Discussion Do you agree with the statement "the world owes you nothing"?

[ericwilkinson]

Is it a moral or factual statement? Have you ever been told this?

 

[Dead beat dad]

The world owe me nothing, I owe the world nothing. Either way, no need to be a dick about things

 

[Temporarilyabsurd]

I've listened to an interesting book recently called ; ' Debt , the first five thousand years '

It throws a lot of financial preconceptions in the dumpster .

Relevant in the sense of analysing the concept of 'owe'.

The world ?
My community , family .friend. nation ... ?

Yes it does ,a human being unfurl the great red star of bewhiskered Marxism I say !

Down with the rentier capitalist scum !

 

[oopswronglife]

Define "the world". Society owes us all a humane existence...but "owed" isn't something that applies to the natural world. People who say "you are owed nothing" in regards to society/other people are just victim blaming in my view.

 

[Pistolero114]

My response to that is f**k them. I paid into a system off the sweat blood tears and physical pain of my body so that when I was old I would have something to maintain myself with. So after that much work; f**k yeah they do. And I am of a mind that if a brother or sister needs help and I can provide it I at least try. Why? Because someone did for me. In the process of becoming old I have been shot once; stabbed twice and beaten within an inch of my life and left for dead. I did that in accordance to my oath to keep my community safe. To protect those that could not do it themselves. We work we sweat we endure so that at the end of our lives we can enjoy a bit of life before we die. I consider myself my brother's keeper. I help where I can help with no sense of entitlement. In the hopes that what I did for someone someone would do for me. We owe each other that. F**king world has decided that the bottom line is how much does it cost to fix a human being? It's the bottom line that concerns everyone now. Not the value and sanctity of human life.

It is easier to build a strong child than it is to fix a broken adult.

 

[waived]

Define "the world". Society owes us all a humane existence...but "owed" isn't something that applies to the natural world. People who say "you are owed nothing" in regards to society/other people are just victim blaming in my view.

Society doesn't owe a humane existence, that isn't why and how societies and their internals have been established and that isn't a part of the current form of life.

 

[oopswronglife]

Society doesn't owe a humane existence, that isn't why and how societies and their internals have been established and that isn't a part of the current form of life.

That it's not how it functions doesn't change my belief that we are all owed a humane existence by the system in place. Involuntarily being dragged into existence and then told "you are on your own and if you can't manage then too bad" is really arsed up in my view, but that's mostly how it goes.

 

[not-2-b-the-answer]

Is it a moral or factual statement? Have you ever been told this?

I have heard this …. and I also think I owe the world NOTHING in return.

 

[Catch_The_Beaver]

If by the "world" you mean the universe, then yes. However, from my experience alone, this expression is sometimes used by people who want to escape their responsabilities and try to justify themselves by saying that the world as a whole is not fair. Eventhough they may be right, they do owe me, still.

 

[Final Escape]

I agree with this. I used to think society owes u at least to educate u rationally and morally, so that u can navigate your life in a way that will help u have the best possible outcome regardless of wether u are very gifted/talented or not. That's the least a moral society could do but we do not live in a moral society. There is still moral people but fewer and fewer because the state encourages immorality.

 

[RM5998]

Not really... I don't think I have been mistreated by the world at large. I'm just a malfunctioning idiot trying to find a way out because I don't have the mental fortitude to withstand a life of hardship.

 

[262653]

I assume that by 'the world' you mean humans in the world and by 'owing something to you' you mean to be obliged to provide you with something? Or nothing, in this case.
Let's say I approach a stranger on a street and say: "You owe me 20$." Without any intention of harming another person if I won't get my way. Would the stranger be obliged to provide me with 20$?

Let's say I drive a car and... the policeman stops me to chat and fines me with 20$. Let's say I broke some law or rule, there is a recording with the clear evidence of it; there might be the consequenses if I would refuse to pay. Would I be obliged to provide the policeman with 20$?

A group of strangers approaches me and say: "You owe me 20$." They look like they wouldn't shun of hurting people, judging by their tattoos, quasi-gangsta clothes, and a knife casting its edge on you. Do I owe them 20$?

I think that obligation has sufficient weight if it's warranty succeeds to enforce this obligation. The warrant here is anything that forces obligation. A brute force, a fancy document, a keen mind, an ingrained belief... And what makes us follow the obligation is a personal benefit, I think. We see its worth to follow if we gain something from it, or trust the authority, retain personal integrity, suchlike.

 

[dandan]

and after all the world owes you nothing

Completely agree, you want something, go out and take it, find a way to get it, nobody is gonna get it for you.

 

[Empty Smile]

The world may owe me nothing, but it should respect my decision to ctb when I want.

 

[JoeFailure]

Yes, I just wish I had learned that before the age of 34, before I fucked it all up.

 

[oopswronglife]

Lots of people seem to be confusing what SHOULD be with what IS and saying since we get mostly screwed that nothing is owed. I disagree with that entirely and believe all are owed a humane existence.

 

[RM5998]

Lots of people seem to be confusing what SHOULD be with what IS and saying since we get mostly screwed that nothing is owed. I disagree with that entirely and believe all are owed a humane existence.

I think some of that is tied to issues of self-worth. If you've got a shitty opinion of yourself, you're unlikely to feel that the world owes you something.