We Are The 53%

Those of us who pay for those of you who whine about all of that... or that... or whatever.

[the53]

[the53]

[the53]

[danelaw-deactivated20120916]

Okay, maybe it’s Bill Gates’ appropriated smugness that ticks me off. Maybe it’s because there’s eleven rules when this could have been done in five. Maybe it’s the tacky School of Success crest. Maybe I’m just in a bad mood. 

So I wrote my own rules, based on these rules.

Why? Because rules are made to be broken. Or at least, re-appropriated in a cliche attempt at “out-of-the-box thinking.”

Life isn’t fair, but let’s not pretend that unearned privilege and pure dumb luck won’t play a huge role in who gets ahead in life and who doesn’t.

Accomplishing stuff feels great, but that’s not where self-esteem comes from. Self-esteem comes from recognizing your own self-worth independent of the stuff that you can accomplish. Your value as a human being is not tied to the contributions you give to society.

Sure you won’t make $60,000 a year right out of high school (or even college), and it’s unreasonable to think you will. But they do tell you this in school. That’s why they tell us to go to college or grad school and become teachers, doctors, lawyers, or engineers. That’s also why the Millennial generation *cough*us*cough* is the best educated in American history.

Most bosses are just like you, and just like with your schoolwork, it’s a good idea to do your best. That being said, unlike your teachers who probably had your best interests in mind, your boss only really cares about the bottom line. This isn’t a rule, more of an observation though.

My grandparents lived in a very different time, with very different expectations. There’s nothing undignified about flipping burgers, but the instant you try to justify something by saying it was done the halcyon days long past, you kind of lose all credibility.

If I mess up it’s not my parents’ fault - but they also teach you this in school. And in school, people do learn from their mistakes. So I guess I agree?

We are not here out of my own free will. Existence was thrust upon us by our parents either intentionally or by mistake. That means they owe us. They owe us everything they can give us to help us succeed because it was their choices that brought us here. We’ll owe the same to our children. Moreover it was their choices that made the world we live in today - and we’re the ones who are going to be living with the consequences. So while it’s important to keep your room clean and your closet organized, it’s also important to save the rainforest - because while we didn’t ruin it, we’re the ones who are going to deal with the consequences. And it has to start now. That way, we can teach our children that responsibility begins at home and extends to the world around us. 

This is just untrue, people fuck up all the time and they get plenty of second chances. Look at Congress. Or the bailouts. 

Rule 9 should be rewritten to say “take time to find yourself, if you can, but don’t be in a rush to do it because people change too.”  

Television is not real life - most of us figured this out for ourselves when we realized we couldn’t transform by simply yelling “BY THE POWER OF GRAYSKULL!” Or alternatively, when we realized wrestling was fake. Either way, we didn’t need to learn it in school.

Be nice to everyone. You never know where you (or they) will be down the road.

fwd:FWD:FWD;fwd /smugness THINGS WERE BETTER IN THE OLD DAYS WHEN MEN WERE MEN AND DINOSAURS ROAMED THE EARTH.

[the53]

So, the photo itself is BS (not real, but good advice nonetheless), but the young man that reposted his own lessons is doomed to a life where he believes his own mediocrity is someone else's fault. He'll be in the 47%, in case you're looking for him. His notes are below.

[the53]

age 45, taxpayer since 14, self employed 21 years! This is the equipment I use to produce, paid for by my production. I produce out of obligation to myself, my customers also benefit from that when I share with them the fruits of my labor. They in turn, validate their worthiness of said fruits by compensation.

 Some say all they want is access to the same opportunity, brother, it has been yours to take at any point along the way! Nobody will hand it to you, you will have to work for it and trust me, it will taste much sweeter after you have worked for it! I get filthy black every day from my work but I would trade that for nothing.... I am the 53%   

      Dave

[the53]

The phrase my Dad told me as a child, which makes me a 53er today: "Wish in one hand and **** in the other and see which one fills up first."

[the53]

(Ed: Note) Thanks for your service.

[the53]

[the53]

[the53]

[the53]

[the53]

Living out the legacy of my Dad - for 78 years, he was a hard working 53%er.

[the53]

We are the 53% and proud of it!

[the53]

(ED. NOTE: This is a great example of some of the criticism of this site. A lot of people who think you can get something for nothing say "well, their lives suck too... why don't they want free stuff like the 99%? They should. Because free stuff rocks." The problem is that nothing is "free." It comes at someone's expense. And as this post notes, life is sometimes difficult. We have to do things we don't want to do... like going to work at 4:30. But whatever life you have, it's yours. Sometimes it's hard. But, man... it's your life and you don't have wait for someone else to hand it to you, or take it from someone else. You go out and earn it. That makes you part of the 53%, no matter your tax bracket.)

[the53]

We think she'll do just fine. Any kid who gets the whole concept of individual responsibility at this age should give us all some hope for the future.

[the53]

For all of those who need no thank you for simply digging in and digging out.

[the53]

Life throws curve balls, we all have stories.  You learn, adapt, and come back harder.  These are things that our parents taught us and we live by.  Work harder, smarter, and don't be afraid to sweep a floor now and then.