Tuesday, August 4, 2009

Sound Off: It's called work for a reason...

It's time for a sound off again, folks, and have I got a doozy for you!

I'm sure you will be just as angered by this gal as much as I am. Truly, this girl deserved more than a 2.7 GPA because she is a freaking genius, y'all. Her plan is brilliant. I can just hear the thoughts in her head: Man, this whole job hunting thing sucks. Why should I bother working at finding a job like the rest of my classmates when I can just file a lawsuit and get $72k to cover my loans and the "stress" I've endured? Sheer genius. Now why didn't I think of that!? Oh probably because it's the most idiotic idea in the world. Really, honey, you thought you would go to college, party a little bit, graduate, and then you would open that diploma holder to find a job waiting for you? Oy!

My favorite bit? The GPA issue...she's got a 2.7 and she's *supposedly* getting passed up for all the students with 4.0's. Heavens to Betsy, how could an employer do that!? Now it's been a few years since I graduated from college, but last time I checked, your GPA is determined by your grades, which are the result of how hard you work in school. So...logically speaking, if an employer had to choose between two candidates from the same school, with the same degree plan, the same resume, and the only difference was their GPA...well, call me a size queen if you have to, but the bigger number's gonna win. High GPA = Hard worker = $$$ for the company. Sorry, dearheart, but I don't think the GPA is the issue here, if you catch my drift.

No college is ever going to guarantee a job after graduation, and if you think you've found one, I have a beautiful ocean view property in Kansas I'd like to sell you. Sheesh. There are some folks who say that it's today's youth who have issues with entitlement, but truthfully, it's AMERICANS who have issues with entitlement. We believe that we're entitled to carry guns anywhere we want, speak our minds, and do whatever we please because we have a pretty piece of parchment that gives us the right to do all that and more. However, we've neglected to read the fine print on that piece of parchment. What fine print you ask? Well, the fine print that says we have to work for those things and make some sacrifices in order to enjoy them, of course.

For generations we've touted two cars in the driveway, 2.5 kids, a big fancy house, and a designer wardrobe as symbols of our success. Somewhere along the way someone figured out how to look successful without stealing and without having to work hard. And now that the shit has hit the fan, we've decided to blame everyone else for our problems, instead of acknowledging the source behind the issue. It's not the Republicans or the Democrats, or the Liberals, or even the President. It's our own damn faults we're in this predicament, and it's high time we all stopped pointing fingers at someone else and take responsibility for our actions. No one told us we HAD to buy more house than we could afford and no one told us we HAD to drive a super deluxe car. No one forced us to live the lives we live. We chose to turn a blind eye and sign on the dotted line.

If you've ever listened to someone who survived during the Depression or one of the World Wars when there was rationing, their markers for happiness were very simple: they were grateful to have a roof over their heads, clothes on their backs, food in their bellies, and their family and friends nearby. And if they wanted something, they worked hard for it.

I don't want people to think that I'm anti-American; truly, I am extremely grateful for the freedoms and privileges I have--I wouldn't be writing this otherwise! It's just that I'm fed up with the politics and "ruling classes" of today and I think it's high time that we all do our part to try and reclaim the positive aspects of our culture. Like our generosity, our friendliness, our dedication to a cause, our optimism, and our work ethic. If you're surprised by that last one, don't be. Our nation was founded and built into what it was through the blood, sweat, and tears of our ancestors and just because we've entered the computer age doesn't mean we can stop using elbow grease and doing heavy lifting.

This article has reminded me that it's important to impart simplistic wisdom not just into my children, but also to myself. Since my husband and I have had to cut back on our spending, we've discovered that the things we considered necessities aren't so needed after all. We spend more time with our family and friends and play more with our daughter. We utilize what we've already got and turn it into something new. We've explored our talents and taken advantage of all the resources our taxpayer dollars pay for, like the library. We learned a long time ago that college education doesn't equal a paycheck; it's hard work that brings home the bacon.

Given the state of our current economy, I really hope that Ms. Thompson finds a job, but even more, I hope she learns this: that you get out of life what you put into it.

Here's to life worth living,
Kelly

No comments:

Post a Comment

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.

LinkWithin

Blog Widget by LinkWithin