Not always, it's my seem that but it's also true. It's a shame that the word has been devalued because the word is used then nothing is done to show that the word means something. You served you're a hero, not good enough true but not good enough. You're a hero so here is what we are going to do for you. Is the right thing to do. Being a hero needs to be something that you are and so get treated in a special way because you sacrificed. That sacrifice that makes you a hero needs to be repaid not just said.
Thank You, on TV it just seems like people just automatically add "thank you for your service" and then always move on, maybe recognizing something specific or asking the military person about their experience and knowledge gained from their military experience would be more respectful and real.
@@TheJohnBordonaro Do you really think that the motivations behind sending soldiers to storm Normandy are the exact same motivations behind sending soldiers to multiple areas in the middle east?
"One of the shittiest things about getting older is seeing the same mistakes made again and again, and the same problems never being solved." Truer words have never been uttered!
I'm a bus driver, moving around the coughing masses;keeping the wheels turning. I have a toddler and a newborn at home and it's terrifying... I don't want to be there; I want to be home keeping my family safe. I'm underpaid, can't afford to put my house straight, yet risking the lives of my family and loved ones... Yet, will anybody help me fix the leaking roof of my family home or help fit a kitchen, which we don't currently have, or put heating in our bedrooms? No... We will just be expected to. Go without...
USC just released an antibody study that points to the mortality rate being under 0.1% , while over 80% of the fatalities are from people over 80. check out louder with crowders short video about it.
@@luizcastro5246 louder with crowders are you kidding me. I beg you to come out of that echochamber and listen to other opinions. It might enlighten you on issues that are uncomfortable but need dealing with whether its gonna cost you something or not
"People who are valuable get paid, people who are not valuable get told how valuable they are by the people who get paid." -My last boss I'm not a hero, I'm just someone who has to work because I'm not wealthy enough to quit and have no income for 3 months.
Both true and untrue. Low paying positions are usually the most important positions in the entire company. They pay low because the skills are considered low... But really, it is how replaceable the people are that makes the difference. Cashier quits? It's nothing to get another cashier, even at minimum wage. At the same time, if you don't have a cashier, your store makes no money. Your business is halted. If cashiers were scarce or refused to work for less than a certain amount, the company would be forced to pay it. That won't happen though, so it is what it is.
All good points: I am a veteran that joined the Navy because as a child of a single mother my choice was military or try to go full time at the grocery store I was working at. In the Navy I was an engineer (i made the ship go). I never fired a weapon or single-highhandedly kept the ship from sinking. When I got out of the navy in 1995 I had all this training but back then it was even worse as far as transition back to civilian life. I could run a power-plant but my military experience did not convert to all the civilian certifications I needed so I ended up working as a security guard and in that industry I have worked my way up to mid-level management. I actually in college wrote an sociology paper on the topic of heroes following the 2003 Columbia disaster an talked about how those astronauts were being hailed as heroes and juxtaposed that versus the 9/11 res ponders. The synopsis was tragedy should not automatically make someone a hero. Being an astronaut is a dangerous job and for those astronauts they died in a tragic work accident (Tim Dodd will probably hate me saying that). Where as the 9/11 responders that died (yes it was their job) did so as a result of a sacrificial decision. Taking it back to the military if my ship had been sunk and I died I would not be a hero. I would be a victim of a tragedy. A Navy SEAL who raids Bin Laden's compound is a hero. Bringing it to modern day with this pandemic you make an excellent point that these people that are working fast food in the hospitals etc. are doing so out of necessity. I have stayed home for the last 6 weeks and limit trips to the grocery store and Wal-Mart and I have gotten frustrated with all the non-essential stuff people bought off Amazon and at Wal-Mart because these people are having to risk their lives for $10-$15/hr for home decor items. I have been so frustrated with these lockdowns because they weren't true lockdowns. 60% of the businesses here in Texas have somehow been deemed "essential". Wal-mart, Target, Petsmart, Lowes, Home-depot, dollar-tree, every convenience store and take-out restaurant have been essential but JcPenney's, Marshall's, Ross, dentist offices, religious centers of worship, barber, salon, etc. are non essential. ....I am going off on an off topic tangent.... See Joe you are not the only Texan that can go on a rant :)
Good points. Thank you for the danger you accepted and the service you provided in defending the nation. It is a mixed up world both good and bad are intertwined. Calling people heroes is a method of distinction but I do agree that it is hollow in many ways. Partly in the way that movies portray lone wolf heroes like 007, we probably over simplify and heap praise on the best of the best but forget the rest. Somehow we all must find satisfaction in the choices we make apart from the accolades of others. It would however be nice if society supported those who do make sacrifices for the good of others. Blessings to you.
