David,

First, "direct" is my preferred approach. It beats PC and innuendo any day.

Now what if I countered with the idea that labelling people as practising the "victim mentality" is precisely one of those control levers that have been implanted in society to promote agruing amongst each other rather than pressing for fixing the system!

My beef is really with the government and the politicians that make it up. And no, I don't want the government to 'take care of us'. But I do want the politicians to put THE PEOPLE back into the equation. And I do want them to be truthful about law/policy they implement.

For example, the "cost of living index" here is touted as between 1.5% - 2.5% annually, depending on. Yet prices of goods/services bought regularly rise between 5%-22%, many between purchases. Computer stuff and toys are exceptions. Maybe Wal-Mart prices serve as their guidelines. Or maybe Costco and the like. I don't shop at Wal-Mart and I don't need the volumes sold at Costco. But I'm talking about things like food and insurance costs and bank service charges and gas prices and bus fares and car repairs and stuff that's not in those places anyway.

For example, I'm talking about "huge strides in productivity" that our pols are so fond of saying so often. Productivity based on working extended unpaid hours (or lose your job) is not my idea of productivity. More profit because the workers are now in China is not my idea of productivity, especially when those displaced workers are actually burdens on society at large.

For example, I'm talking about the oft-repeated phrase justifying offshore outsourcing that "a rising tide raises all boats". That workers HERE, blue-collar or white-collar, are working longer and being paid less doesn't look like the boats around me are 'rising'. That wages are being rolled back (over several years now) doesn't look like boats around me are 'rising'. That layoffs and tax concessions are invariably followed by moving to China anyway doesn't look like the boats around me are 'rising'. That pension funds are being raided by companies and leaving people counting on their pensions empty-handed doesn't look like the boats around me are 'rising'.

For example, I'm talking about massive concessions/payments of tax monies having to be made to airlines and electric utilities (and who knows what's next) because they traded off good and sensible management in favour of what the bottom line looks like TODAY. I don't see Joe Average getting bailed out when he has a misstep in his life (usually caused by misfortune) while billions are paid out rgeularly due to mis-management (stupidity) to corporations.

Call me a practitioner of the victim mentality if you like. You can even call me that most dreaded of terms nowadays - a LIBERAL!
To me the facts are clear... government is no longer "by the people, for the people". They've got a cozy club going and every few years they put on an act and pretend that WE have a say in who gets elected and what they do once there. As soon as the election is finished the corporate lobbyists resume their work and within hours things are back the way they were before the electioneering started. We get a few bits of pork every once-in-a-while as 'proof' of the good they do for us and in the meantime we are all way too busy just keeping our heads above water to have any time to straighten things out.

cheers

>Jim,
>
>>I feel that "the powers" have constructed things so that we are simply powerless pawns who are constantly set up to argue amonst each other about the accuracy of the predicted future.
>
>Gee, that sure sounds like a typical "victim mentality" -- everything is someone else's fault, usually someone either more powerful or rich than the victim.
>
>Man, how can anyone manage to get anything accomplished with such a doom and gloom viewpoint? My advice to anyone in that condition is, Don't be a victim... pick yourself up and do something. Start a business, do some volunteer work, find a job and do your best until you work your way up, save money even if it's just a little at a time and then launch your own company... anything except sit around whining...
>
>Sorry if that's too direct, but too many people enjoy being victims -- in fact, entire cultures these days are built on the concept. It's much easier than actually taking responsibility, setting some goals, and working until they happen.