Reply #36: I'd like to see everybody have to do it, not just the poor kids. [View All]

[Berry Cool]

The problem with using community service as a means of paying for college is that it teaches the wealthy and their children that, to paraphrase Leona Helmsley, "Only the little people need to worry about community service." The rich can still avoid it by being able to afford to pay for college without having to invest any sweat equity in paying the costs.

What this country really needs, and which sadly we really can't expect the government to provide, is a renewed sense on the part of the wealthy as a whole that "of those to whom much has been given, much is expected." Call it noblesse oblige if you will, but I just call it the idea that if you've been pretty well blessed in your life and you have a lot of money, it's a good idea to try to spread it around to those who have less and help them until they can do for themselves, and ALWAYS help those who will never be able to do for themselves for reasons no one can control. We need to get rid of the "greed is good" ethic.

Really, poor kids aren't the ones most in need of developing a sense of obligation and gratitude for the opportunities they receive in life. It's the rich ones who have never wanted for anything who often have a big piece of their social consciousness missing, because they have no clue that everyone isn't like them, or that if there are people unlike them, it isn't always because they deserve less.

Edited to add: I know some will say "Sure the government can provide that. It's called 'increase taxes on the rich.'" But that's not what I mean. I mean, we need to bring back the idea that it's OK for the rich to pay more to keep our society running than the poor do. That it's not some horrible unfair means of punishing the wealthy for their success.