October 30, 2007

Grapes Of Wrath And Some Quotes

"A fellow ain't got a soul of his own, just a little piece of a big soul, the one big soul that belongs to everybody . . . Then it don't matter. I'll be all around in the dark - I'll be everywhere. Wherever you can look - wherever there's a fight, so hungry people can eat, I'll be there. Wherever there's a cop beatin' up a guy, I'll be there. I'll be in the way guys yell when they're mad. I'll be in the way kids laugh when they're hungry and they know supper's ready, and when the people are eatin' the stuff they raise and livin' in the houses they build - I'll be there, too."
~Tom Joad, "Grapes of Wrath"

"Our aim in founding the State was not the disproportionate happiness of any one class, but the greatest happiness of the whole; we thought that in a State which is ordered with a view to the good of the whole we should be most likely to find Justice."
~Plato, Commonwealth III

"Civil government, so far as it is instituted for the security of property, is in reality instituted for the defence of the rich against the poor, or of those who have some property against those who have none at all."
~Adam Smith, Wealth of Nations (1723-1790).

"Democracy is a pathetic belief in the collective wisdom of individual ignorance."
~Henry Louis Mencken (1880 - 1956)

"If you see the poor oppressed in a district, and justice and rights denied, do not be surprised at such things; for one official is eyed by a higher one, and over them both are others higher still." ~Ecclesiastes 5:8 NIV
* I borrowed the Grapes of Wrath picture from one of my favorite bloggers--thanks, Hermit!

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Seems the disparity between classes has been around since the beginning of time. You quoted some very worthwhile and wise people. Nice commentary.

Rio Vista Boy said...

"There is as much difference between us and ourselves as between us and others."
Michel De Montaigne (1533-1592)

Anonymous said...

More than welcome, Jan.

Governments main function seems to me to be taking from those that work for it, and giving to those who don't. Oh, and forcing everybody to live according to what the people who run the government decide is best for the herd.

Jan said...

rockync..thanks.

Jan said...

vin..more than most of us realize.

Jan said...

"Oh, and forcing everybody to live according to what the people who run the government decide is best for the herd."

Hermit, that is the sad, sad, truth.

GUYK said...

Yeah, contrary to what the left wing wants you to believe all people are not born equal...genetics just do not work that way.

There is a difference between being born equal and being born with equal opportunity and even in this country everyone is not born with equal opportunity..those who have the fate to be born in a wealthy family will damn sure have more opportunity than those of us who were born to a poor family. But, for the most part we are all born in the USA with an equal opportunity under the law. The guarantee for equal opportunity under the law does not guarantee equal success..just opportunity and with the opportunity for success comes the implied opportunity to fall on ours butts..

Those of us who have accepted the responsibility for our successes and failuresunderstand this..it is those who think that government should guarantee success at the expense of those who have been successful who are creating our problems.

Maybe time for what used to be called "tough love"..ya know? I love ya kid but I just broke your gotdam plate and if you want to eat you are gonna have to get your lazy butt out and earn some groceries..

Jan said...

"Maybe time for what used to be called "tough love"..ya know? I love ya kid but I just broke your gotdam plate and if you want to eat you are gonna have to get your lazy butt out and earn some groceries.."


guyk..maybe then welfare could get those third generation recipients off their rolls.