Get a job, ya filthy bum!

I take great offense at Mary Dejevsky's assertion that Americans are mean.

For there is a mean and merciless streak in mainstream US attitudes, which tolerates much more in the way of inequality, deprivation and suffering than is acceptable here, while incorporating a large and often sanctimonious quotient of blame.

And the British don't tolerate inequality, deprivation and suffering? Frankly, I don't see any noticable difference in quality of life between the US and the UK. Ok, sure, with council houses, we have fewer beggars and children living on the streets, and with national health care people don't have to worry about going bankrupt from doctors' bills, but is that really increasing the quality of life? And if so, at what cost?

What Mary Dejevsky calls "mean", I call "self-responsibility". When people see a homeless person in the US, they think a number of things, perhaps feel pity, perhaps wonder where their family is, perhaps wonder how they got there, and of course, the "get a job, ya filthy bum!" response. But an American will rarely say "it is my fault that person is homeless", and only a small minority will say "it is the government's fault that person is homeless".

In the UK, when people see a homeless person, they merely shake their heads at the council not getting that person a house quick enough. Or wonder why they don't have a council house. Rarely will they blame the individual.

In the US, I see cold-hearted calculated selfishness, focussing entirely upon the individual. If you fail, it's your fault; if you suceed, it's on your hands. While it may be a myth that hard work will get you further, it is certainly a truth that blaming others gets you nowhere.

In the UK, I see a complete lack of self-responsibility, blaming everything upon outside factors. It's the council's job to do this, so why should I? It's because of the class system or prejudices that I can't get a job/promotion. But worst of all, this belief that outside factors control one's destiny has led to resignation and acceptance instead of a desire to change things for the better.

Perhaps in the US, things don't always work out for the best, but at least there's a gambling chance that change might happen. In the UK, you almost guarentee maintenance of the status quo.