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"I worked my ass off doing multiple jobs and eating potatoes every night to pay off my student loans, so everyone else should be able to. It's not fair that the government will cancel/reduce their debt. They should do the things I had to do and make the choices I had to make."
That's what this sounds like.
You know, you can be proud of what you did and still have compassion for other people, and want a better life for others.
Nobody said people shouldn't work hard. You can teach your kids to work hard and still acknowledge that there are systemic issues greater than what hard work will solve. Understanding that means you don't blindly chase after something you cannot reasonably achieve.
To suggest that the reason people aren't able to succeed (whatever that means to you) because they aren't working hard enough is completely dismissive of their circumstances in life and the part that society has played in it. You can't win if the cards are stacked against you, but if you understand that it's rigged, you can make different choices. The world's greatest pyramid scheme must be the richest people convincing the world that if they work hard, they too will be become rich.
I wonder how many people in Crab Park or on E. Hastings also used to have jobs and busted their asses off just like, and if not harder than, the people here who have the luxury of sitting behind a computer in their warm home. You only hear the stories of the people whose hard work paid off, but there are god knows how many people out there who also worked just as hard and still failed in life.
The next time there's a new policy or tax put in place that affects you guys' business, income, or livelihood, don't let any of us catch you guys complaining. Just work harder. If the government raises taxes for you to to 60%, 75%, and then 90%, with zero deductions allowed, at what point do you acknowledge that there are greater problems than your work ethic?
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