@@talldarkhansome1 Not even defending the nation. Who is attacking the USA? Defending interests of a kleptocratic bunch of psychopaths for pittance fits the description better.
Couldn't see Joe's face due to his massive balls covering the whole frame. Thanks for daring say this, Joe. You already had my views. Now you have my respect.
I'm one of those quote essential workers and I think calling us heroes is silly, I'm just glad I can still work. First responders are your real everyday heroes and they're business as usual.
As a vet that suffers from ptsd, and an “essential worker” so that I can feed my family and pay my bills, I appreciate your opinion bud. I often tell people that call me a hero or thank me for my service, that I wasn’t drafted that it was a choice of service. While I appreciate the thanks, being reminded that ive survived shit that greater men than me and brothers DIDNT survive as often as I am, is counterproductive. And yes, i fought for years to get off the meds that the VA thought should replace actual monetary support or counseling. Such a clusterfuck. So yeah man, fuck that word.
I'm in the same boat. I managed to get my VA stuff done much or quickly as I was medically retired but at the end of the day I'm still working now trying to take care of my daughter and keep the demons in my head at bay. At the end of the day being a hero doesn't feed my family doesn't make it easier to deal with what I went through and doesn't make it any easier that people "forget" their ppe that doesn't just protect them but me also.
I know very few fellow veterans who LIKE being told "Thank you for your service" It is kind f trite and doesn't mean much. Aside from feeling like I personally don't deserve or desire any recognition. I would rather get a "How are ya?" or "Hey I do XXX or YYY job." because most jobs have value and deserve respect, because if you can get out of bed and do it every day you deserve a little "Hey man nice going!"
Yes.......yes I would agree majority are already super rich and want to remain rich. So they pay the news networks to tell us want they want us to hear.
Which means, what? ... exactly? For example, if we had a totally Socialist system, would that fix anything? Tons of people would STILL be REQUIRED to work in the "essential" industries to sustain the rest of society.
Suthin Scientist imperfect world and imperfect solutions?! We could just not care and let them rot? Or turn to life of crime and then live in the jails getting “free” handouts?! Americans are entitled people and not willing to share the wealth. Sorry billionaires maybe you could spread the wealth Jeff B for example.
I get the rant- bravely spoken. Seriously, I almost switched off for a minute- I'm glad I stayed. I'm an "essential" worker because I work at the shipyard- I build Navy ships. We are required to continue to produce- our timetables affect literally thousands of people. Shipyard has in place liberal leave- using your paid time off (bummer), many are "working" from home (w/laptops- those that were at high risk), and there are shift changes in place to help minimize groups of people working too closely together. Me? I've opted to pay the rent and keep my PTO for an actual vacation or two. My anxiety level is pretty high- every time I open a door I think I'm infecting myself. Sanitizer, Lysol, hand washing. I'm dealing by making masks for my coworkers, friends and the occasional postal worker who is also essential, yet unprotected. People are very grateful for the masks (I don't sell them, they're gifts), but I will tell you, as I tell them- don't pay me- just pay it forward. Making masks is how I soothe my lizard brain into thinking I have some control over the situation- it's a lie, but it's one that works. I'm not a hero- the people working at Walmart aren't heroes- we're people who depend on our income to survive. Are we frightened? Yes. Will we continue to work? Yes. These are weird times- thank you for continuing to make videos, they are a tonic.
"Hero" has always meant "the survivor of a group of expendable idiots who put themselves in danger for other people's health and prosperity without expecting a reward"".
Thanks for the daring honesty Joe. You’ve perfectly articulated an issue I’ve had for many years with our hyperbolic, self congratulatory use of the word “hero” and phrases of a similar Ilk.
My wife is a former nurse, and had exactly the same take on it yesterday. I hope enough people feel this way after this to maybe change how we handle things going forward.
Keep in mind, the most useful thing that most people can do right now is to stay home! Also, I am a CNA in a nursing home. To me "hero" sounds empty and cliché. Kinda takes credit away from real heroes. My heroes are the people who will suck it up, and adhere to social distancing and self isolation and prayer until this pandemic is over.
