WORK ETHICS AND RESPONSIBILITY

“Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country”.  This statement was made by President Kennedy at his inauguration.  Looking at what the United States has fallen into, it seems so many have turned this statement around.  The United States was built on hard work, everything wasn’t just handed out.  Today so many have no idea what responsibility, work ethic means.  A handshake, a man’s word is his bond.  These are a couple things I grew up with, in today’s world are nothing but words and motions to most.

As a very young lad, my Dad gave me chores to do, these were my responsibility.  If I didn’t do them, who else would?  One day we had went to town, getting home a little late, Mom had supper ready.  I figured, supper was ready, I would eat first then go out and do my chores.  I was sitting at the table, Dad asked me, “Got your chores done?” to which I replied, no, but I would get them done after supper.  “You know the chickens can’t eat until you feed them, the dog doesn’t have fresh water to drink until you give it.  You need to get up and go do your chores first”.  As I was getting up to leave, he then added, “Then you can just wait until tomorrow morning to eat, this way you will know how they feel”.  This lesson stuck with me my whole life – animals always came first.  No matter how hungry, thirsty or tired, they got taken care of first. What I didn’t know then was, he was giving me a lesson in “work ethics and responsibility”.

I was about 5yrs old, we were in town.  I saw something I wanted and ask Dad if I could get it.  He looked at me, then asked, “do you got the money to pay for it?”, to which I replied no.  He then added, “I don’t want it so why should I pay for it?  If you don’t have the money then you don’t need it.”  I then asked Dad how I could get the money.  We made an agreement, after my chores were done, he would find “other work” for me to do.  We would agree on the price then at the end of the month we would settle up.  I never had to ask Dad what I could spend my money on, although he was very free with his advice, after giving he would add, but it is your money.  Dad set up a savings account for my brother and me.  We learned the value of a dollar.  I got sent to a private school to which Dad paid for, but when I wanted to go to Boise State University’s Vo-Tec school, I had to pay for that.  So I dug in worked after school, found a scholarship to pay part and got through it.  Dad said he would support me by letting me live at the house for free while I was going to school.  He never offered any money.  We had discussions about money, he told me there were times to borrow money like big ticket items – house, car and such, but other things, save your money and pay for it, don’t go into debt.  One of the best economic advisors I ever had.

When it came to jobs, it really didn’t matter what it was, I would do it for pay.  I’ve cut weeds out of mint fields, trained hops, mowed lawns, cleaned ditch, I have done so many different jobs.  I was working at a trailer manufacturing place and got laid off so got to draw unemployment for a month.  After about 3 weeks I was restless, needed a job, so got my ass out and found one.  Dad told me once, “There is always a job out there to do if you want to work, it may not be the job you like but it will put beans on the table.  Sooner or later the job will come you want and you will get it.  Plus doing all the crappy jobs, an employer will see you have a good work ethics” . 

This is the problem today, too many people who don’t want to work.  They believe “the job” is below them, so they would rather go on social help than get their ass out and work.  When I was growing up, it was embarrassing to be on social help.  Today it is almost a job for some people because they don’t want to get out and work. 

If I was in charge things would change.  Able body people would be required to work to get their social help.  There are so many jobs which can be put into this category.  Even child care for those on “welfare jobs” can be done by those on “welfare”.  Maybe if those going on welfare were required to work, then maybe they would get out and get a job they would rather do. 

Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.  These are the things which are guaranteed by our Constitution.  Everything else is something you need to get your behind out and make it happen.  If these work ethics were brought back today, our society would grow.  People accepting responsibility for themselves instead of wanting/letting the government take care of them.   

WHAT HAS HAPPENED?

Listening to the news I learned some kid did a shooting again.  I spent part of the evening wondering, “What is different today than when I grew up?”      

As a kid growing up I was taught respect.  I may not agree with what others had to say, but I was taught to respect their opinion.  I learned if I went somewhere and caused a scene (tantrum), there was none of “just wait until we get home”, justice was served quick.  I always remember my Dad saying before he applied the justice, “this is going to hurt me more than it does you”.  I never understood this until after I grew up.  It didn’t matter who, Mom or Dad we knew they kept their word.  Mom had a little different way.  She would tell me to go out and “cut our own switch from the tree”.  My brother and I learned, don’t come in with some little, brittle thing or we would be sent out to get a “good” one then the punishment would be double.  Her worst punishment was having us go get it.  We never got in too much of a hurry.  But it wasn’t all about punishment, we soon learned the “values” of life which has stayed with me until this day. Physical punishment doesn’t need to come into play, this is evident from the way my brother raised his kids and his kids have raised theirs.  What is still the same is family love, respect for authority, discipline, values.  What has to be determined is what is discipline and abuse!  If you don’t understand the difference, how to apply discipline then you have already lost.

