Think About It. Ain’t We Got Fun? Looking at the top stories in the news ought to be good. TULSA RACE RIOTS, IMMIGRATION REFORM IMPERATIVE, DISARMAMENT CONFERENCE FAVORS CHINA, FIVE POWER TREATY OUTLAWS POISON GAS, INCOME INEQUALITY WORST EVER. It must be true that the rich are getting richer and the poor are getting poorer. The headlines could just as well be “ripped out of today’s newspaper”. But no. It’s 1921, and on the brighter side Van and Schenck have a new hit song in the Ziegfeld Follies. Presumably wealthy flappers were dancing while those struggling masses were singing, “Men the grocer and butcher sent, Men who call for the rent, But within, a happy chappy.”
One would wonder why some people have a positive attitude as they plan for a brighter future while others wail as they wait. Worse yet, there are the pious pundits who call for income equality and higher taxes in the progressive fashion. That really means the Progressive way, stealing from the rich and giving to the poor. Someone should write a story about a merry bunch in a forest, bows and arrows at the ready, wresting the money bags from the hands of carriage riders to redistribute among impoverished peasants. Let’s call the liberal leader Robin Hood.”Bill collectors gather, ‘Round and rather, Haunt the cottage next door, And his bride of only a year, Seem to be so cheerful.”
What’s that line about? Maybe they heard the word, “For ye have the poor with you always’” However, for some reason outspoken activists including religious representatives pontificate on the subject of government sponsored equalization. Nobody mentions the next line of the quote. “and whensoever ye will ye may do them good”. There is no mention of government intervention in the process.”Times are bum and getting bummer Still we have fun. There’s nothing surer, The rich get rich and the poor get children.”
Whether you have chosen the far left or the far right, some of us get nervous whenever any group of humans decide how to spend our money and force us to live our lives as they choose. From a Sage friend, business ethics professor and philosopher Tibor Machan shortly before his death, a timely email. “Why on earth do people fret about inequality when everywhere in the world (including, especially, in the wilds) it is the most natural thing? Sports, the arts, ordinary life, etc., etc. is replete with inequality. I never cared about this.” “There’s nothing surer, The rich get rich and the poor get laid off.”
When the well-compensated movie moguls, broadcaster talking heads and puffed-up politicians spout their collectivist screed, my disgust reaches a nauseating level.”The rent’s unpaid dear, We haven’t a bus, But smiles were made dear, For people like us. In the meantime, In between time, Ain’t We Got Fun?” Think About It.
Listen to the original 1921 Hit Song.
Tibor R. Machan was executive contributing editor at The Daily Bell web site. His columns may be read at http://tibormachan.rationalreview.com/ & http://szatyor2693.wordpress.com