Watching the news about the Quebec student unrest makes me wonder what kind of country we live in. For some inexplicable reason, they think they are entitled to either a heavily subsidized or free university education.
And that is what makes me question where this idea of being entitled to so much because of where you were born comes from. Our ancestors who came to this country did not have any free ride. I remember stories from my grandmother who was a homesteader in the early 1900′s. If she didn’t shoot a rabbit or partridge off the back porch during the day, there was no meat for supper, and sometimes no supper.
And there was no such thing as social assistance back then. And no health care and no free university education. But they persisted and built this great country of ours and today we enjoy a very high standard of living. But all this came as a result of a lot of hard work.
And now this generation of Quebec students think they are entitled to the cheapest university education in North America? And at a time when governments everywhere are desperately short of funds.
And what does this bode for the future of our country when the next generation truly believes they are owed a living?
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In fact, I believe these students are right to expect better than what they now have. In a sense, yes they are entitled.
From your example about shooting rabbits from the back porch, was your grandmother entitled to the rabbits? Why was she allowed to just have them for the shooting, instead of having to earn them by raising them from bunnies?
The core point is the same. The universe is utterly abundant. Every plant, fruit, vegetable, and on up through the food chain comes from the energy supplied by the sun which is free and abundant.
There is more than enough food, water, and resources to feed, clothe and house everyone on the planet, yet we have chosen to set up an economic system that requires everyone to work, and work hard, just to get food to eat.
Part of this economic system is a false government debt. Literally with the stroke of a pen, Canada’s debt could be eliminated, with no harm to anyone. It is just an artificial bookkeeping entry. But one that is used to justify deep taxes and austerity measures such as cutting university funding.
And at some level the students know this. All of this debt is artificial and the students no longer want to play that game.
If the Government choose to borrow from the Bank of Canada at no interest as it used to up until the 1970s, they would save upwards of $50B per year in interest they currently pay to private banks. That would be enough to provide free university to all students who wanted it, with lots left over to house the homeless and feed the poor.
So yes, those students are entitled. A slight change to the economic game, and the students be free would earn their place in university through hard academic work, not through many wasted hours working for minimum wage, and then graduating with a mountain of debt to a system that has no jobs to let them pay off that debt, anyway.
The world is abundant. That should be the starting point for any discussion about money and entitlement.
Interesting points Mark. I suppose that is what the Occupy Wall Street movement is all about. Thanks for sharing.