The Paper Chase

On Saturday we were excited to head out to see the new movie “Notorious” about rapper Christopher “Notorious B.I.G.” Wallace. I’m not sure what was most important about this movie, but the one thing that has really stuck out for me was a scene between Biggie and Sean “Puffy” Combs that takes place before the creation of Bad Boy Records. In this scene Combs tells Wallace that he needs to choose between ‘chasing paper’ (money) and ‘chasing the dream.’ Whether that discussion ever really took place is of little consequence to me; the point as I see it is that money can sustain you for a short period of time but a dream can sustain you indefinitely.

Interesting that I should be thinking about “the dream” on this day we set aside to remember one of our greatest ‘dreamers,’ Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Everyone knows the words, “I have a dream,” but I am not sure many of us still get the importance of ‘chasing the dream.’

Having a dream and following it provides you focus. But there is something even more important. Take a look at most success stories and you realize we almost never get where we are going alone. The most successful people have historically been the best at communicating their vision, their dreams, and inspire those around them to help. When you have a clear vision and commit yourself, others people are anxious to see you succeed.

My readers (i.e. my wife) know that I have been job-hunting for almost six months. It occurs to me though that whenever someone asks me what I am looking for I usually take a long pause and then start mumbling something about how I want to be in a “trainer” role or something to do with training. Even if I know what I am talking about it certainly doesn’t inspire anyone to help me out. I think about many of the jobs I have had in the past and realize that in most cases I knew what I was looking for and went after it. When I moved to California I wanted a software developer position and got it. When I wanted to learn sales I started selling motorcycles. When I wanted to “move up” to cars I got a job with a Mitsubishi dealership. Sure, I have had a few jobs that I just fell into – but that was in a much better economy than we have seen lately.

I always say that it is much better to recognize that you are the primary reason for your own successes as well as failures. When you blame external factors you are essentially giving up control of your own life. But if you look at each problem in terms of how you can improve yourself you will be better able to face any adversity. Despite my philosophy I have blamed my unemployment on the weak economy. Even if that is true there is nothing I can do about it. I have to recognize that this is my fault and it is on me to fix it. Starting today I have to change my attitude and remove the obstacles I have put in my way. With all respect to Dr. King, I too have a dream.

Working on some definitions

I could use your input.


Democracy: Taking the achievements of those who can't afford it to give to those who didn't earn it for the benefit of those who don't need it.


Centrist: A Libertarian without cajones.


What else would you like to see included here?

Myth #1

I previously listed Myth #1 as: "Wealth is a static quantity." Those few that have heard me speak on this in the past know that I like to refer to this as the "Zero-Sum Game," or "ZSG." The ZSG requires that for every winner there must be a loser; that for every dollar of wealth earned someone else must be shorted a dollar of wealth.

If you studied physics, this seems logical on the surface. It's just like Newton's Laws or Conservation of Mass. Every dollar is a dollar and if you have it then necessarily I do not. However if you allow yourself to think this is the whole picture then you have to believe that in an exchange the person "losing the dollar" is getting nothing in return. But if wealth only exists in terms of monetary notes then there could be no wealth at all. Think about it: who would spend money if they got nothing in return? How would you get money if you had no other "wealth" to exchange for it? And who would then accept money if they could not later spend it? Cash would become both priceless and worthless, which just does not make any sense.

In short this view accepts the idea that the wealthy are no better than muggers holding guns, stealing cash from the wallets of others. And if that were true it would make perfect sense to retaliate in kind; i.e. "let's use our power to steal some of those dollars back."

Logic dictates, however, that this is not the case. A dollar has no intrinsic value apart from what it can buy. The ZSG view says you would rather have the dollar than, say, the cup of coffee you just bought. The Capitalist view says you would rather have the coffee or else you would not make the trade. Rational men engage in trade voluntarily and make fair trades; often trading "up". The existence of the "win-win" situation makes the ZSG view simply impossible.

If I have succeeded in my goal of busting this myth, then hopefully your mind is already leaping ahead to the consequences of this knowledge. However that is the purview of a later post. I look forward to our journey together toward that end.

On the other hand if there is anyone out there who can point out any factors they think I failed to consider I would love to begin the debate here. Either way, please comment below.
Stay tuned for Myth #2!

Next on: Mythbusters - L.A.B. Edition...

My next few blog posts are going to be devoted to debunking the myths (about the USA, government, and economics) which I believe are the greatest obstacles to real progress. Today though I am just going to start by listing a few that immediately come to mind. As I develop the topics I will try to return to this original post to update links to the full articles. Please bookmark this post and I look forward to your comments, suggestions, ridicule, etc.