@@Marcusmarcb0tI To me a hero is someone who goes above and beyond what is expected of them in the time of need. Someone saving someone from a burning building is a hero while a fireman is just doing his job. It doesn't retract at all from the great work firefighters do but it's their job to save people from burning buildings. Am an essential worker as well (grocery store). Mostly worried that I might infect others if I'm asymptomatic. Got my health in order just in time for the pandemic and already had a good immune system before that so I'm not worried about myself.
@@halkihaxx5 interesting take, re: "just doing their job" vs. someone who throws themselves into a dangerous situation with nothing to gain but a sense of taking a risk when someone else needed it. A friend of mine used to work for minimum wage at a dodgy gas station on a bad side of town, often times at night. I'm surprised it was never robbed while he was there. (Oh, because it's definitely been robbed.) But one time, middle of the day, some idiot erratically pulls up to a pump station ..with his car on fire. My friend, working for minimum wage, grabbed a fire extinguisher, ran TO the car on fire in front of the gas pump, ASKED the guy if he could spray the car (flames were shooting out of the hood and through the dash on the inside), and proceeded to put the fire out. Now, admittedly he was an employee of the gas station, but I always thought that was a pretty heroic move. Definitely put his own safety on the line just for the sake of preserving some corporate assets. I once sent a letter to that corporation on his behalf, but of course I never heard back.
JOE, as a service member in the healthcare field (ARMY), Veteran of OEF, and currently serving in NYC, I absolutely agree with you, thanks for having the courage to speak a truth many of us clearly recognize.
Joe-- Thank you. I'm an ER nurse in New Orleans, and I've also been cringing at the way I see "hero" used since pretty soon after this all started. I wasn't sure why until you articulated my feelings so well. Thank you for your empathy. I want to make the point that I feel wonderful when someone directly tells me I'm a hero, or thanks me. It's when I see someone using it on social media and accumulating likes, followers, popularity, love, validation... that I get most upset. I don't have social media. I deleted Facebook 3 years ago, and never got an Instagram, etc. Right about now, when I'm social distancing more responsibly than most people I know, I feel very alone. As I sit at home, replaying in my head the sudden, surprising death of one of my patients last week, I feel very alone. So when I hear appreciation directed at me, or when a friend just asks if I'm okay, it feels good. But when I see a celebrity post a video extolling "heroes" on their social media account to thousands of likes and fawning comments, it feels like virtue signalling, and it feels like they've appropriated something that should have been mine. I know a lot of this is coming from my own insecurities, but I think there's truth to some of these feelings and at least wanted to try to put my feelings on paper.
jldstuff, you ARE a hero. Going to work, in an ER, in 2020, is one of the bravest things anyone can do. Continuing to do that makes you a hero. Even if you feel you have no choice other than to go to work, you are still a hero. There is always another choice, but you choose to push forward and THAT makes you a hero, and you have my respect. Please take care of yourself, whatever it takes.
I love how John Stewart always put chairs for the entire crew, even after all but one had died. Specifically to make you feel shitty for doing nothing for them. He was and is a master of his art.
Zach Turner No, it was something that happened and the videos are everywhere and easily accessible. Joe explained it and showed pictures to aid in driving the point home. It can’t be a dream if it actually fucking happened. 🤦🏻♀️
I agree with you Joe. I’m also sick of the insincere “here’s to the heroes” crap in all the ads right now. It’s a commercial and they’re a corporation and don’t care about people other than making a profit off of them.
You know what, if i see a company, putting their advertisement fund towards to medical workers, or even the people that make the medical worker's lives easier, I would believe in that company. Spending 10 grands on "heroes" then spend another 50 grands making and putting an Ad telling everybody how good of a company it is to spend that 10 grands, is not something should be celebrated.
Same here. It's horrible that we don't treat our heroes better. I can't escape the feeling that while it's up to politicians to enact widespread, permanent improvements for veterans, first responders and clinicians (love Doctors Without Borders), it's up to us yo demand that our politicians make improvements for these people. We do need to step up, but people tend to help once, and walk away, as Joe said. We need widespread, consistent and meaningful help to or heroes.
I work for a Midwest retailer and internally they keep calling us 'Heroes' and quite honestly I find it insulting because of many of the reasons you've said here. I see hordes and hordes of people coming into the store and some will thank me for being at work and many will tell me to "stay safe" which is funny because when someone during a pandemic and stay at home order comes in to buy two cases of beer and a lottery ticket . . . they are part of the problem. I am not a hero in any sense of the word. It took 13 years for my job to become 'essential' during a pandemic. Like I really planned this a decade and a half ago. Totally agree with everything you said.
