Comments on: Personal Responsibility is the Cornerstone of Financial Literacy http://steve-olson.com/personal-responsibility-is-the-cornerstone-of-financial-literacy/ For People Pursuing Freedom Sun, 22 Aug 2010 03:04:40 -0700 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: mike brady http://steve-olson.com/personal-responsibility-is-the-cornerstone-of-financial-literacy/comment-page-1/#comment-2858 mike brady Mon, 08 Dec 2008 20:52:29 +0000 http://www.steve-olson.com/personal-responsibility-is-the-cornerstone-of-financial-literacy/#comment-2858 Whose fucking fault is this? We are in a great financial crisis and the future is not certain. Cries of lack of individual responsibly echo through the night, as if crucify all the liars who took out loans they couldn’t pay to telephone poles would protect us against any further excess. Who to blame, and how much of this is caused by personal irresponsibility? I used to listen to talk radio back in the day before I could afford a tape player. I was always amazed by people who called up with an argument and got eviscerated by the host. I thought to myself, ‘how hard is it to have a single point, express it quickly, and then get off?’ What I didn’t see at the time is – talk show hosts are predators. They have trained and been educated in talking. They hone their skill with words over time. They have practiced in front of millions of listeners until the fear has left them. They also have self selected themselves to be where they are – good tones, confident postures and faces that on Radio would love, (think: ugly fat guys getting even with words for all the bruises popular guys gave them in high school.) It’s not a fair fight – callers are thrown to the gladiators in the ring of a telephone for blood sport and the amusement of others. People want to believe, they want Christmas, and they want to win the lottery. Many have grown up all their lives thinking that owning their own home is to have arrived. They fall into the ‘home or purpose’ reason for existence group. And it’s not as if people from Nigeria were telling them they could afford a home. Given a choice of something now, or something latter – and given a credit culture paid for by advertising and flash – individual responsibility for actions becomes a weakness that gets exploited, in the same way a teenager gets taken advantage of by a sophisticated predator. The people showing the houses, offering the loans, processing the paperwork, repackaging the loans so no longer identifiable, selling the packages and leveraging them 30:1, regulating the farce, taking the bribes, and pocketing the billions – all of them had more understanding of their actions, and more blood on their hands, than any person who thought with dreams in their eyes that Christmas had come for them, and come early, at last. Whose fucking fault is this?
We are in a great financial crisis and the future is not certain. Cries of lack of individual responsibly echo through the night, as if crucify all the liars who took out loans they couldn’t pay to telephone poles would protect us against any further excess.
Who to blame, and how much of this is caused by personal irresponsibility?
I used to listen to talk radio back in the day before I could afford a tape player. I was always amazed by people who called up with an argument and got eviscerated by the host. I thought to myself, ‘how hard is it to have a single point, express it quickly, and then get off?’
What I didn’t see at the time is – talk show hosts are predators. They have trained and been educated in talking. They hone their skill with words over time. They have practiced in front of millions of listeners until the fear has left them. They also have self selected themselves to be where they are – good tones, confident postures and faces that on Radio would love, (think: ugly fat guys getting even with words for all the bruises popular guys gave them in high school.)
It’s not a fair fight – callers are thrown to the gladiators in the ring of a telephone for blood sport and the amusement of others.
People want to believe, they want Christmas, and they want to win the lottery. Many have grown up all their lives thinking that owning their own home is to have arrived. They fall into the ‘home or purpose’ reason for existence group.
And it’s not as if people from Nigeria were telling them they could afford a home.
Given a choice of something now, or something latter – and given a credit culture paid for by advertising and flash – individual responsibility for actions becomes a weakness that gets exploited, in the same way a teenager gets taken advantage of by a sophisticated predator.
The people showing the houses, offering the loans, processing the paperwork, repackaging the loans so no longer identifiable, selling the packages and leveraging them 30:1, regulating the farce, taking the bribes, and pocketing the billions – all of them had more understanding of their actions, and more blood on their hands, than any person who thought with dreams in their eyes that Christmas had come for them, and come early, at last.

]]> By: Assume Personal Responsiblity - Who, me? | Self Help Station http://steve-olson.com/personal-responsibility-is-the-cornerstone-of-financial-literacy/comment-page-1/#comment-2857 Assume Personal Responsiblity - Who, me? | Self Help Station Sun, 02 Mar 2008 07:01:15 +0000 http://www.steve-olson.com/personal-responsibility-is-the-cornerstone-of-financial-literacy/#comment-2857 [...] The community within 10 miles of wherever I am standing determines us. Some people and organizations I know, some I don’t know yet, but they are a part of my extended neighborhood. This is the place [...] [...] The community within 10 miles of wherever I am standing determines us. Some people and organizations I know, some I don’t know yet, but they are a part of my extended neighborhood. This is the place [...]

