren need tax-cut dollars so they can be reassured that the whole of society is still willing to kiss their collective ass, at its own expense. When so many of us daftly vote against our best interest, those doing the taking have no reason to fear they will be stopped.

Is it a fluke that when you Google "definition of entitlement" one of the alternate searches that pops up at the bottom of the results pages is a search for "definition of narcissistic personality disorder?"

From the staff of the Mayo Clinic:

Narcissistic personality disorder is a mental disorder in which people have an inflated sense of their own importance and a deep need for admiration. Those with narcissistic personality disorder believe that they're superior to others and have little regard for other people's feelings. But behind this mask of ultra-confidence lies a fragile self-esteem, vulnerable to the slightest criticism.

Wow. Let's just slash everything government, state or federal, does that actually helps people and hand the programs over to these greedy, whining bastards so they can feel better. Maybe we can get John Boehner to stop bawling every time he steps up to a mic . . . well, never mind. He gives the comedians ammunition. The loss of the safety net that protects society's most vulnerable members? Not funny at all. Delivering those same at-risk folks to the mercies of Wall Street and the for-profit healthcare cabal? Sick.

The words "inflated sense of their own importance" describe the absolute arrogance of the actions taken and proposed by the new breed Republican Party to a tee (or Tea, if you prefer). The willingness to inflict profound hardship on millions of U.S. families is evil in theory and evil in practice. Corporate profits, if we are to believe what we're being told, are more important than our obligation to take care of those of us who can't take care of themselves.

To end by going to the source of most of this illness, some food for thought from Ayn Rand:

“The question isn't who is going to let me; it's who is going to stop me.”
Ayn Rand

“I could die for you. But I couldn't, and wouldn't, live for you.”
Ayn Rand in The Fountainhead




Dice

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Comfort is the enemy of growth