-
College Planning | Debt | Elder Care | Employment | Estate Planning | Health Care | Insurance | Marriage & Divorce | Real Estate | Retirement | Taxes
Tradecraft by Jonathan Hoenig (Author Archive)
Giving Thanks for America's Prosperity
The average American will consume 3,000 calories and 229 grams of fat this Thanksgiving, according to the American Council on Exercise.
And while I don't advocate an unhealthy lifestyle, a little gluttony and overindulgence on Thanksgiving has become simply part of the celebration. It's a truly American holiday, one that celebrates not a mystical god or military victory, but abundance and success. Consider the average American will take in more calories in one meal than those in socialist wastelands like Cuba or North Korea will eat over a number of days. I happen to believe that's something we can be proud of.
Of course, many are suffering, even here at home, a reality compounded by a slowing economy and weak stock market. And without denying anybody's hardship, you've got to admit that, if you're going to be poor and suffering anywhere in the world, modern-day America is just about as good as a place and time as any.
Indeed, we've come a long way since the first Thanksgiving. While countries in the Middle East and sub-Saharan Africa have engaged in centuries of tribal warfare and remained mired in poverty, America's commitment to reason, individual rights and capitalism has created the most prosperous society in the history of mankind — in just a few hundred years.
The American Farm Bureau's annual survey indicates that the traditional Thanksgiving feast actually costs less than it did in 1988 (adjusted for inflation). A table of turkey, stuffing, sweet potatoes, rolls, peas, carrots, celery, coffee, milk and pumpkin pie for 10 is priced around $44.61. Indeed, in America, many of the poorest citizens are actually obese, a stark contrast to poverty in Africa or India where those on the lowest rung are literally starving in the streets.
Source: American Farm Bureau
The prosperity enjoyed in America over the years is a direct result of a commitment to capitalism, where yesterday's luxury has quickly become today's mass-market item. We become conditioned to new technological miracles being introduced on a regular basis in this country. It wasn't too long ago that simple email seemed a tremendous achievement. Now, spending just a few hundred dollars on a smartphone gives you the ability to manipulate and send text, audio and video literally from the palm of your hand. The same sort of advancement is seen in fields ranging from health care to home improvement.
It's important to remember, though, that America's widespread prosperity wasn't born of conquest, bailouts or stimulus packages, but of political and economic liberty. In America, success has been earned, not taken or given away.
And there's a tremendous satisfaction in enjoying a material good, like a nice meal, that you've worked hard to achieve. When we succeed, either at our jobs or in our investments, we feel pride in our accomplishments. We know we didn't succeed just by luck or by exploiting other people; we succeeded because we earned it.
So this Thanksgiving, as you are hopefully enjoying a day of leisure, friends and family, go ahead and spoon that extra helping of turkey on your plate. This quintessentially American holiday pays a fitting, and filling, tribute to the American ideals of productivity, achievement and success.
Jonathan Hoenig is managing member at Capitalistpig Hedge Fund LLC.
'Indeed, in America, many of the poorest citizens are actually obese, a stark contrast to poverty in Africa or India where those on the lowest rung are literally starving in the streets.'
As a native of eastern Kentucky, one of the poorest areas in America, I can vouch for that. Of the problems a people can have, rampant obesity among the poor is one I can live with. That area also has an abnormally high cancer rate, but, frankly, I'd take dying in my 60s or 70s of cancer or heart disease over dying in my 20s or 30s of cholera, malaria, or starvation any day.
We have some significant problems in our country right now, but I wouldn't trade our problems for those of any other country on earth. That's something we can truly be thankful for.
As President, on October 3, 1789, George Washington made the following proclamation and created the first Thanksgiving Day designated by the national government of the United States of America:
' Whereas it is the duty of all Nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey his will, to be grateful for his benefits, and humbly to implore his protection and favor, and whereas both Houses of Congress have by their joint Committee requested me 'to recommend to the People of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many signal favors of Almighty God especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness.
Now therefore I do recommend and assign Thursday the 26th day of November next to be devoted by the People of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being, who is the beneficent Author of all the good that was,...(Read more of this comment)
-2.81
About Our Ads | Corrections | Custom Publishing | License Our Content | Media Kit | Press Room | Events | Site Map | Labs |
You Are Viewing: SmartMoney.com — Investing, Saving and Personal Finance.
rdelton has it right, both in fact and spirit. The author, Mr Hoenig, has some of the facts right but not the essential ones, and his spirit is certainly misplaced.
Whether one believes the history of the Pilgrims' 'first' Thanksgiving and dates the tradition from there, or the 'official' date as proclaimed by our Presidents each year since Washington's first, all have universally acknowledged with gratitude the blessings of Almighty God that have flowed to us before we were a nation, as a nation and individually.
For Mr Hoenig to say: 'It's a truly American holiday, one that celebrates not a mystical god or military victory, but abundance and success.' demonstrates ignorance of history, ignorance of the faith and values that are the foundation of our freedoms, a grossly misplaced value on gluttony, and failure to focus gratitude on the essential freedom that is the keystone of all the rest - freedom of religion - the exact freedom that allows him to make such foo...(Read more of this comment)