> The argument that you deserve to watch TV all day because you once had a job is curious.
How so? I think you're missing the most important part of my comment, which was about encouraging children to discover their passions and achieve self-sufficiency.
It's not about "once holding a job." It's about being able to take care of yourself. I'm not saying that I like the idea of spending the latter part of my years being unproductive, but that the wealth accrued during those productive years gives one the ability to do that.
If I'm not dependent on anyone, if I worked and saved in order to earn that life for myself, then yes I deserve to pursue my own happiness whatever that means for me and it's no one else's business or place to dictate otherwise.
Let's imagine a very talented 10 year-old who earns a billion dollars (perhaps they're a media star or very gifted technically, whatever the reason, they have earned this money through their own efforts rather than inheriting it) and has had themselves legally emancipated. Would you feel comfortable with this child deciding they are now going to exclusively watch television for the remainder of their life?
If a 10 year-old somehow managed to get themselves legally emancipated (that's a crucial piece of context that you offered) AND had earned 10 billion dollars to sustain themselves for the rest of their lives then yes, absolutely without question. They have every moral right, and my full approval, to do whatever they want to with their one shot here on earth. I'm more than perfectly comfortable with it and it's none of my business.
How so? I think you're missing the most important part of my comment, which was about encouraging children to discover their passions and achieve self-sufficiency.
It's not about "once holding a job." It's about being able to take care of yourself. I'm not saying that I like the idea of spending the latter part of my years being unproductive, but that the wealth accrued during those productive years gives one the ability to do that.
If I'm not dependent on anyone, if I worked and saved in order to earn that life for myself, then yes I deserve to pursue my own happiness whatever that means for me and it's no one else's business or place to dictate otherwise.