“Like” times a million. My partner and I have been discussing this for years and you hit all the points we’ve been talking about. We also pretty much hate the clapping at 7pm for essential workers too. It smacks of the elites up in their castles throwing scraps to the peasants.
Sendero Flamenco (and others with similar views) Yes yes Yessssssss. I've been reacting this way for years in situations like this, for example, respecting the individual soldier's dedication, service, and sacrifice, and TELLING him so, but cordially, carefully and clearly stating that he's been USED by "the system", and the war he fought might not have been the right thing to do. Maybe I've been lucky, but NEVER has this approach offended the soldier in the slightest, and several times it has turned into a very deep and respectful conversation with a total stranger where he THANKED ME for thinking the way I do. Sometimes I've been told sad stories of loss of innocence, where a patriotic boy enlists, and comes back a broken man, much wiser, but embittered about the lie he was sold when he was too young to know better. He risked his life for no reason. Buddies died for no reason. He KILLED people for no reason. He carries shame and has intense memories of joyful camaraderie with his platoon. He can't figure this out and he never will, because it's impossible. He's a Hero. Is this what it's like to be a Hero? Even when the soldier himself believes that the particular war he fought was worthwhile, I've answered, Yes, i might be wrong, you might be right, and you were there while I was not, but the Public that you defend, SHOULD contain a diversity of opinion and do lots of soul searching on this very point --whether or not it is WORTHWHILE. Because if the Public was universally and automatically gung-ho about using military force as the first option, this is a recipe that will SURELY result in soldiers' lives being wasted --maybe not in the war HE fought, but in a future war and certainly ones in the past. And the people who sling this HERO word around the most, are often the very ones who are most adept finding excuses not to pay for the damage. Like evading taxes with dodges. Like shifting a conversation about increasing funding for the VA, into a conversion about how "inefficient" it is with the funding it already has. And the soldier nods Yes. Because he knows it's true. A citizen who thinks differently than he does about a particular conflict is not a threat to him, or an affront, a citizen who favors soft power and diplomacy over warmongering and threat-making and firing artillery, isn't an anti-patriot, he's the voting, thinking counterweight that protects enlisted soldiers from being used wrongly. Calling a soldier a Hero and then abandoning him when he comes home broken is a much better definition of an anti-patriot. This automatic use of "Hero" has so many sneaky, self-serving uses, and they're cataloged quite nicely by Joe. As usual, he has a special knack for it.
Ever since I got out of the US Army in 1991 I have had this feeling and never was able to express it. I was a civilian in Somalia after Black Hawk Down. I'm now working in a hospital doing environmental services (to include cleaning Covid 19 rooms) I'm issued one mask a week to wear. The gowns come down to just above my knees. I am afraid everyday go to work, that I'm going to bring something home. I hate it when people tell me " Thank you for your service." I want to say "Where the hell were you when I couldnt get a job and I was homeless for 3 year?" Joe thanks for giving this feeling a voice.
lazsloe Whoa! I guess you’d prefer the thanks my father got when he returned from Vietnam huh? You get spit on ??? Anyone call you a “baby killer”? Fuck no they didn’t... Now, I’m sorry if you turned out to be they type whose psyche couldn’t handle the horrors of war. I’m sorry you feel like your CHOICE TO ENLIST somehow puts you on the same level as men like my father who HAD NO CHOICE AND WERE DRAFTED. But my Dad actually did wind up having to shoot a young boy who was shooting an AK47 at him. He didn’t choose to go, as you did, he was drafted. He could have ran to Canada, but he didn’t. He felt it was his duty as an American and as a man. He came home and went to work immediately to feed me, my brother, and our mom. No two stories are exactly alike, but the biggest difference I see, is that he didn’t whine that shit didn’t go his way after he served. I’d love to see you tell this little tragedy of yours to him or one of his Ranger buddies .... making sure to let them know how pissed off you get when someone has the nerve to respect you by simply saying “Thanks” ......Buddy, you’d be picking up your teeth with broken fingers..... BTW, Thanks for your Service
@@MrBonney1990 Whoa! Thanks to you, you've made it blatantly clear you dont care about the issues others have to endure for us to live comfortable lives! Maybe next time you can serve the same spot he did in war, get abandoned by your country, then be treated like shit during a global crisis with the most thanks you getting being the equivalent to a gold star sticker over text! Prove to him how weak he is and do every little thing hes done, and just amaze me with how well you handle that! Sure, you'll bottle up all your emotions until it becomes a soul crushing depression, but who cares? Certainly not the people you served!
