An interesting article looking at differences between conservatives and liberals in the area of causes of wealth and poverty. In short, conservatives tend to blame (or reward) personal choices as the cause of success or failure in society — the poor are poor because they are lazy and make bad decisions; the rich are rich because they are industrious and wise. Liberals, on the other hand, tend to blame (or reward) outside sources — the poor are poor because they are oppressed, exploited, have few opportunities to succeed; the rich are rich because they are lucky, have connections, take advantage of the system that perpetuates wealth among the wealthy, etc.
The fact is, that such generalizations are incomplete. Some people are poor (or rich) because of their own doing. Some people are poor (or rich) because of factors they have no direct control over (luck, connections, etc.). Downplaying personal responsibility (e.g., doing some research into what those loan papers actually say and whether that kind of deal makes sense) is wrong … but so is ignoring the forces manipulating people into making bad decisions (e.g., obfuscating loan terms, making misleading sales statements about how loans will change over time, okaying people for loans that they clearly cannot afford).
Ultimately, we need a world that encourages personal responsibility — and the societal responsibility to give everyone the opportunity to succeed. #ddtb
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