This is an insane concept that has it roots in American protestant stupidity. It struck me deeply how family friendly and pro family other countries were compared to the U.S.
It definitely seems like an Anglo-American thing. A definite cultural difference. The stereotypes about some cultures being colder and warmer than others, and I'm not talking weather, ring true.
And that's just food. I'd love to see something similar tracking "Helping children vs. kicking them out when they're 18 to bootstrap" by culture of origin.
Definitely a weird American/Western thing. My (extended) family in Indonesia have no such scruples. I have cousins who have cushy jobs because my aunt is a high-ranking diplomat (not that they didn't deserve it, but familial connections definitely helped), my dad hired his sister-in-law to be his receptionist because she's the sister of his wife (imagine that!), and so on.
At the end of the day if your children can't handle their inheritance then you did a bad job raising them. One which won't much be fixed by not giving them anything. Build something worth leaving to your kids, and raise kids worth leaving it to. Then pray that God keeps the Rehoboams well clear of your family line.
From this point of view, even helping others also helps the familia. Mutual assistance between families is how polities are founded. Helping the orphan loaner is how the family expands by recruiting retainers. Of course these things are also meet and just so to do, but not necessarily in conflict with the needs of the family.
Yes. That is perfect. If I could insert that "Jack Nicholson nodding in approval with a crazed look in his eyes from Anger Management* GIF I totally would.
You're meant to help your kids out. I became pretty pro-"nepotism" when I realised that very few jobs ever needed to be done by the best person, and simply needed a competent one.
The knee-jerk aversion to helping one’s own children out might have started out with noble intentions, at least here in the “We don’t need no royalty”/classless society (but not really) United States, but as with nearly everything American, it gets taken way too far.
"I wonder what makes the Joes, Hunters, Trumps, etc. types so adept at it and the rest of us so hesitant."
My theory is that they do what the rich and powerful always do: tell us plebes one thing to keep us from competing while they do what they've always done to keep themselves and theirs firmly ensconced in positions of power and authority.
". . . but I do participate in a constitutionally ordained militia . . ."
This is an insane concept that has it roots in American protestant stupidity. It struck me deeply how family friendly and pro family other countries were compared to the U.S.
It definitely seems like an Anglo-American thing. A definite cultural difference. The stereotypes about some cultures being colder and warmer than others, and I'm not talking weather, ring true.
Remember this? https://nypost.com/2022/05/31/countries-where-feeding-house-guests-is-not-the-cultural-norm/
And that's just food. I'd love to see something similar tracking "Helping children vs. kicking them out when they're 18 to bootstrap" by culture of origin.
Definitely a weird American/Western thing. My (extended) family in Indonesia have no such scruples. I have cousins who have cushy jobs because my aunt is a high-ranking diplomat (not that they didn't deserve it, but familial connections definitely helped), my dad hired his sister-in-law to be his receptionist because she's the sister of his wife (imagine that!), and so on.
I don't know if it's Western, per se. Mediterranean countries seem to give family a leg up more than, say, northern European and Scandinavian nations.
But, but, muh bootstraps!
*Sigh*
At the end of the day if your children can't handle their inheritance then you did a bad job raising them. One which won't much be fixed by not giving them anything. Build something worth leaving to your kids, and raise kids worth leaving it to. Then pray that God keeps the Rehoboams well clear of your family line.
Great point: maybe kicking the kids out at 18 is actually detrimental to their development. Who’d’ve thunk it?
Every child is different.
Preach it brother!
"Everything in the Familia, nothing outside the Familia, nothing against the Familia."
And I mean, nothing against other people, but family comes first. AND THEN you can worry about everyone else.
From this point of view, even helping others also helps the familia. Mutual assistance between families is how polities are founded. Helping the orphan loaner is how the family expands by recruiting retainers. Of course these things are also meet and just so to do, but not necessarily in conflict with the needs of the family.
Now you’re on to something!
Altruism is not a bad thing, contra libertarians and Randians. But you can’t be destructive about it.
A simpler way to put this is you cannot pour from an empty vessel. Your family cannot contribute to your neighborhood until it is on a firm basis.
Yes. That is perfect. If I could insert that "Jack Nicholson nodding in approval with a crazed look in his eyes from Anger Management* GIF I totally would.
You're meant to help your kids out. I became pretty pro-"nepotism" when I realised that very few jobs ever needed to be done by the best person, and simply needed a competent one.
Excellent point.
The knee-jerk aversion to helping one’s own children out might have started out with noble intentions, at least here in the “We don’t need no royalty”/classless society (but not really) United States, but as with nearly everything American, it gets taken way too far.
"I wonder what makes the Joes, Hunters, Trumps, etc. types so adept at it and the rest of us so hesitant."
My theory is that they do what the rich and powerful always do: tell us plebes one thing to keep us from competing while they do what they've always done to keep themselves and theirs firmly ensconced in positions of power and authority.
". . . but I do participate in a constitutionally ordained militia . . ."
I'll bet you've got some cool stories.