@@MrBonney1990 Seriously?! You're going to dump on him like that? Get a grip and act like an adult. And threatening violence? Yeah, that's the way to go with this. Real mature! Did you serve? Doesn't seem that way or you'd be bragging about it. Thank you for not serving. We don't need shit stains like you in the military.
Tim Malinowski I’m the first in my family who hasnt ,I lost my left arm at the elbow my Junior Year... No, I’m just the “insensitive asshole” who tells every single guy in uniform “Thank You”... but nice try
That is an incredibly smart gnome you have in your head. Keep listening and keep sharing the information. We really need to hear this kind of opinion. More of this kind of thought process will restore the balance we have lost. Thank you.
I lost my dad 1 year ago on Memorial day.He was a vet. He lost his battle with ptsd and depression. He took his own life. You see he had a bad motorcycle wreck, had a really bad head injury,when he woke up he had forgotten everything. As time moved on things came back, he remember what he had done for this great nation, he couldn't live with it anymore. He couldn't live with himself. He is my hero. I miss him so much.
So sorry to hear about your loss, and I’d like to extend my sincere appreciation to your father, a real hero, for all that he did for me and the people I love. I hope he rests in peace.
Latisha Russell I'm so sorry about your dad. My oldest daughter suffered greatly from ptsd. She also had schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. She took her own life. Nothing can describe how much a heart breaks when you know your loved one just couldn't take it anymore. So I'm reaching out to you to say I get it, and I'm sending love and prayers for you to have peace, as I search for peace also. ♡ and yes, she was the bravest person I've ever known, facing her debilitating fears every day for 30 years.
Well said, Joe. I remember seeing an EMT on the news who said he'd had enough free pizza. He needed sufficient wages so that he didn't need to work three jobs to make ends meet. Platitudes only go so far.
I am an EMT in a department that is one of the highest paid in the region and I still have to work two jobs. We don't do this job because we make a lot of money. We do it because we care about people and our community. I really dislike being called a hero because it feels hollow and makes me uncomfortable.
Long time watcher and I just subscribed because of this one. I was a wildland firefighter for the better part of a decade and I was always uncomfortable when someone called me a hero. Sure most of us were thrill-seekers, outdoors people, and many were just borderline pyromaniacs, but we were not ever required to jump into some burning building and rescue someone. There was nothing more sad and tragic than hearing about a colleague or friend who died protecting a few acres of timber. So a lot of the cringe factor I always felt about "Hero" you definitely articulated. Thank Joe!
This is a small point that in no way contradicts your larger point, but some of the people we call heroes really do have a choice about whether they put their lives on the line. I think in particular of retired healthcare workers who came out of retirement to help staff overwhelmed hospitals. Many of them are financially well-off, plus they are likely at greater risk from the virus because of their age.
@@donnanobel514 Thanks. I know it from it being quoted in another book that I read 30 years ago. It's been locked in my brain ever since. I remembered the book it was in but not who it was a quote from.
As a nurse, I went into the nursing program with the understanding that I would be given the tools I needed to perform my duties as safely as possible. I never agreed to be a martyr. Or to put my family at risk. It makes me so angry when people say if your not willing to go into an isolation room without PPE, then you shouldn’t work in healthcare. I’m one of four nurses in my family. What we need, at the moment, are the tools to do our jobs. Not a round of applause and a pat on the back. I’ve always loved your channel Joe. Thank you for putting this out there.
A hero is someone that does something that isn't expected of them in order to selflessly protect another person. It's very rare. A homeless guy rushes in and tackles a gunman, preventing the gunman from shooting into a crowd. That's a hero. A person who's deemed essential and forced to go out into a pandemic isn't a hero. They're a victim of the government.
Veraux they don’t “have to” go to work, they will just lose their home/apartment in a few months when all those backed up payments come due and eviction restrictions are lifted. The choices are go to work and risk getting a potentially fatal virus or lose your home/ everything you have worked for. Neither of those are a great choice...
I am a Vet and I have been homeless. I am grateful for the programs to help homeless vets. Seeing what none ever an homeless people endure, I am very grateful.
It's the new "that you for your service". Don't thank me, vote for politicians who will actually have our best interests at heart when my brothers and sisters finally come home.
