My son works with people who believe that rich people shouldn’t be allowed to be rich or become richer. These folks tell him that it isn’t fair, that some people have been working a long time and still haven’t gotten what they want out of life, so the people who have more than them should share.
I disagree. I told him to tell them this little scenario.
My son, who is 17, now attends college. We only have one car, and he just started his first job right before this semester. He rides his bike to work and takes the very unreliable public bus to school every day. He only works a few hours a day, mostly because he wants to have free time but partly because it is difficult to coordinate additional work hours into his day with the transportation issues.
I believe he should compare his paycheck with some of the paychecks of the employees that work more hours or make a higher wage than he does. Since those paychecks will be larger than his, I believe the people making more should split the difference between the paychecks with my son. I mean, why should he give up his free time to work more hours? Why should he wait until he has earned a raise or a promotion to make enough money to get the things he wants to buy? Better yet, why don’t I just go in there and make these people do this, even though they disagree. I mean, if we spread the wealth around, won’t my son be better off? Isn’t he entitled to this?
What I propose in this scenario is wealth redistribution. It is socialist in nature and only rewards those who do not work while punishing those who do. It is a complete slap in the face for anyone who has the character to work hard for the things he or she has, since it implies that the sacrifices made upholding a good work ethic are all for nothing and those who choose not to make those sacrifices will take the financial reward for himself.
Let it be known: If I go to work and you don’t, I could care less about your plight. If I take care of my body and you don’t, you deserve the ailments you develop and I will have no sympathy for you. We each have the right to pursue happiness, not have it provided for us.
