The World Doesn't Owe You a Living

[Geee]

American Spectator:

When I think about the Occupy protests in New York, Washington, D.C., and here in Boston (as well as in other cities across this country) I think about what my maternal grandfather used to tell me and my siblings. In his deep, authoritative baritone he would exclaim, "The world doesn't owe you a living."

Now I don't want to leave anyone with the impression that my grandfather was speaking harshly or was anything less than generous with us. Quite the contrary, he would spoil us during my grandparents' annual visits, giving us liberal helpings of gum, candy bars, and potato chips. Occasionally he would sing, "Roses are red, violets are blue, honey is sweet and so are you." On our birthdays, he would send us cards accompanied by a crisp Canadian $20 bill. I even remember the handwriting on the envelopes. It would be written in block letters. I wasn't addressed merely as Aaron Goldstein but rather as MASTER AARON GOLDSTEIN. He made us feel important.

So when Granddad told us the world didn't owe us a living, I think it was his way of saying that the world wasn't going to be gum, candy bars, and potato chips forever. After all, it was at the age of fifteen that Granddad went to work in the coal mines in Alberta's Crowsnest Pass. Despite the dangers of working underground, Granddad was undoubtedly fortunate to find employment during the Great Depression. At its height in June 1933, the Canadian unemployment rate was nearly 20%. He would be eventually promoted to pit boss and remained in the mines for 43 years. Those 43 years represented more than half his lifetime.

I think I can say with certainty that Granddad was hardly the only grandfather to tell his grandchildren the world doesn't owe them a living. Yet when I think about the twentysomethings occupying Zuccotti Park, Freedom Plaza, and Dewey Square, I wonder if their grandfathers ever imparted such wisdom. Considering the advocacy of things such as a guaranteed living wage and a free college education, chances are they didn't hear this from their grandfathers or for that matter from anyone else.

Of course, one could make the case that even if these people had been told the world doesn't owe them a living; it would be like speaking a language they cannot possibly understand. I suspect that many of the occupiers were told by their professors, their parents, and even their grandparents that they have a right to a job, to a home and to free health care, to education and for that matter to clean air.

My grandfather was certainly sympathetic to the labor movement when it came to concepts like the eight-hour day or a day's pay for a day's work. But that's just it. You still had to put in your eight hours. You still had to do a day's work. You still had to earn your keep. The occupiers leave me with the impression that they want something for nothing.