]]> By: Will Sattler http://steve-olson.com/personal-responsibility-is-the-cornerstone-of-financial-literacy/comment-page-1/#comment-2856 Will Sattler Fri, 26 Oct 2007 19:00:46 +0000 http://www.steve-olson.com/personal-responsibility-is-the-cornerstone-of-financial-literacy/#comment-2856 Thank you for your article, I have been asking myself these very same questions. The very name of the loan Adjustable Rate Mortgage would be cause for an average person to ask "Adjustable?". Thank you for your article, I have been asking myself these very same questions. The very name of the loan Adjustable Rate Mortgage would be cause for an average person to ask “Adjustable?”.

]]> By: I Will Teach You To Be Rich » Some interesting links I’ve been reading lately (rich people, vapid people, funny CEOs) http://steve-olson.com/personal-responsibility-is-the-cornerstone-of-financial-literacy/comment-page-1/#comment-2824 I Will Teach You To Be Rich » Some interesting links I’ve been reading lately (rich people, vapid people, funny CEOs) Fri, 25 May 2007 15:54:06 +0000 http://www.steve-olson.com/personal-responsibility-is-the-cornerstone-of-financial-literacy/#comment-2824 [...] Personal responsibility is the cornerstone of financial literacy. I don’t agree with all of it, but it’s an interesting perspective on personal finance. [...] [...] Personal responsibility is the cornerstone of financial literacy. I don’t agree with all of it, but it’s an interesting perspective on personal finance. [...]

]]> By: Chris Wondra http://steve-olson.com/personal-responsibility-is-the-cornerstone-of-financial-literacy/comment-page-1/#comment-2855 Chris Wondra Fri, 25 May 2007 02:00:57 +0000 http://www.steve-olson.com/personal-responsibility-is-the-cornerstone-of-financial-literacy/#comment-2855 Steve, Sounds like your education sucked. For the most part, I feel mine sucked too. Rarely was I challenged to THINK. Rarely was I engaged. But here's the interesting thing about that--from my perspective, it looks like we both turned out alright. By that, I mean it looks (at least on the surface) like we both think critically and take responsiblity for our own. Sooo. . . the billion dollar question is: Really, how important IS education (at least as we know it today)? What else are the contributing factors? As an educator, I'll take responsibility for what I can--and bust my ass to fix what I'm able. All I'm asking is that, as a community, we start to take a look around for the other factors influencing our youth. Why did a relatively smart kid in my class to tell me that I had a "small penis" yesterday? How could he possibly think that might be an OK thing to say? Really. What in the hell is going on? I don't think he learned that in school. Anyway--I hope I didn't come accross as too "challenging" of this post. As I said, I appreciate that your major thrust here was Personal Responibility, and recognize that the education card just kind of got lumped in with it. Personal responsibility is a big deal with me as well. And often baffling. Looks like we're on the same page there. 'Nuff said. I could go on for 10,000 words as well. My blog? Meh. Its got a ways to go. Quite a ways. Thanks though. Your's isn't too bad either (he says, grinning at the understatement). Later, Chris Steve,

Sounds like your education sucked. For the most part, I feel mine sucked too. Rarely was I challenged to THINK. Rarely was I engaged.

But here’s the interesting thing about that–from my perspective, it looks like we both turned out alright. By that, I mean it looks (at least on the surface) like we both think critically and take responsiblity for our own.

Sooo. . . the billion dollar question is: Really, how important IS education (at least as we know it today)? What else are the contributing factors? As an educator, I’ll take responsibility for what I can–and bust my ass to fix what I’m able. All I’m asking is that, as a community, we start to take a look around for the other factors influencing our youth.

Why did a relatively smart kid in my class to tell me that I had a “small penis” yesterday? How could he possibly think that might be an OK thing to say? Really. What in the hell is going on? I don’t think he learned that in school.

Anyway–I hope I didn’t come accross as too “challenging” of this post. As I said, I appreciate that your major thrust here was Personal Responibility, and recognize that the education card just kind of got lumped in with it.

Personal responsibility is a big deal with me as well. And often baffling. Looks like we’re on the same page there.

‘Nuff said. I could go on for 10,000 words as well.

My blog? Meh. Its got a ways to go. Quite a ways. Thanks though. Your’s isn’t too bad either (he says, grinning at the understatement).

