America: Land of Hard Work and Prosperity or Land of Entitlement and Litigation?

It is well known this country was founded on hard work from the pilgrims to pioneers, coal miners and engineers. Everything worked for was done through enormous feats of physical endurance, know-how and innovation. All of this hard work led to the inventions and innovations which have made our lives so much easier. Each generation has worked extremely hard to make sure the next generation has had it a bit easier. But the question is have we made it too easy for ourselves? Instead of a good old fashioned work ethic have we passed down a sense of entitlement? American workers of the past didn’t grumble over 16 hour work days. They didn’t bail when they broke a sweat. They were proud of every hard earned dime which put food on the table. When it came to buying a car, house, or a college education for the kids, they saved and felt a well earned sense of accomplishment when they could afford anything. This sense of pride and accomplishment has been replaced with a sense of entitlement.

Easy credit and frivolous lawsuits might have thrown the concept of having a work ethic out of the window. It is hard to pick yourself up and head out the door for a tiring laborious job when you see someone on the news bring in a multi-million dollar check because they found a bug in their food at a local fast food restaurant, or because they didn’t look both ways and got hit by a car. Seeing these kinds of incidents pan out for folks who have done nothing to actually earn a million dollars has sparked envy from those who always work hard. Regrettably, children see this type of payout and grow to expect an easy ride rather than earn it. Today, some look to those who are financially successful such as doctors, fast food chains, insurance companies and big business, but instead of imitating the model of success they spent years following, some just want to acquire what they have by suing them.

There are endless of examples of those who have chosen to sue for riches and a lifestyle they won’t work to earn. Some ways in which you see this tactic used successfully is in the areas of car insurance, medical malpractice suits and workers compensation. You can find many situations where someone suffered minimal damage and has accepted a multi-million dollar settlement so they never have to bother working again. Medical malpractice meant to protect you from malice or intentional injury has been twisted to make doctors pay out serious cash for any human error imaginable no matter how minor the suffering may turn out to be. Statutes meant to protect labor workers from being unfairly fired or recklessly injured have also been twisted as to allow any minor injury to also result in big pay outs so the worker never has to wok again. It seems as though anyone who sees a large house or beautiful car can simply contemplate who to sue and they too can have all the luxuries in life without ever having to work to earn them.

There are several shocking examples of people who chose suing to earn money rather than hard work. One man actually sued NBC for 2.5 million on the premise that the show “Fear Factor” caused him pain and suffering due to its content and how it made him sick to watch. Another woman is now living quite nicely after she was hit by a subway train in New York City. She was awarded 14 million dollars. The subway system in no way failed or was faulty. She was laying on the tracks trying to attempt suicide at the time she was hit. She survived and now has 14 million reasons to live. One man now lives free and easy after suing Budweiser Beer. Did they harm him in any way making it impossible for him to earn a living for his family? No. He was irreparably traumatized when he found drinking Budweiser didn’t get the beautiful women promised in their advertising. Sadly, all of these folks are now relishing in riches they never had to earn the hard way.

These cases and the general mentality of entitlement found in all aspects of American society only show future generations all they need for success is to sit back and wait for a minor misfortune to fall upon them. Millions of dollars are likely to fall from the sky if they just find the right lawyer to take the case.

Last modification: Thu 24 Nov 2011