Merry Christmas to you, too, Jake. We don't agree on a thing but I unaccountably enjoy knowing you ;-)

>>One might also argue that it is the essence of greed.
>
>I'll accept that. Just as those who ask questions of "need" are exposing their envy.
>
>Isn't it fun to toss deadly sins around at the hollidays? ;)
>
>Merry Christmas, Mike!
>
>>>As the year winds down and the holidays are upon us, thoughts often turn to those in need. That's not what this is about. :->
>>>
>>>Instead, I thought I'd close out the year with thoughts on the one of the most asked questions of 2012. "Why do you need..." When I read the following commentary on Monday I was struck by just how similar the questions were to what's been asked of me many times about a range of things, most recently : why do you need an "assault weapon"?. The author is exactly correct for the question is bogus in a free society and tells us much about the questioner. Namely, that they're not really interested in the answer because they've already decided that noone "needs" the ... that they're asking about.
>>>
>>>So, for anyone else asking me the question of my "need" in the future here's the answer in advance: "Because I want them and because I can." For that's the essence of living in a free society.
>>>
>>>Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!
>>>
>>>http://www.robarnieanddawn.com/index.php?q=node/6257
>>>There are a lot of people who are very concerned about the needs of others these days.
>>>
>>>A couple weeks ago, in the midst of the most insincere “apology” of all time, Bob Costas asked, “Why do you need a semi-automatic weapon? What possible use is there?” …(http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/early-lead/wp/2012/12/04/bob-costas-calls-jovan-belcher-commentary-a-mistake/)
>>>
>>>Any random search of the internet will find you all sorts of people obsessed with the size of other peoples’ homes and the constant refrain: “Who needs a house this big?” (http://www.flickr.com/photos/bitchcakes/8192258252/) (http://www.mobypicture.com/user/deanemorrow/view/14083597)
>>>
>>>The owner of Papa John’s Pizza Company, a self-made millionaire who left a rival chain to create one of America’s greatest corporate success stories was recently maligned publicly for having the audacity to run his company in an effective manner while living in a 40,000 square foot house, (which he built via his hard work and ingenuity), all under the guise of “why does he need a house so big? (http://www.mobypicture.com/user/deanemorrow/view/14083597)
>>>
>>>And then of course, there’s the big one. The root of all evil, according to anti-capitalists; money. Whether it be Apple Computers “having too much money,” or the far more common discussions about how sick rich people are for wanting to make more when they have “plenty,” there is no shortage of class warfare envy at every turn, all under the guise of “who needs that much money?” (http://normblog.typepad.com/normblog/2012/06/why-would-anyone-want-that-much-money.html)
>>>
>>>(http://apple.slashdot.org/story/12/02/26/0039225/apple-has-too-much-money)
>>>
>>>I’ve been asked all of these questions, and many more, which center around what others perceive as my greed, avarice, materialism, paranoia, and/or over-compensating. I own semi-automatic weapons, I live in what some people perceive to be a “big house,” (although it’s literally 10% the size of Papa John’s house, but more on that later), and I make what a lot of people perceive to be “plenty of money.” With such privileges (earned, I remind you), come plenty of people who are jealous and worse, and in this environment of Occutards, are unafraid to voice their displeasure with me and alike. So it is not uncommon for me to be asked a question that begins with the phrase “why do you need…”
>>>
>>>The frustrating thing about these queries is not the question itself, but rather, the total lack of a desire for an answer. It isn’t a question, it’s a statement, and in the mind of the person posing it, a condemnation, all of which is indicative of the current state of our culture, in which we demonize success, ambition, and risk-taking. While some morons attempt to placate that argument with retorts like “we’re not demonizing success, we’re suggesting that people be less greedy,” they are, in fact, saying that there is a point at which enoughis enough. And, rather than allow each individual the freedom to decide if that’s true and if so, at what point, they want to tell you when you’ve reached the level of success that is acceptable. Once there, by the way, they expect you to continue working as hard as you always have been (so that everyone who is benefitting from your existence continues to have their piece of the pie), but they also expect you to be rewarded less, consume less and be motivated by the pursuit of “stuff,” less. You’re supposed to magically become their version of altruistic on a dime.
>>>
>>>Since the “why do you need” crowd isn’t really asking a question, but rather is attempting to insult and shame you, even though there are perfectly logical answers to many of their questions, attempting to answer them is an effort in futility. Explaining the advantage a semi-automatic nine millimeter handgun offers you in the face of finding three burglars in your home falls on deaf ears, for you are told “that’s what cops are for.” Never mind that cops can’t be everywhere, always. Trying to explain that some of us always dreamed of living in giant homes we had earned always get you something like “that’s the problem. You dream of living in a giant house, I dream of a world without famine.” How do you argue with a cretin like that? You don’t.
>>>
>>>The simply answer to all of these “need” questions is as follows: Because I want them and because I can. That is almost the most basic element of America’s founding and freedom, and it’s why those who rail against it are perhaps the most evil amongst us.
>>>
>>>American freedom is all about other people making choices and decisions that you disagree with. And while you have the right to ridicule and demean the choices others make, remember that the words you say carrying powerful messages. Those who ask why some of us “need” big houses, multiple cars, more than one gun, thousands of bottles of wine and talking Ted dolls are really saying something else. They’re saying that the basic American system is wrong and must be changed, for it is not fair that one person has more, while others have less. They are against capitalism and even, at its core, happiness. Study after study overwhelmingly shows that the more successful you are, the more happy you are. So the fact that some of us achieve our dreams and goals and high levels of happiness is in no way rewarding to the “need” crowd, they are far more concerned about those who are unhappy. Their solution? Take our happiness away, give it to them, and life is fair once again.
>>>
>>>Beware of this movement, for it is far from over, let alone slowing down. They are whispering now about “wealth” taxes, in which we will create a new punishment for people based not on what they earn, but how much stuff they have and how much it’s worth. Why do you need your baseball collection from 40 years ago? Especially when it’s worth $25,000. If you’re going to keep it in your garage, then you’re going to have to pay tariff of 10% to the almighty government so that those who don’t have collections will feel better about themselves.
>>>
>>>So beware of the need crowd and anyone who asks why anyone needs anything in this culture for the answer should always be the same, “because they want it.” Period. As for what I need after writing this, it’s a stiff drink.
>>>