Unearned

Accepting the Unearned

When one accepts anything they have not earned, or are owned, or rightfully owed; one gives up some of their honor, validity, and integrity as part of the exchange. No matter what, they at least will always know they were not entitled and their self worth cannot, because of that knowledge, be restored.

It doesn’t matter how official, or how apparently right society regards the unearned benefit. Whether stolen, obtained by fraud, granted negligently, or conferred by authority, if unearned or not owned, the painful truth will be known to the recipient as not deserved. No matter what follows later, the benefactor will know the place, the job, the pay, or the benefits were a gift, a grant. Everything good that follows is based upon that initial false credit, a handicap granted or seized and weakened by the underlying truth that the starting point was a fraud and self worth is forever diminished.

Accept only things you earn, or are repaid having been previously earned. If you don’t own it or previously earned it, it’s not yours to invest, or loan, or use; you haven’t earned it.

Government benefits, entrance to educational institutions, entry-level jobs, benefits beyond the amount contributed plus interest and other amounts promised, fraudulent applications, gifts without expected payback, award without merit; all are not earned.

Help in the form of entitlements based on current life circumstances begin as unearned. If the recipient corrects their reason to receive entitlement and becomes a participating citizen, then they begin repaying the help they have received. If a recipient does not become a taxpayer, but continues to receive unearned benefits without behavior or circumstance improvement, then they have taken under false pretense benefits unearned and have sacrificed self respect that feeds a dismal spiral of decline and a mounding burden of deceit and damaged self-esteem they cannot ever repay. This is a terrible price that many have paid for endless entitlements.

If you didn’t earn it or it isn’t owed to you because you once rightfully owned it, don’t take it. It's not yours and even though it looks free, it will cost you more than you can ever repay.

If you’re looking for a helping hand, look first at the end of your own arm.