Later,
Chris

]]> By: Steve http://steve-olson.com/personal-responsibility-is-the-cornerstone-of-financial-literacy/comment-page-1/#comment-2854 Steve Thu, 24 May 2007 22:01:53 +0000 http://www.steve-olson.com/personal-responsibility-is-the-cornerstone-of-financial-literacy/#comment-2854 Chris, Thanks for stopping by and commenting. I really do appreciate your comments… I realize looking back, I realize that I went off half-cocked on this post. I didn’t mean to blame teachers for the problems in education. I had the same English teacher for three years in high school and I felt he was one of the best men I’ve ever met. John Taylor Gatto was a teacher for thirty years and he is part of the solution to the problem. The institution itself appears to be the problem. Have you read the underground history of education by Gatto? It is an amazing work. Blaming teachers for poor education is like blaming prison guards for abuses behind bars. Some are great, others are indifferent, and others are abusive – just like any other profession. What I recall about my education is that I wasn’t expected to take responsibility for anything except being told what to do. Someone told me what and how to do everything and it was my duty to do it. I was expected to trust the folks teaching me, and with a few exceptions, you weren’t allowed to challenge them. We were drilled for years to follow the syllabus and obey,obey,obey. Why can you do A work and fail a class for attendance alone? Because you are not expected to be responsible for your own education. Why is school compulsory? Because people are not expected to be responsible for themselves. So what are we teaching? Dependence and irresponsibility. I even question the title of “teacher.” Can anyone be “taught” anything? Isn’t really about learning and less about teaching? Anyway, I could go on for 10,000 words… What really pissed me off about this story, and it’s even more obvious if you watch the video, is that this family seemed to take no responsibility for their actions. Mr. Nelson’s vocation as a teacher just added fuel to it, because… isn’t a teacher supposed to understand personal responsibility? Isn’t that somewhere in the requirements for teaching children? Why do we have all this regulation and licensing, if we don't even expect them to understand personal resposibility? I don’t know… Maybe I expect too much. Again this might sound mean… but I hope he doesn’t get another teaching job until he learns that he his responsible for his own actions. Anyway Chris – I appreciate a teacher to stepping forward and challenging me on this. I just checked out your blog again and I like what you’re doing. Chris,

Thanks for stopping by and commenting. I really do appreciate your comments…

I realize looking back, I realize that I went off half-cocked on this post.

I didn’t mean to blame teachers for the problems in education. I had the same English teacher for three years in high school and I felt he was one of the best men I’ve ever met. John Taylor Gatto was a teacher for thirty years and he is part of the solution to the problem. The institution itself appears to be the problem. Have you read the underground history of education by Gatto? It is an amazing work. Blaming teachers for poor education is like blaming prison guards for abuses behind bars. Some are great, others are indifferent, and others are abusive – just like any other profession.

What I recall about my education is that I wasn’t expected to take responsibility for anything except being told what to do. Someone told me what and how to do everything and it was my duty to do it. I was expected to trust the folks teaching me, and with a few exceptions, you weren’t allowed to challenge them. We were drilled for years to follow the syllabus and obey,obey,obey. Why can you do A work and fail a class for attendance alone? Because you are not expected to be responsible for your own education. Why is school compulsory? Because people are not expected to be responsible for themselves. So what are we teaching? Dependence and irresponsibility. I even question the title of “teacher.” Can anyone be “taught” anything? Isn’t really about learning and less about teaching? Anyway, I could go on for 10,000 words…

What really pissed me off about this story, and it’s even more obvious if you watch the video, is that this family seemed to take no responsibility for their actions. Mr. Nelson’s vocation as a teacher just added fuel to it, because… isn’t a teacher supposed to understand personal responsibility? Isn’t that somewhere in the requirements for teaching children? Why do we have all this regulation and licensing, if we don’t even expect them to understand personal resposibility? I don’t know… Maybe I expect too much. Again this might sound mean… but I hope he doesn’t get another teaching job until he learns that he his responsible for his own actions.

Anyway Chris – I appreciate a teacher to stepping forward and challenging me on this. I just checked out your blog again and I like what you’re doing.

