why not let legally competent people squander their money and end up in poverty?
When I worked with the elderly and disabled, I had this sweet old man, Walter, who had nothing but a small SSI check. He was in terrible shape, and he would cry pitifully about the state of his life. I felt terribly sorry for him and wanted to help him. No one should have to live like that.
I learned over the months that his life had been filled with drinking, domestic violence, failure to support his children, and as much government assistance as he could obtain. He had been a horrible man who did nothing positive in his life, and now he was a decrepit old sad man with nothing.
But people respond to the present-- and no one is going to let the poor old Walters pay the price for their past behaviors. And people always have excuses- someone had large medical bills or they had to raise their daughter's illegitimate child. Walter's was that his alcohol addiction was a medical problem so he couldn't help it. (thank you, health services, for telling him that).
Did you see the story about the woman in Britain receiving the equivalent of 60K a year and now demanding better housing because her three daughters had illegitimate children and they needed more space? And some councilman says, "These people should not have to live in poverty."
In our unwillingness to make any decision that might hint at moral judgment and a reluctance to allow some to have less than others, we have gotten confused about personal responsibility and consequences. So when we are confronted with those legally competent people who squandered their money, the response will be to pick them up and take care of them.
We aren't exactly into Tough Love in America. |
