CLASS ENVY or ??

In our system we work very hard to make sure everyone is equal at the starting line. We can't guarantee it, we're dealing with  human beings, but that's where our efforts have traditionally been, and should still be, focused

There is never, however, equality at the finish line, nor should there be for one good reason: everyone runs at a different pace. And those who run faster and harder, with more dedication and diligence, those who make a greater sacrifice and therefore a greater contribution are rewarded for that success. And that's the way it works.
Life is hard and, I might add, life is not fair. That's a truth about life we would all do well to learn. It is a truth for everyone, cutting across all racial and economic lines.  This is a lesson that every adult must learn if he or she is to grow emotionally and socially out of adolescence, and the sooner we learn it the better. Unfortunately, a group of seriously misguided leaders is telling an entire, volatile class of people that life should be fair for them, and if it isn't, then they're entitled. They're entitled to pay-backs and restitution, which can understandably and "justly" be taken by force if it won't be given to them.
As a concluding thought, I think we should begin calling class envy what it is. This angry and self-indulgent class envy is nothing more than plain, old fashioned, unadulterated coveting, people earnestly desiring that which does not belong to them. And when covetousness is encouraged, it inevitably leads to the next step, theft, taking by either force or stealth that which does not belong to you. It is not coveting to want to rise above your circumstances. It is coveting to want to take that which is not yours, which other people earned and worked for and sacrificed for and made a contribution to get.

POSITIVE or NEGATIVE attitude

some people are going to complain about everything. Nothing goes right in their life. Other people keep an even keel and look on the bright side. They don't get down. Maybe there's something to that whole glass-is-half-empty thing after all.

I personally don't really enjoy being around the negative. I don't ignore the problems happening in my life or other's, but I don't dwell on them, either. That way lies misery and ruin. As I look at the people I choose to do things with--people I like spending time with--I see that most of them are really positive people. Not annoyingly so, but still. People who like to keep a good, but realistic, view of the world.

I do think it's a lifestyle choice. But maybe I'm just too darned positive. How about you? Do you think a positive attitude is a choice?

MUST READS BY AGE 25

The following list  are books that, in my opinion, are great reads for a variety of stated reasons.  in no particular order;

1.      1984 by George Orwell –  still holds chief significance nearly 60 years after it was written in 1949. It is widely acclaimed for its haunting vision of an all-knowing government which uses pervasive, 24/7 surveillance tactics to manipulate all citizens of the populace.

2.      To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee – The story surveys the controversial issues of race and economic class in the 1930’s Deep South via a court case of a black man charged with the rape and abuse of a young white girl. It’s a moving tale that delivers a profound message about fighting for justice and against prejudice.

3.      Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess – A nightmarish vision of insane youth culture that depicts heart wrenching insight into the life of a disturbed adolescent. This novel will blow you away… leaving you breathless, livid, thrilled, and concerned.

4.      For Whom The Bell Tolls  by Ernest Hemingway – A short, powerful contemplation on death, ideology and the incredible brutality of war.

5.      The Rights of Man by Tom Paine – Written during the era of the French Revolution, this book was one of the first to introduce the concept of human rights from the standpoint of democracy.

6.      The Art of War by Sun Tzu – One of the oldest books on military strategy in the world. It’s easily the most successful written work on the mechanics of general strategy and business tactics.

7.      The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien – One of the greatest fictional stories ever told, and by far one of the most popular and influential written works in 20th-century literature. Once you pick up the first book, you’ll read them all.

8.      David Copperfield Charles Dickens – This is a tale that lingers on the topic of attaining and maintaining a disciplined heart as it relates to one’s emotional and moral life. Dickens states that we must learn to go against “the first mistaken impulse of the undisciplined heart.”

9.      Catch -22 by Joseph Heller – This book coined the self-titled term “catch-22” that is widely used in modern-day dialogue. As for the story, its message is clear: What’s commonly held to be good, may be bad… what is sensible, is nonsense. Its one of the greatest literary works of the 20th century.

10.   The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald – Set in the Jazz Age of the roaring 20’s, this book unravels a cautionary tale of the American dream. Specifically, the reader learns that a few good friends are far more important that a zillion acquaintances, and the drive created from the desire to have something is more valuable than actually having it.

11.   The Catcher in the Rye  by J.D. Salinger – This novel firmly stands as an icon for accurately representing the ups and downs of teen angst, defiance and rebellion. If nothing else, it serves as a reminder of the unpredictable teenage mindset.

12.   Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoyevsky – A smooth-flowing, captivating novel of a young man living in poverty who criminally succumbs to the desire for money, and the hefty phsychological impact this has on him and the people closest to him.

13.   The Prince by Niccolo Machiavelli – This book does a great job at describing situations of power and statesmanship. From political and corporate power struggles to attaining advancement, influence and authority over others, Machiavelli’s observations apply.

14.   Lord of the Flies by William Golding – A powerful and alarming look at the possibilities for savagery in a lawless environment, where compassionate human reasoning is replaced by anarchistic, animal instinct.