[Vision2020] FW: The Nation, 6/30/08

[Scott Dredge]

Oh...I would guess...none of them made the choice to abuse drugs or alcohol.  If logic came into play on this sort of thing, no one would choose it, wouldn't you agree?  My cousin's ex-husband recently died at age 50 of liver and kidney failure due to excess drinking.  He had two university degrees so he was at least intelligent and motivated enough to set and achieve long term goals, but he had no ability stay away from a bottle of booze.  Did he have a choice?  Are drug addictions and addictions so easily handled that they can just be put aside by choice?  Not being addicted to either drugs or alcohol, I wouldn't have first hand knowledge but unlike you I wouldn't point an accusatory finger at anyone with an addiction and say,'ya know, it's your own damn fault!'.  For what it's worth, my human weakness is that I salivate at the sight of anyone in a skirt.  I have no choice on that one, it's just the way it is.

-Scott



Wed Jul 30 12:19:57 PDT 2008
Kai Eiselein, Editor editor at lataheagle.com wrote:

How many of your appointed clients made the choice to abuse drugs or alcohol?


From: Sunil Ramalingam 
Sent: Wednesday, July 30, 2008 12:12 PM
To: vision2020 at moscow.com 
Subject: Re: [Vision2020] FW: The Nation, 6/30/08


I don't want to take anything away from Dave Thomas or Jack Simplot in terms of their ability to thrive in our economy, particularly if they didn't grow up with any of the advantages of coming from a wealthy family.  But if I recall correctly, Bill Gates is the son of a corporate lawyer.  Obviously he's also smart and very driven, but I think it's fair to say that growing up upper-middle class or upper class gives a person tools and advantages in our society.

Both my parents have post-baccalaureate degrees, and I think all of my grandparents did too, and some of their parents as well.  Even though I spent most of my youth whizzing away - or trying to - the headstart that gave me in life,  I was still able to recover from my own stupidity.  I'm far from rich, but  I'm also far from where my appointed clients are.

Sunil