Ever seen that commercial where you have this world class tennis player trying to play a game of tennis, but then just everyday, regular people with no skill, talent or record shows up on the court and you can no longer tell the world class player from anyone else? Well, that commercial was about how the social networks have marred and blurred the pool of well qualified applicants looking for a job among the dead beats. You can't tell one from the other.
What I'm discovering more and more everyday with the many people I meet all over the world, is that not only do the unqualified and inexperienced step out and try to obtain the jobs, careers or status of the well qualified, highly educated, extremely gifted and seasonable experienced, but they seem to think they deserve it. Where does this type of arrogance come from? Surely not from our present day leaders!
I understand we live in a society who believes in entitlements. This new generation has grown up being fed the importance of these entitlements so much they can't imagine their lives without them, even to the point of shouting decisions contrary are 'unconstitutional'. The concept of actually earning what you get in this life is being cast by the wayside in the name of fairness and socialism.
I was raised under the mentality that "Uncle Sam" owes you. But, I've come to discover that I am Uncle Sam. When you cheat the government by not paying your taxes, lying to gain welfare or unemployment, or fudge on your income to obtain government health care, free lunches for your kids at school and so on, you're not stealing from a communist or socialist government institution under the name of Uncle Sam; you're stealing from me and every other person who pays their taxes.
In this society with unemployment records at all-time highs, I'm also noticing how high school drop outs are claiming a college education on their online profiles and resumes without actually having one, and often securing jobs that should have went to the men and women who have paid their dues, tuition and time in study and preparation. When these types of thefts (for that is what they truly are) occur it causes an injustice and imbalance in the working universe. There are more college graduates working at low end jobs or unemployed today than ever in history. Many spout that it's the illegal immigrants who are taking all the jobs, but that just isn't true. Illegal immigrants often work the same low-paying jobs that high school drop-outs are barely qualified to hold, while the lying, cheating drop outs are infiltrating the entry positions designed for the college graduates. Just as with the problems with some illegal immigrants, these drop outs feel they are ENTITLED to these positions they neither deserve or earned. I do also want to add, that it's not always a degree that matters, but experience. You could have been a drop out, but have worked hard and learned through experience to climb the ranks. That's deserved and not an entitlement.
The last example I wanted to share that really irks me is when budding writers call themselves "Authors". It took many years, several manuscripts and a whole lot of heart, pain, tears and passion for me to have earned the title of a published author. Yet, day after day I come across misinformed writers posing as authors. The more the title is misused and abused by those who haven't earned it, the more the title itself loses its prestige. Just to clarify - to hold the title of "Author" you must have been published by a traditional publisher (any troll can self-publish garbage.) Posting articles on blogs or Op-ed pieces in newspapers doesn't make an author... it makes a pundit. Anyone who posts on Facebook, Twitter or My Space can call themselves a published writer, because what they write is published on a forum that others can read. Publishing something you written on a blog, magazine or op-ed piece makes you no more an author than going to Taco Bell makes you a burrito.
I'm proud of the educational degrees I've earned in college, wish I could have earned more. I'm proud of the experience I've gained at the different jobs I've held. I'm proud of the accomplishments I've obtained in my writing career. I'm proud of the friends I've gained through recognition of my hard work, experience, gifts and talents. I don't appreciate all the imposters, liars and thieves out there who try to destroy all my hard work, diminish my skill and demean my gifts and talents.
