The rights of man

I think there are two kinds of rights: ones that require inaction on the part of others and ones that require action. My right to free speech or religion or assembly requires that others do nothing: just don’t stop me. A “right” to health care or housing or a lawyer requires others to produce a good for me to consume from their own earnings. Both kinds put obligations on others. The first type requires others to be tolerant and endure my rantings, cult, or gatherings. The second type requires others to earn money to pay for my doctor or apartment. I have a right to someone else’s time and money? I can make choices that force others to provide me with expensive goods and services? I think this is a slippery slope that should be resisted whenever possible.

Sabotaging my own job search

On Thursday I had an interview for a visa and passport processing job. It pays acceptably, is full time, and is somewhat related to my future career. The interview itself went well but afterwards I felt I hadn’t conveyed a sense that I really wanted the job. I think that’s because I subconsciously don’t. Right now I play with my little girl, read, and bike. If I took this job I’d be processing paper work for 40 hours a week. Do we need the money that badly? Isn’t this a time with Aydan I’ll never get back? Or is my responsibility to suck it up and earn us some money?

On Friday I interviewed with a temp agency. They call me with short-term jobs and I decide whether or not I’ll take it. That sounds like a better recipe for an enjoyable family summer.

"On the Road"

I'm nearly finished with Jack Kerouac's "On the Road". I thought it would be a good entry into the works that people like Bob Dylan and considered so inspiring.

However, I find myself wondering about its inspirational value. Before each of his road trips, Sal has this unbounded hope and expectation as to what each new destination will bring him. And each experience and city is indeed exciting for a short time before becoming stale. He even revisits cities that he hated with the expectation that things would be different the next time. And they weren't.

The book strikes me as an honest look at how humans operate. We expect so much from the things we don't have but quickly tire of new toys and adventures. It doesn't inspire me to strike out on the road but rather to reevaluate my expectations about life and friendships and new experiences.

1 thought on health care

One idea discussed during the health care debate was price transparency. Apparently this means all involved parties knowing the cost of a procedure or medication beforehand. This seems so obvious it’s hard to believe it isn’t the case. But with Aydan’s birth and subsequent pediatric care I’ve learned it’s not. Actual conversation:

Me: How much will this cost?

Doctor: Why? It’s covered by your insurance. (I don’t think she actually knew that for sure)

Me: I’m just interested.

Doctor: I’m not really sure.

It seems painfully obvious that if none of the purchasers of a product know the price, and if a third party is paying, all possible incentives line up for over-charging and over-prescription.

Perhaps my free market beliefs are getting the better of me, but if a patient is partially responsible for payment, and knows the cost of each item, better financial decisions will be made.

Thoughts on bagged salad mixes

I’ve recently had a change of heart regarding bagged salad mixes. I used to view them as an example of corporate marketing pushing products that only laziness or incompetence on consumers’ parts could possibly justify. Several weeks ago I purchased a bag of salad mix and, surprised, found myself eating more salad. With dinners, as a snack, even the occasional breakfast. I realized I’d been avoiding salads simply because they took longer to make than I was interested in spending at the moment. With the bagged mixes it’s so easy to pour it in a bowl and add some veggies: cereal for grownups. The final breakthrough came at the farmers market: several of the stalls now offer mixed greens. I can now enjoy the ease of a bagged mix without the attendant questions about pesticides and petroleum.

Perhaps it’s my laziness, but so be it. I love bagged salad mixes.