Compare & Contrast
In the comments to a news article describing how a man was beaten badly by two other men after stopping them from raping a woman we find a fierce debate about that to do w/the “trash” (poor and homeless people) who live and hang out downtown and on the south side of town. From that debate comes this paean to capitalism:
People Please!!! The porblem is not the skate park, it has nothing to do with the skate park. It has nothing to do with the kids. We are all good, caring & providing parents. The problem is the “trash” on the south side. Call me and think of me what you want, that is fine. I have a solution. If the population of the “do gooders” want to help the “trash” so much then let them. We should be able to have a deduction on our taxes for the welfare that is given out. Those who want to help, the “do gooders”, then can pay for it. They then could have this deduction taken from their money. The ones who care about and take care of the ones they love can keep their money and spend it on the ones they care for and love. We would really see the “do gooders” numbers decline! I am sick of hand outs! This is America, you get what you work for.
That self-righteous screed could also be characterized as vulgar selfishness, racism, and ignorance, but really aren’t those just natural byproducts of our wonderful capitalist society?
Contrast with this explanation of freeganism:
Freegans are people who employ alternative strategies for living based on limited participation in the conventional economy and minimal consumption of resources. Freegans embrace community, generosity, social concern, freedom, cooperation, and sharing in opposition to a society based on materialism, moral apathy, competition, conformity, and greed.
Hmm.
