Old age and the Far Right - Page 40

ZeroJunk · #**391** 10-04-2014, 07:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tom Joad

Not if your skin is dark.

Lot of truth in that.

ZeroJunk · #**392** 10-04-2014, 07:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BeamOn

Allow me. Here is what you said to Don.

"If you are middle age in the U.S.you lived through the greatest opportunity to prosper the world has ever seen. If you didn't make anything of it go look in the mirror. It was there for you."

In your case don't you think luck had something to do with it. You turned up at the right time at the right spot and cashed in. Not to take anything away from your hard work but still luck played a large part. Not everyone gets that lucky. In fact very few do.

I could just as well put you down by asking a simple question, what risk did you take to wind up owning a business. None, you just got lucky. On the other hand I started my own business with my own money in 1980 and have never looked back though I had a very successful career going. I still claim that I was very fortunate to have had the opportunities that were offered to me. In other words I lucked out.

People try and do the best with the opportunities given to them. It is never a good idea to put anyone down for their lack of success. If I were to use your logic, everyone working for me is a loser. I am the king of my company and everyone is a minion. Guess how long I would last with that attitude?

There was probably some luck in my case because I was never particularly driven. But, there are a lot of people out there who are going to be successful no matter what their situation is. They will make it happen. Go where it's at. Whatever it takes.

And, there are those that are just going to be unlucky no matter how much opportunity is around them.

And, of course anybody regardless of the effort they had to put in to it was just lucky in their eyes.

ZeroJunk · #**393** 10-04-2014, 07:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bobabode

I guess I shouldn't be surprised that you would double down on insulting someone who you consider lesser than yourself in the John Galtian firmament that you occupy.

You would've fit in just dandy in the '70s, '80s and '90s of the 19th century, except those sharks would've eaten you for breakfast most likely.

I know you don't realize it, but everything you post just screams out loser.

There is no scenario that you wouldn't be doomed to mediocrity.

d-ray657 · #**394** 10-04-2014, 08:22 PM

So, ZJ, is your sense of self dependent on the label that you attach to yourself as well as others? If you are to be capable of deeming yourself a winner, must you able to deem others as losers? If everyone in an enterprise plays a role to make it successful, are those who do not receive the highest level of compensation nevertheless losers? Or does the success of the enterprise reflect on all who contribute?

My wife and I have raised two sons who are healthy, happy and are pursuing their dreams. We all love each other very much. They appreciate that they did not have everything handed to them in their youth. Would we have been more successful in raising our sons if we could have fulfilled all of their material wants? I think not. I always considered raising my sons the most important job in my life. I would consider it a success.

I also take a lot of pride in winning lawsuits and arbitrations - but I realize that I don't have complete control over the outcome. When I win it is not always just because of what I did, and when I lose, there are times when nothing I would have done would have made a difference. In other words, when I win it does not necessarily mean that I am personally a winner, and when the other side wins, it does not necessarily mean that I am a loser. We do the best we can and move on.

Regards,

D-Ray

bobabode · #**395** 10-04-2014, 10:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZeroJunk

I know you don't realize it, but everything you post just screams out loser.

There is no scenario that you wouldn't be doomed to mediocrity.

...and the predictable Ayn Rand troll pops into view, on cue like a bird from cuckoo clock.

Thanks for the chuckles.

nailer · #**396** 10-04-2014, 11:42 PM

ZJ doesn't come across as Randian to me. He does like to throw insults around, but pales when compared to others.

merrylander · #**397** 10-05-2014, 07:13 AM

When I took early retirement from Bell a coworker gave me a fun gift. It was a small box of imitation leather. Printed on the cover were the words "How to succeed in business". Inside was mounted on velvet a 4 inch brass woodscrew withe the word "Everybody" written underneath it.

She was a good friend and a very astute lady.

donquixote99 · #**398** 10-05-2014, 08:01 AM

You don't have to be an asshole to succeed in business. However, the meme is out there that you have to be, to be a 'winner,' and plenty of assholes buy into it.

In fact, the assholes screw things up a lot, but the 'asshole is good' meme is so strong that they are admired, even so, instead of fired.

bobabode · #**399** 10-05-2014, 11:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nailer

ZJ doesn't come across as Randian to me. He does like to throw insults around, but pales when compared to others.

Maybe he got it secondhand through some Dale Carnegie courses or Amway?

merrylander · #**400** 10-05-2014, 12:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by donquixote99

You don't have to be an asshole to succeed in business. However, the meme is out there that you have to be, to be a 'winner,' and plenty of assholes buy into it.

In fact, the assholes screw things up a lot, but the 'asshole is good' meme is so strong that they are admired, even so, instead of fired.

Last place I worked it was the assholes who got ahead, at least they did after TI bought the company. That was when work ceased to be enjoyable so I quit.