Just a few weeks ago, TheBlaze published its biggest story of all time with 4.3 million views. It wasn’t about a national scandal, a terrorist attack, or an election. It was Ashton Kutcher, of all people, standing in front of a bunch of teenagers at the Teen Choice Awards talking about the importance of hard work: “When I was 13, I had my first job with my dad carrying shingles up to the roof, and then I got a job washing dishes at a restaurant, and then I got a job in a grocery store deli, and then I got a job at a factory sweeping Cheerio dust off the ground,” Kutcher said. “And I’ve never had a job in my life that I was better than. I was always just lucky to have a job. And every job I had was a stepping stone to my next job, and I never quit my job until I had my next job. And so opportunities look a lot like work.” I’ve thought a lot about why this message resonated so much with our audience, and here’s what I’ve concluded: Human beings are wired to understand the value of hard work, but millions of Americans have been seduced by a ‘free stuff’ society. People are desperate for someone, anyone, to speak the truth – especially to our youngsters. The ‘leaders’ in Washington, D.C. have grown accustomed to merely offering more free candy than the other guy. For example, does anyone think two years of unemployment benefits is a good idea? Will opportunity really find you after 99 weeks on the couch? Of course not. But not many people are willing to say it. That’s why Ashton’s message went viral – it was truth. A truth society desperately needs. As parents, we have to understand the culture around us. The things we grew up understanding – hard work, diligence, persistence – are not what America’s current crop of youngsters are being taught. Equal stuff, ‘fairness’, trophies-for-all, and political correctness are, sadly, the new standard bearers. As parents, we have to understand this cultural change and lead the charge against it. I know this isn’t easy. Our kids are growing up learning about the ‘free (and equal) stuff’ society, while simultaneously living with so many conveniences we went without. It sometimes feels impossible to get them to understand that these things didn’t just appear out of thin air. Someone’s blood, sweat, tears, failures – and HARD WORK – made it happen.
Posted on: Tue, 03 Sep 2013 00:40:23 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015