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Skills and Intentions
January 12, 2009 | Permalink
Comments
Yes, but the problem with many "good intentions" is that they are not done to satisfy the needs of the recipient of whatever munificence it may be. Instead, the actions that follow "good intentions" are all-too-often done to make the doer feel good about himself.
In the case of liberals and their zany capers, it never occurs to them to wonder why the problems they have "good intentions" towards often worsen after their ministrations. All they know is that they "have to try," regardless of the actual results of their trying.
Too abstract? Case in point. LBJ's "Great Society" was designed to improve life for the poor, many of whom were black. By giving unwed mothers welfare, the black illegitimacy rate went from an already-unacceptably high 25% in 1960 to our modern disaster of 70%. In other words, LBJ's "good intentions" DESTROYED the black family.
But liberals will never stop to consider the consequences of their ill-conceived actions. All that matters is that they can take the alleged moral high ground, feel superior, and--most importantly--make themselves feel good because they followed through on their "good intentions" and did something. It makes no difference whatsoever that what they did was harmful and destructive; what matters is that they are "good people" with "good intentions."
Posted by: Sparticus | Jan 13, 2009 11:43:06 PM
The biggest problem with good intentions is that all too many forget that they're the paving material on a certain proverbial road.
The results of the new requirements regarding children's toys, etc. and their effect on entrepreneurs and small businesses is a prime example.
Posted by: OBloodyHell | Jan 14, 2009 12:13:00 PM
Excellent point. Even though our socialist overlords will probably do nothing and allow American small businesses to die--after all, they don't contribute a kajillion dollars to PACs--it's still possible to sign a petition requesting a revision in the law:
http://www.handmadetoyalliance.org/ (Also a good place to find out what this is all about)
Better yet, write your own letter! Congresscritters are said to be more responsive to constituents' letters than to petitions.
Posted by: Sparticus | Jan 15, 2009 1:37:57 PM
If good intentions really are the paving stones for the road that leads you-know-where, does that mean that all highly skilled people will board the Enterprise and encounter the devil and his minions somewhere out in space? (Maybe Lucifer is actually a Klingon!)
Posted by: Frank Wiswall | Jan 21, 2009 8:10:02 PM
