The Two Faces of “Entitlements”

We need a different phrase to describe our growing culture of dependency and sloth other than “entitlement society.”  The word “entitlement” was once a positive word that has morphed into a negative, every bit as much as the word “gay” (meaning happy) has morphed into a negative (meaning “pervert homosexual”).

Many have legitimately earned our entitlements.  Through decades of faithful work the majority of us built careers that enabled us to put a chunk of our earnings into the social security system every month.  Others built businesses working 12 and 14 hour days, taking risks, experiencing failure, and coming out the other side stronger.  These are truly “entitled” to those funds.  They both earned and deserve them.

And then there are those who believe they are “entitled” who create a whole new meaning to the word.  And the rest of us are tainted because we buy into the misuse of the word “entitlement.” 

The shirkers, the complainers, the professional welfare recipients, the system gamers: Most of these take the label “entitled” with a blissfully ignorant smirk on their face – the same as you saw on the woman who takes the “Obama-money.”  They couldn’t care less that they didn’t earn it or where it comes from.  They feel entitled because they have been conditioned by society and our government that they are.

There needs to be either a different, decidedly negative name for those who undeservedly suck on the system, maybe something like “system suckers” to replace the “entitled” label.  Or there needs to be a different name for those who are entitled in the positive sense, something like “foolish enablers.”  Hey, that may not be a positive term, but it sure is accurate.

It all boils down to this.  We have a culture of givers and takers, workers and shirkers.  The proportion of  shirkers and takers is beginning to outnumber the workers and givers.  Communists use the terms “haves” and “have nots.”  Here’s the rub:  The “haves” have for good reason. and the have nots” have not for a good reason.  We need to understand those reasons and promote the ideals that enabled the “haves” and demonize the rot that disable the have nots.  We are not doing that.  We are doing the opposite.  We are demonizing success and rewarding failure.

That is why the legitimately entitled are being demonized and the system suckers continue to be rewarded.  “Enabler” is the one word out of the thousands in the psychiatric lexicon that is worthwhile for all of us “entitleds” to perfectly understand.

From Merriam-Webster:  one who enables another to persist in self-destructive behavior (as substance abuse) [or welfare abuse or system sucking – ed.] by providing excuses or by helping that individual avoid the consequences of such behavior.

Enablers (entitled) are often as sick as the enabled (society suckers) and perpetuate the problems of the enabled.  Liberals and progressives are enablers.  Are liberals and progressives “sick”?  Seems logical to me, don’t you agree, Captain. 

This definition needs to be applied on the cultural level.  Our society confuses the words “enabling” and “empowering”.  Here is a web page that discusses the difference.  We need to apply these distinctions to the larger society as if our nation depended on it.