Jonah Goldberg said, "let's also be thankful and proud that the thing these heroes are defending is so gloriously worth it." In the same article he praised capitalism, the scientific method, and "our religious heritage, perhaps most of all, [which] emphasizes the need for constantly trying to live a better and more decent life."
"Religious heritage." Hmmm. Could it be that our 'constantly trying to live a better and more decent life' results from the pleasure we derive from living a 'better and more decent life?' Nah, probably not.
The Ayn Rand Institute's Dr. Gary Hull writes, "The liberal tells us that the food on our Thanksgiving plate is the result of mindless, meaningless labor. THe conservative tells us that it is the result of supernatural grace. Neither believes that it represents an individual's achievement.
(...)
There is a spiritual need fed by the elaborate meal, fine china and crystal, and the presence of cherished guests. It is the self-esteem that a productive person feels at the realization that his thinking and energy have made consumption possible."
William Bradford, George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, the US Congress, and the religiously inspired ideas they all espouse to the contrary, this is the actual meaning of Thanksgiving: Pride. (And some among us consider this a SIN!)
Posted by JohnGalt at November 25, 2004 10:18 PMI won't disagree with a word you said -- BUT:
As I do not control the whole universe (shh. don't tell anybody) there is one layer somewhere outside my direct control.
I have a cool new car and a bunch of great guitars because I work hard, accept risk and use my brainpower as it exists to create value for myself and my employers. I'll join you in that immodesty.
But I was born into a free society that values property rights and the rule of law. Without that, I would be in a different situation. Can I be thankful for the opportunities I was given?
I'm not religious enough to know whom to thank but I do get all weepy eyed before Thanksgiving dinner for those opportunities, the soldiers, and a lot of things I cannot claim any credit for.
Yes, of course you may be thankful for your opportunities, but give that thanks where it is due: to the creators of that opportunity - those great men that came before you who valued the ideals you speak of and secured them for themselves AND THEIR POSTERITY.
You can certainly claim no credit for your opportunities but don't forget that all of us will one day have posterity too, either directly or indirectly. It is in your direct control to value the blessings of liberty, to defend them with the entirety of your being, and to help secure them for another generation.
Yes, I cry too, but most often it is during the Star Spangled Banner.
Posted by: johngalt at November 26, 2004 12:09 PM