So I want to know where young people get off thinking the world owes them a living?  I read Emma Peel's post  yesterday, and overnight I let it simmer.  Now, I’m prepared to let off the resulting head of steam. 

If we are going to talk entitlements, I think we have to start looking from the top down.  I mean with those of us who happen to have had enough life experiences to know nothing gets handed to you on a silver platter.  Not even a rejection slip of any kind that I have ever noticed.  I got twenty-six rejections letters from the major publishers of the day, before I sold my book.  Twenty six.  This young lady had the audacity to think a few months of sending out resumés made the school responsible?  

Did that lead me to the natural (?) conclusion to sue my agent because he had failed to secure a book deal?  No, it only took patience and waiting until I was a good fit for a publisher, which happened on the twenty-seventh letter.  Yes, patience is a virtue, imagine that.

Even when the publisher I had contracted with shut their doors, leaving me and a host of other authors holding the bag, did I consider suing the publisher?  Nope, and neither did Bob Mackie and the others who where scheduled for a September publication.  We did what any self-respecting people would do, we started over.  Some books got published, others like mine didn’t.  Nobody’s fault.  Chalk it up to timing.  I put my book away for thirty years and went about living my life, making new opportunities, not looking for reimbursement for having my life’s dream rug pulled out from under me like some magician’s trick. 

This whole entitlement thing has gotten out of hand.  What has happened to gratitude?  I never went for a college degree because I wanted to be a beautician.  A choice.  But precedence over that dream surged to the forefront when I became a parent.  Imagine, self-sacrifice for the greater good.  No, I don’t suppose this girl could imagine it, it involves personal responsibility.  I stopped school to be able to go to work at a dime store to bring some money in.  I was grateful for the opportunity, and used it as a stepping stone to better jobs, and pay.  

Some jobs were degrading in nature, but only as much so as I would allow.  You really can rise above these things, if you have a belief; in order to be better you need to see further, just into beyond of your immediate tomorrows.  I hope you get the opportunity.  Perhaps you will learn something from this whole experience.  I hope so, for all of our sakes.  What will you have after your fifteen minutes and the $72,000, IF you would by some fluke win. is spent?  I’ll bet you haven’t given it much thought.  You really should.

Eventually, in my thirties, I was able to take some college classes.  Chosen and paid for by me, even though at times I lived in my car, subsisting on a fast food sandwich and carton of milk each day.  That is how important it was to me.

My son has taken a road lower than any I have ever considered (in my opinion), drugs.  But, do I feel entitled to anything from him as his parent?  I have to say no.  Heck, he went to college.  He has chosen his path.  Though I love him, I realize for me to think I have anything to do with his choices as an adult is ridiculous.  I guess I should be cringing in fear in case he thinks he should sue me for not...oh heck, he could pick any number of reasons if he was so inclined.  Even he realizes the folly of such an idea.  He may be an off and on drug addict, but he is not as clueless as you are when it comes to real life.  He may have problems, but the blame game is not one of them.  He takes responsibility.  I can’t ask more from him, it is his life now.

I hear stories like yours, of a young, privileged (in my world because you went to college) girl and I think she has the same mind as those who think, by  mere virtue of being born, feel a lawsuit is the answer.  To say anything about anyone causing grief, money, and innumerable sleepless nights all for what--throwing the equivalent of a litigious temper tantrum?  Shame on you.

I doubt I'll be getting my entitlement of a social security check when I get to be of age.  Who shall I sue, past governments for having spent out of control?  I paid in, but there isn't going to be enough left to pay me.  Hey, we have wars to pay for, debt that has spiraled out of control, healthcare costs nobody can keep up with, unemployment, businesses closing, 401 K plans worth half what they were, cash for clunker programs, bailouts, unpaid student loans and on and on. That's what I am "entitled to" for all of the toil and sacrifices I made. 

So I want to know, what are my entitlements? I’ll tell you what they are: I’m entitled to do the best I can to make the world a better place to live.  I’m entitled to find some happiness within myself and not spread blame around.  I’m entitled to not be the sort of person who will find the faults of the world, but instead try to see the rights in it.  I’m entitled to work for the betterment people less fortunate than I am. I am entitled to say to you, get over it and move along, earn some self respect.  Then and only then, will I be listening to what you have to say.  

Entitled to reimbursement for a college education?  Oh young lady you should be counting your blessings...and not the pie-in-the-sky frivolous lawsuit dollars you dream of.