"The Thomas Sowell Reader" by Thomas Sowell, The Grasshopper And The Ant
All summer long the Grasshopper romps and frolics in the field while the ant works hard storing food up for the winter. When winter comes, the hungry grasshopper asks the ant for food. Then a second ant called Lefty comes along and they debate what should be done.
The Grasshopper’s view: they have food and I don’t so they should give me some. Also, the weather turned bad when it should not have so it’s not my fault I don’t have food.
The first ant (George)’s view: I worked for what I have and he did not. Therefore I have a right to do with my food as I wish.
The second Ant (Lefty)’s view: the world’s benefits are unevenly distributed. We should take from those that have food and give to those that don’t. “The least we can do is try and correct the iniquity”. It isn’t for us to teach him how to work “We have no right to change his lifestyle and try to make him like us. That would be cultural imperialism.”
Lefty wins the argument and takes the grasshopper to his government shelter. Many more Grasshoppers begin to come for free food and housing at the ants expense. Soon the younger ants begin to go the easy way of the grasshoppers until, “Finally, all the ants and all the grasshoppers spent all their time enjoying the carefree lifestyle and lived happily ever after---all summer long. Then the winter came.”
Sowell, Thomas. The Thomas Sowell Reader. United State of America: Basic Books, 2011.
Sowell, Thomas. The Thomas Sowell Reader. United State of America: Basic Books, 2011.
Proverbs 6:6 “Go to the ant, o sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise. Without having any chief, officer or ruler she prepares her bread in summer and gathers her food in harvest. How long will you lay there, O sluggard? When will you arise from your sleep? A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest, and poverty will come upon you like a robber, and want like an armed man.”
2 Thessalonians 3:10 “For even when we were with you, we would give you this command: If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat.”
We, the working class, work hard for a paycheck at the end of the month. It is not the governments place to take part of that and give to those who aren’t working. In doing this they have set the people they mean to help up to fail. Winter is coming and the welfare sluggards will not be exempt from the robber or the armed man. However, the hard workers will withstand it.
