A Nation of Takers?

Have we become accustomed to hand outs? Do we feel entitled? Typically these are qualities associated with the younger generation, however, it may be cultural or societal.

No one promised us employment or the "right to work", did they? In a changing global economy, it has become every man, woman and child for themselves.  Survival of the fittest. And I believe this is a good thing for the majority of lazy Americans.

We need to develop a hunger or sense of passion.  We need to earn a living, not have it handed to us on a silver platter. 

I am on this rampage because I've been witnessing job seekers who are upset over being denied WIA training dollars (free government grants), angered over the fact that Unemployment Insurance extensions may no longer exist and who only want to participate in FREE professional development opportunities.

Please, where are your survival skills?

When thousands of immigrants rush to enter our country for the opportunity to work and and make money, doesn't it make you wonder? What is it they they see that we don't?  They are doing more than just looking for a better life.  They are risking it all for a better life.  They leave behind their families, friends and community to earn money and perhaps build a new life. 

When the pilgrims came to this country, they were hungry and passionate for a better life.  They risked it all and left behind the stability of their lives.  They became entrepreneurs, providing product and services that their community needed.  They weren't looking for handouts.  They weren't expecting to be supplied with training on how to farm, how to make candles or be a blacksmith.

Yes, our world is different today.  Many jobs do require advanced skills.  How do you acquire them?  The key is to identify them before you need them.  Become hungry or passionate.

And yes, the immigrants and pilgrims had less to lose. What is it that you are afraid of losing?

So before you start complaining about needing a job, ask yourself, am I hungry enough to do what it takes to survive?

Got thoughts?  Did I hit a nerve? Please comment.

Comments

[Innocent Bystander`]

Oh WOW! I will have to respond to THIS! What do immigrants see that we don't? Lack of ANYTHING - drinkable water, nutrition for their children, a reasonable chance to SURVIVE where they are. It is much easier to drop everything and go half way across the world to face uncertainty and poor (by our standard) conditions if what you are dropping is even worse conditions and an uncertainty that your family will even survive another year. If you want to compare Americans to immigrants rushing into our country to fill low level jobs, you need to understand that it is a move up for them. When the conditions for the majority of the US population deteriorate to the level of third world countries, when 50% of the population have no idea where their children's next meal will come from, you will see the immigration slow to a trickle. You will notice that Honduras has no problem with immigrans from Columbia - because average conditions in both countries are identical. What you are asking unemployed Americans to do is to accept the Columbian or Honduran standard of living as the new normal. This sort of downgrade is not easy and in fact usually ends in complete destruction of the social order through a revolution or a coup. I think we all agree we want to avoid that.

What survivial skills are you talking about? Abandoning your foreclosed house and learning to live in the forest? Moving to a tent city some place warmer than upstate NY? Hunting rich people for food? I would like to know what survival skills you would suggest in an era of contracting economic activity when there is simply no money to pay for work, through an employer or as a freelancer.

I am sorry to hear you are losing your job. Your optimism, however naive or drug-induced it seemed at times, has played a role in helping me keep my sanity during my period of unemployment. Your post was clearly misguided and I am sure was part of the grieving process you are going through in your own employment drama. I hope you do find a new job quickly, but I am almost sure you will have enough time to better appreciate the utter hopelessness protracted unemployment can bring, and the difficulty of coming to terms with the fact that your life plans are most likely permanently out of reach and that your investment of all the sweat and toil you invested in your career over years and decades is lost irretrievably, no matter how hard you are willing to work. With that grim outlook, let me again wish you the best and that you may be spared the worst of the suffering that so many in this country are going through.

[Tina McKean]

This post also hit a nerve with me. Whereas there are people that are taking advantage of the extended unemployment benefits, there are many, many more that are working very hard to find employment in this very tough economy. I am associated with a group of very hardworking job seekers that are diligently working to secure their next employment opportunity. We are using the skills learned during Career Navigator - networking, information meetings, attending development seminars (many that are not free), supplementing our education and learning new skills. Unfortunately, it is taking the majority of us longer than 26 weeks to find a job. We are being faced with the need to find survival jobs to put food on the table and pay the mortgages. Of course survival jobs are out there but they certainly do not fall into the category of 'pursuing your passion.'

[Career Sherpa]

David: First, thank you for putting me in my place...a place of comfort. However, what you don't know is that today is my last day of employment. As of tomorrow, I will be surviving- pursuing my passion and hunger.

This post was meant as a wake up call, not a direct insult. I know this doesn't apply to all job seekers.

I want people to be hungry about pursuing their passion. You must watch Steve Jobs commencement speech at Stanford this year! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UF8uR6Z6KLc

Help me understand why someone at the end of 26 weeks of unemployment needs a bridge? This doesn't make sense to me. Did they not know unemployment would end?

Want and need are exactly the kinds of survival instincts I am encouraging people to respond to. Instead of wanting and needing unemployment or a job, what can they do to create their own income?

We all will be out of work again sooner than we expect. My hope is that we've learned not to put all our eggs in one basket, diversify income!

David, I don't think most of these lessons need to be learned by you.

[David Damico]

Yes, you did hit a nerve. There is a phrase called "speaking from a level of comfort." How con someone employed and well respected possibly comment negatively on so many others misfortunes? Share with us your survival skills. "...majority of lazy Americans." How can you claim such a blanket statement about an entire nation of people? Show us the stats to back up your claims. Document for us the source. You have openly insulted everyone who is looking for a job with an opinion, not a fact. You let the *few* job seekers that pushed your button taint your view of all. None of us *left behind the stability of (our) lives.* From the conversations I frequently hear, it was likely taken. And maybe those people who are at the end of their unemployment really need a bridge. If there isn't an entitlement, then there is want and need. Would you have "...majority of lazy Americans" want and need rather than strive for a livelihood? Yes, you hit a nerve because an employed person is now passing judgement on a vast number who are not. Shame on you.