April 28, 2013

There was a time when people felt shame accepting a handout.

We moved beyond that, normalizing the sense of entitlement. But what if you wanted to restore that shame... some of it anyway?
Iain Duncan Smith says he “would encourage” elderly people who can well afford to pay for their their own heating bills, bus passes and television licences to return the money to the state.
ADDED: Is shame something that can be re-instilled? It's common to generate shame about something we haven't previously felt shame about — like not recycling or thinking that gay sex is shameful. But when you've got something people used to feel ashamed of, and you've convinced them not to be ashamed anymore, I think it might be close to impossible to make them feel ashamed once again. I want to talk about the nature of shame. Is it subject to resurrection? Or, once dead, does it stay dead?

222 comments:

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Original Mike said...

"And I love how liberals refer to Social Security as "the Most Successful Program in American History""

The tactic is called, "The Big Lie".

bagoh20 said...

"Will Republicans ever feel shame for running McCain and Romney?"

Republicans should be ashamed that they were not conservative enough, but I doubt that's what you mean. Regardless, it's hard to argue that anything is as irresponsible and frankly stupid as electing a clear partisan with absolutely no record of accomplishment, no leadership experience, and not even college transcripts to judge. That's shameful at a level not even in the same ball park as the other two guys who had long records of experience, accomplishment, sacrifice, and even high levels of bipartisanship. It's not even close.

People had no idea how bad Obama could be, nothing to go by, yet they picked him anyway. It was dereliction, and irresponsibility on parade. Yes, shameful. I'm embarrassed for you, if you can't find it yourself.

TMink said...

You are asking if revival is possible. And of course it is! But that is what will restore America, a revival of Christianity.

Trey

bagoh20 said...

Even if it Obama turned out to be a great President, it was shameful to elect him. It's like spending your family's entire savings on the lottery. Even if you win, it was still a dumb idea.

jr565 said...

How about if we split the difference and call social security both a payroll tax on one side and a welfare program on the other?

jr565 said...

bagoh20 wrote:
Even if it Obama turned out to be a great President, it was shameful to elect him. It's like spending your family's entire savings on the lottery. Even if you win, it was still a dumb idea.

That was the FIRST election. They voted for him TWICE!

bagoh20 said...

I have more respect for people who voted for him the second time. At least they knew what they were voting for. They had to beat back the war on women, and stop Romney from putting them in binders. That is at least something.

Alex said...

Inga spewed:

Will Republicans ever feel shame for running McCain and Romney?

Who is "Republicans"? The committee or anyone who ever voted for the nominees? You do realize that most of us have no say in who the nominee will be and we end up voting for the lesser of 2 evils. What is there to be ashamed of?

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

Many democrats are so filled with blind faith, they don't understand the basic democrat principle of elections. With Obama, they see nothing but shame in any opponent.
How dare anyone run against Obama!
We should have crowned Obama president, dictator, lord and king without any opposition.
Shame on you, Republicans.

Original Mike said...

I'm not a Republican, though in our two party system I end up voting for them. Both McCain and Romney were disappointing nominees, but for the life of me I can't fathom what there is to be ashamed about.

I'm Full of Soup said...

The more I see of McCain, the more I regret sending a contribution to his prez campaign. He is just another Bill Clinton who loves the spotlight and has no core beliefs but being near the center of power.

PianoLessons said...

Great link here from Doug Ross Journal "Old People Just Don't Get the "Green Thing":

http://directorblue.blogspot.com/2011/12/we-old-people-just-dont-get-green-thing.html

Same folks who believed there was a social stigma (as in 'debtor's prisons of the not so distant Dicken's days) in being on the dole.

kentuckyliz said...

My Social Security statement says that the program will run out of funds around 2033...when I retire. So, I guess I get nothin'.

The portion of OASDI that my employer pays on my behalf is part of my compensation package and shows on my paystub.

Calypso Facto said...

The Greatest Generation has given way to the Greediest Generation and they're busy bankrupting the whole shebang for the rest of us.

Roux said...

It gets very frustrating when you are the only person in a grocery line paying with your own money.

John henry said...

JR565 said:

How about if we split the difference and call social security both a payroll tax on one side and a welfare program on the other?

It is not splitting the difference. It is precisely what SS is. It was only by doing it this way that it could pass Constitutional muster.

See "A tea Party that Changed History" at the SS site for details on how this came to be.

http://www.ssa.gov/history/tea.htm

The tax and welfare side are only loosely connected. Or, more precisely, they are more connected in the public mind than they are in law.

John Henry

Anonymous said...

"To argue with a person who has renounced the use of reason is like administering medicine to the dead."

- Thomas Paine

Robert Cook said...

"It gets very frustrating when you are the only person in a grocery line paying with your own money."

Why?

It never bothers me in the least when I see people using benefits cards (food stamps) to buy groceries. If I think about it at all, I just feel fortunate that I still have a job and that I can (so far) pay my own bills.

There are very many people in the country for whom this is not true, and their number will only grow. I am am not so swollen of head to assume I will never be one of them.

Alex said...

RC - wouldn't it be fantastic is we were all on food stamps!

Robert Cook said...

Alex,

I doubt it would be fantastic, but it may become something more than just to consider rhetorically, as we can expect high and rising unemployment (and underemployment and employment-that-pays-shit-and-offers-no-benefits) will be a chronic and signature feature of our future.

Unknown said...

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Unknown said...

There was a time when A True Original Key Lime Pie Was Only Prepared With True Key Lime Juice, It Was A Time When Staying True Meant More Than Just Trying To Stay Ahead Of Your Competition, Ahead Of The Quick To Profit Operators That Seem To Continually Perpetuate The Market Place With False Hopes And Promises....Well That Very Time We Are Discussing Happens To Be Now!.."AH", YES, It's That Magic Of Lovely And Wonderful Mrs. Anita Pelaez And Her Loving Husband Mr. Kutchie Pelaez....Both Of Whom Together Own And Operate The Legendary "Kutcharitaville Key Lime Pie Factory And Grille', Conveniently Located Near The Biltmore House and Estate In Beautiful Asheville, N.C....."AH" Yes, No Body Does It Better Than Mrs. Anita And Captain Kutchie Pelaez....It's Like When Captain Kutch Told His Loving Wife, The Pretty Mrs. Anita,...."We're Gettin The Band Back Together! Well, That's Not Some Shot In The Dark!...Anita and Kutchie Are The Hottest Two Names In The Food Business! For Crying Out Loud, America's Favorite Key Lime Pies, The World's First Original "Cheese Burgers In Paradise! " Who Could Ask For Anything More?...
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