We ate breakfast and supper together as a family.  Most of the time my brother or I, if we were in the house helped set the table.  When we sat down, prayer was said then the food was passed in an orderly fashion.  We ate, then I had to ask to be excused from the table.  Many times this was the time when Dad or Mom, if they had something to say was said.  When done we were excused.  We took turns cleaning up afterwards. 

There was never an allowance give at our place.  Dad explained early on each of us had a fourth of the chores to do.  If we didn’t do our part, who was going to do it.  Keeping our room picked up, care of the animals was divided up, cleaning the house, mowing the lawn and trimming up. Taking care of the garden, so many things were done, no money was given for it.  It wasn’t until I was in about the fourth grade that I heard what “allowance” was.  To earn money, after our chores were done, Dad would arrange for work where we could earn money: trapping gophers, cutting thistles in the pastures, cleaning ditch, watering pastures, so many thing we did to earn our spending money.  The summer after I was in second grade we took a trip to California and Disneyland.  Yes, I had earned my spending money.  I knew what I had and Dad said I could use it as I wanted, but remember, when it was gone, there was no more!  Dad taught me the value of a dollar, he opened each of us a savings account (still got mine today).  If we didn’t have the money, we didn’t need it.  Yes, he provided all the basics, but not the over and above “wants”.

We learned early about guns.  We would trail along behind Dad when he was hunting.  We learned to always stay a good distance behind the shooter.  We were taught never to point a gun at someone/thing unless we intended to kill it.  Guns were a tool, to be used, respected.  Our guns were locked in a gun cabinet.  Even after Larry and I were hunting, the guns were always locked up.  The big difference was soon we had access to the key, but we always had to say when we were going hunting, who we were going with, where we were going.  These were the house hold rules.  Yes, there were many rules in our house.  Dad always said, “As long as you are living in my house you will live by my rules.”  This was it. 

There was a lot of love in our house.  Mom and Dad were always involved in everything we did, cub scouts, boy scouts, sports, events at school.  95% of the time both were present, 100% of the time one or the other was preset.  To this day I still know the 12 principles of a Boy Scout and these helped shape my life.  We attended church, we did almost everything as a FAMILY.  The family unit is so very important in shaping the values of kids.  I know the values my brother and I grew up with.  I know the values my brother taught his kids.  I now see the values in their kids.  I also know my brother’s kids are directly involved in their kid’s lives and it shows. 

I remember in first grade, our first class of the day we all stood up and said the Pledge of Allegiance and a prayer was said.  The ten commandments were somewhere posted on a wall in the classroom.  Religion wasn’t taught in a public school, but stop and think, our country was based on the ten commandments, values of life.  Now these are no where to be see and it has been deemed “inappropriate”.  I ask, what is “inappropriate” about the basic values which each one of us should live by?  Even if you were not religious, during the day if you were sitting in class, just looking around, these were there to read and put some kind of impression in your mind – not anymore.

I hear so many time, “What is wrong with the kids, society today”.  All I have to do is look and see the differences when I grew up and what is different today.  Guns were very much available when I grew up.  Many times some kids took guns to school in their vehicles so they could go hunting afterwards.  We never did, because we lived near the school.  Is “family time” as prevalent today as it was years ago?  Respect, this is the biggest thing I see which has been trashed. There is a countless list of things which has taken away from families doing things together.  The family unit is slowly being torn down, disappearing, so goes the values which are so desperately needed.  Without these values, rules to live by, we now see what our society is slowly degrading to. 

Growing up there were not the mass shootings we hear of today, yet guns were still around.  Dad bought me my first pocket knife when I was small and taught me to use it.  I have had one in my pocket ever since, it is just a tool.  Anything can be used to kill, just look at Cain.  As a nation we are loosing God in our leadership, in the values we live by.  This break down has been a long time coming.  17 June, 1963, it was decided prayer could no longer be said in public schools.  If I were to say, this was a big turning point for the worst. It used to be at most of the courthouses, building of government you  would find the 10 Commandments – not today, they have all been removed because “they offend someone”.  How can the basic commandments/values of life be offensive?   If we as a nation don’t get back to the basic values of humanity, the 10 Commandments ( as I see it), then where are we.  We see the evidence from the break down of family values, degrading of family time, responsibility, respect.  If God, the family unit continue to be deleted from our lives, where will we be?   If the current leadership of this country don’t turn around I am afraid this country is doomed.  But who am I, just a crazy old man.