Read on Twitter
This country has a real problem with the word "deserve." We have lawyers extolling us to ensure we get what we deserve if we've been injured in some way. We have politicians telling us we deserve this or that. But the reality is that "deserving" something is being entitled to it
And, as anyone on the right will tell you, we are supposed to be pulling ourselves up by our bootstraps - that doesn't sound like being entitled to anything. It sounds like a promise that if we work hard, we will succeed. Which sometimes happens, and sometimes doesn't.
And as anyone on the left who has helped proliferate the use of the term "Karen" will tell you, being entitled is a bad thing.
So... clearly we agree that we don't deserve anything we don't work for.
So... clearly we agree that we don't deserve anything we don't work for.
However, this country also seems to have a problem ascribing value to work if we deem it "low." Flipping burgers? A trained monkey could do that, you don't "deserve" to make a living wage.
Working at Wal Mart? Anyone off the street could do that, so you don't "deserve" to have benefits or to unionize.
Waiter or Waitress? Anyone could do that (haha, no), so you don't "deserve" the extra unemployment insurance.
Waiter or Waitress? Anyone could do that (haha, no), so you don't "deserve" the extra unemployment insurance.
But, the thing is that all of these people bring literal value to our lives. McDonald's employees have cooked food, ready quickly, for us to eat when we're in a hurry. Cheap food available for people without much money. They keep the stores clean, and make your fries hot.
Wal Mart employees keep the stores open, keep the shelves stocked, and check us out. Wait staff bring us joy by allowing us a night off from cooking and keeping our drinks filled and whatever else.
These people add so much value to our lives, but we judge them that they don't "deserve" enough money to live near where they work. They don't "deserve" a public transportation system to help them get to their jobs. They don't "deserve" to not need welfare to survive.
And, I'm honestly perplexed by this whole idea that they don't deserve a decent life. I'm absolutely certain that the majority of people doing those jobs would prefer a better paying, cushier gig.
A nice desk job where they don't have to deal with rude customers who feel like they "deserve" something, are entitled to some item out of stock or not yet prepared or whatever else people bitch about.
And wouldn't it be better for everyone if those people just made enough to live on? Like, they could live closer to their jobs, reducing emissions. They would be making more money, so would have more discretionary spending, boosting the economy.
I know this isn't the most eloquent set of tweets ever written, but I have real questions about this, and I am just putting them out into the universe...