]]> By: Chris Wondra http://steve-olson.com/personal-responsibility-is-the-cornerstone-of-financial-literacy/comment-page-1/#comment-2853 Chris Wondra Thu, 24 May 2007 21:12:45 +0000 http://www.steve-olson.com/personal-responsibility-is-the-cornerstone-of-financial-literacy/#comment-2853 Let me first say, I appreciate that the thrust of this post was related to personal responsibility. From where I'm sitting this is the driver behind most of our social ills--from education, to health care, to personal finance, to the total lack of quality toilets choices at Menards. Too many people are too lazy or trusting (or something) to take care of themselves. And as far as education goes, I'll be the first to take shots at it--but I feel I've earned that right. As a teacher I'm part of the problem. It's easy to sit outside, spot holes and point them out. But that kind of discourse always irritates the hell out of me. Education schmeducation. You can point your finger (and I know it was a minor point, Steve, but still . . .) at me and the institution I work in, and I'll take the blame if that'll help. But let's think critically for a minute. Let's do what I'm trying to teach my students to do. You said, "The first problem is his apparent inability to ask important questions. he just seems to take things as presented without digging deeper. If the story is accurate he obviously does not understand the concept of contract law and does not understand interest and debt. These are not difficult concepts and should be hammered home in any educational intitution." You're implying the system should have done more to "hammer down" concepts of contract law, interest and debt. I say the system should have done a better job at teaching him to ask better questions. Either way "the system" can only do so much. If education actually worked the way you are implying, it would prevent people from making mistakes. Ergo if education worked, there would be no car accidents, drug and alcohol abuse, teen pregnancy or (insert your social ill here). Because Education (at least the schools I'm aware of) do hammer these things down pretty hard. Yet amazingly--people are still making mistakes. Let me first say, I appreciate that the thrust of this post was related to personal responsibility. From where I’m sitting this is the driver behind most of our social ills–from education, to health care, to personal finance, to the total lack of quality toilets choices at Menards.

Too many people are too lazy or trusting (or something) to take care of themselves.

And as far as education goes, I’ll be the first to take shots at it–but I feel I’ve earned that right. As a teacher I’m part of the problem. It’s easy to sit outside, spot holes and point them out. But that kind of discourse always irritates the hell out of me.

Education schmeducation. You can point your finger (and I know it was a minor point, Steve, but still . . .) at me and the institution I work in, and I’ll take the blame if that’ll help. But let’s think critically for a minute. Let’s do what I’m trying to teach my students to do.

You said,

“The first problem is his apparent inability to ask important questions. he just seems to take things as presented without digging deeper.

If the story is accurate he obviously does not understand the concept of contract law and does not understand interest and debt. These are not difficult concepts and should be hammered home in any educational intitution.”

You’re implying the system should have done more to “hammer down” concepts of contract law, interest and debt. I say the system should have done a better job at teaching him to ask better questions.

Either way “the system” can only do so much. If education actually worked the way you are implying, it would prevent people from making mistakes. Ergo if education worked, there would be no car accidents, drug and alcohol abuse, teen pregnancy or (insert your social ill here).

Because Education (at least the schools I’m aware of) do hammer these things down pretty hard.

Yet amazingly–people are still making mistakes.

]]> By: listr http://steve-olson.com/personal-responsibility-is-the-cornerstone-of-financial-literacy/comment-page-1/#comment-2852 listr Wed, 23 May 2007 02:31:49 +0000 http://www.steve-olson.com/personal-responsibility-is-the-cornerstone-of-financial-literacy/#comment-2852 hi there is this page i found which tracks all the top blogs about personal development in just a single page http://www.netreputation.co.uk/directory/Personal%20Development you are on it too hi

there is this page i found which tracks all the top blogs about personal development in just a single page
http://www.netreputation.co.uk/directory/Personal%20Development
you are on it too

]]> By: Gene http://steve-olson.com/personal-responsibility-is-the-cornerstone-of-financial-literacy/comment-page-1/#comment-2823 Gene Tue, 22 May 2007 12:51:59 +0000 http://www.steve-olson.com/personal-responsibility-is-the-cornerstone-of-financial-literacy/#comment-2823 Americans want bigger and better and simply don't care about the details. As you say, the correction is going to be very painful for a lot of people. Americans want bigger and better and simply don’t care about the details.

As you say, the correction is going to be very painful for a lot of people.

]]> By: Speedlinks 5-22-07 : A Politically Incorrect Entrepreneur http://steve-olson.com/personal-responsibility-is-the-cornerstone-of-financial-literacy/comment-page-1/#comment-2851 Speedlinks 5-22-07 : A Politically Incorrect Entrepreneur Tue, 22 May 2007 12:38:23 +0000 http://www.steve-olson.com/personal-responsibility-is-the-cornerstone-of-financial-literacy/#comment-2851 [...] Are you a blogger, an agent of change or a writer? What do you call yourself? What happened to personal responsibility? Steve Olson wants to know. [...] [...] Are you a blogger, an agent of change or a writer? What do you call yourself? What happened to personal responsibility? Steve Olson wants to know. [...]

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