Many of you have probably watched the WB's Survival of the Richest. If you haven't, you're really not missing much. There are an equal number of rich and poor kids and they compete in poor/rich combos for a grand prize of $200,000 for the poor to pay off their debts and the rich to... well, that part wasn't quite explained. Anyways, one of the "competitions" (which was really just supposed to be an eye-opening experience for all those pompous rich kids) turned out to be helping out at a food bank. Simple enough. Make food, hand it out to all the "Po' Folks."
One rich girl, worth something like over a billion dollars, due to the fact that she was part of Afghani royalty, saw the poor coming in. Men, women, children, all so grateful for the food she was giving them. On her little confessions clip she said, and I quote, "I've never seen anything so terrible. I've never seen so many poor people. I don't know how anyone can let poverty get to such a level."
Excuse me, Sami. I have a question for you. Have you ever BEEN to Afghanistan? EVER? I mean, don't go blaming American government for allowing poverty to reach this level when you are enjoying the leisures of prosperity due to your "black gold" when your people are just as impoverished as those in Los Angeles, if not more.
In fact, every rich kid on that show was oh-so-surprised and said something to the effect that our government should do something. Of course, they didn't look at the situation and say, I wish I could do something. Of course, refuse to take any part of the blame.
That's ridiculous. Personally, I believe we adopt Canadian policy. If you live in our borders as a minor, you ought to either enlist in the army or as a civil servant for two years after you come of age. That way, youth today will carry a greater respect for their country because they've done something.
SAM
After leaving school, I plan to go to college - doing something like what you suggest would be next to impossible to implement, and would ruin many people's career goals.
____
If a society is willing to give freedom for temporary security, they deserve neither.
Hardly. If Canada can do it, how come we can't?
SAM
I go to college and I have plenty of classmates who have served or are serving with the reserves and my brother is being schooled in nuclear engineering in the Navy right now. In fact, more than half my family have at some point served as active duty military personnel. I think it's totally reasonable; if you can't get yourself through college after only two years of serving, you probably didn't have what it takes to make it through the entire four year program anyway. Not to insult you or anything, but two years is a really short time in the long run.
I'm not sure working for the government is going to force people to see the negative realities of the country, though, I guess it depends on what kind of work they have to do.
I don't think forcing people to work for the government would solve any problems. Something should be done to make people more aware of the situation of the less fortunate, but I'm not sure what. So many efforts are already made to get out the message, but often times it's not effective or people just choose to look the other way.
I think all high schools should require students to do volunteer work in all areas, including with the poor, before they graduate. That wouldn't interfere with much and would at least provide an oppurtunity for eye-opeening.
I definatelly think we should all do something to help less fortunate people in our society, but I am not sure making it mandatory for everyone to enlist would do the trick. Many people are anti-war. An uprising at the mere suggestion would most likely occur. But your looking for solutions, that's always good. :)
*NeSsA*
I agree that you should have to serve your country for a set period of time. First off I believe everyone owes their country a debt to be paid in that way anyways. Second if you refused you would have to leave the country. We would be rid of unAmerican people and have a stronger beleif in our country. Also serving your country doesn't necessarily mean military. You could do social work and othe peaceful things to help better the country.
Why is this society so based on money and greed? It's disgusting. Today I was at a comunity service activity cleaning up the lake I live nearby. Well, a bunch of girls went swimming, forgetting that their cell phones were in their pockets. So their cell phones got ruined but they didn't even care because they knew their parents would just get them a new one. People don't treat anything with care because if something breaks they'll just get a new one from their daddy. Ugh.
Well, those are just Daddy's Girls. I wish I were them.
Yes, but these Daddy's Girls represent a large portion of Americans. There are so many girls like them nationwide and it's just sickening.
i saw an epsiode of that show- it was kinda lame. the rich kids were in shock and whatever, but i am wondering if when they went back home if they treated anyone differently or donated money, or anything?..
It's completely different to require someone to enlist in the US army, compared to the Canadian army. They're peaceful, and we can't go 10 years without engaging in some form of war.