[extropy-chat] change of topic

[Olga Bourlin]

From: "Kevin Freels" <cmcmortgage at sbcglobal.net>

> I find many people who agree with you, but the real problem here is that
> people simply want to "have" too many nice things. The second job goes to
> support the second car payment, big screen TV, etc when a couple really
> could live off of one income, albeit in a smaller house with two less
> expensive "paid for" cars.

Begging your pardon (again), but ... second job?  *Second* job?  Whose
second job?

1) Adult people work for many reasons - even independently rich people have
been known to work (not because they have to - but for various good
reasons).  While not a norm in every culture, we (supposedly) value gender
equality (and are finally able to achieve some semblance of this, thanks to
near-perfect birth control and other reproductive options).  That's what
equality is all about - not just equal freedom, but equal responsibility, as
in being financially responsible = i.e., being a $elf-$ufficient grown up
person.  Yippee, it is 2005, after all ...

and

2) Not all families have two incomes because not all families (by choice of
chance) have two adult heads-of-household.  Yippee, it is 2005, after all
...

and

3) It may have been necessary at one time in human history (when there was
no choice, especially in matters of birth control), but for an adult to
somehow feel obligated to support another *adult* is a very bad idea,
indeed.  We no longer need to do this.  (There are exceptions, of course -
some people are not able to work, are sick, mentally unbalanced, what have
you...).  Children are financially supported - and as a result children,
being children - have a diminution of their "rights."  (Children, in effect,
trade in some of their "rights" for this financial support - the way women
in the past traded in their "rights" by being financially supported.)  But -
yippee, and what a relief it is to live in 2005 ... when women no longer
need to be play the part of "children."

and, I think ...

4)  One can't comfortably and justifiably say "fuck you" to anything or
anyone unless one is financially self-sufficient.  As a financially
self-sufficient grown up woman, I wouldn't give up this privilege for a
million bucks (i.e., I wouldn't give up my self-sufficiency for anything or
anyone - why would *any* adult want to give their independence up?).  And
because it's 2005 - I don't have to.

"Second job" my arse.  Get serious, Kevin.

Arrrrrrrrrrrrr, arrrrrrrrrrrrrrr ....,
Olga