1. Top of the list has to be: "Wealth is a static quantity." The corollary to this is that for every "winner" there must be (at least!) one "loser." Click Here for the Article
   
2. Another corollary to #1: "Modern-day Robin Hoods help the poor."
3. All libertarians are anarchists." and "Laissez-faire capitalism implies anarchy" I can't wait to write about this!
4. Politics is over my head/boring." or "How can I know what is right? I have to trust the guys in Washington to know what's best."
5. "FDR's New Deal policies led us out of the Great Depression." or "World War II ended the Great Depression." BOTH are wrong.
6. "Taxes are a necessary evil." I will agree they are evil.
7. "Immigration is a drain on resources." Anyone who believes in liberty should be welcome. Anyone who doesn't should leave.
   
8. "Outsourcing hurts America."
9. "The Constitution does not apply." or "The founding fathers could not have imagined when they wrote the Constitution."
   

Please comment and add your recommendations for other myths to cover or any links to other resources you have read which cover the same topics. Looking forward to the debate!

Please pass along and help as you are able

This blog entry starts with very disturbing news. A homeless man was stabbed outside the Arlington Heights Memorial Library. Read the story:Man stabbed in Arlington Heights - Chicago Breaking News; and then note the following comment (quoted here in its entirety, though without permission. I hope no one minds...) I would appreciate anyone who can verify (or refute) any of the details and/or provide additional information.

An AH resident who knows the truth on December 28, 2008 9:08 AM

There is an agency called Journeys from PADS to HOPE that has a very good and safe system of emergency and temporary shelter offered in the coldest months of the year. Many do not know that they also place people in permanent housing...currently, 6 people are housed in some of their units, those were previously on the streets. Journeys also has a day center that is open 9A-4P Monday through Friday. They would live the day center to be able to expand its hours but A) The Village of Palatine restricted their hours with Special Use and even if they could change that limitation with the Village and B) they can't currently afford to hire more staff to man the additional hours. Journeys has tried the road of expanding it's shelter system and service area in to Park Ridge when asked by the City officials and religious leaders to do so but the comunity responded with negative and hateful attacks at an agency that tries to pick away at the homeless issue with dedication and skill. Volunteering at Journeys allows me to know that their wish is to have a fixed site year round shelter but there isn't a community out there that is jumping to partner with them. In fact, are you aware that Journeys is the one that asked the Village of Arlington Heights to police their public locations with less passiveness so that those who loiter and drink that are homeless might be forced to cme to the center for help with their issues instad of causing problems with the Village and thus the cameras went up in the train station. However, the Village likes to claim that the decision was solely due to a formed Task Force. The Task Force met with Journeys to get their advice - funny how they don't gve the credit where due. Also, are you aware that the Village of Arlington Heights is funding Journeys less than the surrounding Towns are funding Journeys in order to address a population no one else wants to support. Arlington Heights tells Journeys they don't have more than a couple thousand dollars yearly to support their efforts but yet they can put millions in to their "Emerald City" Village Hall? You ask...can the Village of AH pull off a year round shelter system? The answer is No but Journeys can if supported...

Thanks to @HarvardAvenue for pointing me to the story on his blog.

Seriously, I Wish Someone Could Convince Me

This morning at the grocery store I spotted a friend of the family. Since I don't know her too well I considered avoiding her completely but for some reason decided to stop her and say howdy. After brief chit-chat she asked about my job search. When I told her that there has not been any progress she immediately responded, "Well Obama's coming soon. He will turn it all around."
I probably should have just smiled at her, said goodbye, and hauled ass to the car. But that's not like me. Of course I wasn't going to engage her in a full-on political debate either so I reached for something I thought would be factual and mostly non-confrontational: I said, "We can't afford to wait that long."
I was completely shocked by her response, "We're just going to have to. What choice do we have, right?" She continued to try to get me to agree with her, but how could I? I mean I know being a retired grandmother, she and I are in very different places in our lives. But could she really be that fatalistic? Do people really think we are that powerless? What do they think we are supposed to do in the meantime?
I can't help but feel really bad for her. Sure, financially she is much better off than I, but I wouldn't trade places with her if I could.
If this is the attitude of the country, things are definitely going to get much worse. Please, please, please convince me I am wrong...

Candidate for Sale?

Well I haven't chosen an office to pursue or filed any paperwork yet, but today on Facebook I announced my candidacy for office. Check out the group link here if you have an account.

You may notice the announcement seems a little juvenile and ridiculous. But so is the state of politics in Illinois these days.

Folks, as long as we allow government to have so much influence over our daily lives we will have corrupt politicians. Until we admit the causal relationship between the two we are going to continue to be disappointed in our public officials.

And even if you don't agree ideologically, wouldn't it make sense to at least follow the Constitution? Whatever else we do, let's at least abolish the unconstitutional policies, programs, and practices that have been implemented over the last century or so. They either do more harm than good or just don't work at all.