Joe, Sad part is I am one of those "heros" twice over. Both as a United States Military Veteran, and active security personnel, what I do occupationally makes me a "first responder AND an essential worker" I have to carry a letter from my employer to walk down the street incase the law enforcement here in L.A. decides to stop me for any reason during all this. You are absolutely correct, we will see no compensation. The worst part is that the resources ARE there for veterans, how ever the V.A. doesnt tell us anything (I've dealt with it in several states). I agree with you 100 percent. So far I'm doing well, thank you for the concern. How ever if people call me a hero, then they absolutely have to act and treat us accordingly. There is nothing vain here just calling out the hypocrisy
Hey, at least you got a letter! My security company seems to think the flimsy embroidered badge on our uniforms will suffice for the police. No pay bump, no bonus, no sick days (didn't have any of those anyway), no vacation time - we aren't appreciated by the very people we work for, let alone whether we are WILLING to do this. I would rather stay home and be safe, as I fall into the high risk category. I have enough to cover staying home for a while (now that my travel plans for this year are in the garbage). And yet... there is a gnome of my own, screaming about duty to the friends I work with and see every day. *sigh* I am mid-shift as I write this, and I will do my tasks, go home alone, and cry for the world that is hurting, sleep, then get up and do it all again.
Out of curiosity, let’s say I meet a soldier at an airport, or at a McDonald’s, what is the best way to show my appreciation? I’ve heard ppl say that it’s pandering when a person says “thank your for your service”. I’m curious to know if a civilian wanted to show their appreciation, how should they show it?
@@e.w.3989 why say anything? The feeling that you need to say something comes from inside you so that you feel better. Give to an organisation which supports veterans or do something more direct to help.
PD Ken okay but that’s not why I fee the need to say it. I didn’t join the military but my family has a history in the services and I’m proud of it. So I don’t say it to make myself feel better, I say it because I’m my head it’s from a place of honor and respect.
Joe you have an incredible strength of character that allows you to present a loaded point with empathy and understanding that makes it a truly valuable perspective. Thank you for expressing your passion through UA-cam with your videos.
Before these pandemic times the last time I heard the term 'Essential Worker' was in the movie Schindler's List, and that is all I think of when I hear that term.
A hero is someone that does brave things when they don't need to do it. Pretty certain that means some are. But, especially in the US, many are basically forced to work.
I think a better word is "sacrificial". Doctors are essential but not "expendable". Or at least they're very expensive to replace. A necessary sacrifice is still a sacrifice, not expendable per se.
I think SOME people are using hero in a bad way and do mean "expendable" but I think that is the loud minority. Most people when they say it about health workers and such, genuinely mean it as someone going above and beyond and say it as a sincere respect for them. I'm of the mind that, I don't like it when crappy people steal words from the rest of us. Hero has a meaning, most people use it the way it is intended and we should let the assholes of the world redefine it.
I'm in the UK which pretty much does the same as the US in these types of situations. I'm now classed as an "essential worker" & if ANYONE dares to call me a hero, then they get reminded that I'm there because I HAVE to be, not because I want to. I love that too you've addressed this, it has bothered me for a while. So, while I'm here I'm going to bring up something else which may cause outrage. *deep breath* clapping. It's infuriating me. To me, it feels patronising and just another way for people to pat themselves on the back and consider themselves great people because, hey, they stood on their doorstep and clapped. If you really want to show some bloody gratitude, how about donating some food to a food bank, or, maybe not going into your local shop every day for bars of chocolate and lottery tickets? Oh sorry, forgetting the ridiculous amounts of alcohol people are consuming right now. (yes, I work in my local convenience store). All I keep thinking is, if I worked in the NHS I'm sure these sycophantic, hypocritical rounds of applause would feel like a smack in the chops. Whilst these clappers are still taking risks they want to feel what? "I'm a good person because I clap?" Oh please, do one. Rant over. Thanks again Joe, personally I totally agree x
"We're behind you, we're behind you". Yeah. as A veteran, I can tell you that's exactly the problem - how about being in front of us for a change....Thank you for a heartfelt - hopefully cathartic - rant!
One more thing: I once had an interesting conversation with a veteran while waiting to board a flight. We talked about how hard it is to find space for your bag if you are last to get on and he said he appreciated when he was offered early boarding while on active duty. But he also said that the one thing he hates is when someone says ‘Thank you for your service’ because he knows it is just pandering.
I served in the Navy and was speaking about this to another veteran (Marine) and we both agreed that that whole "Thank you for your service!" just grates on your nerves.
katumispencer so as someone who has family and tries to look at the military as honorable and respectful thing to pursue how can I as someone who isn’t in the best financial situation to throw money at a problem like this, show my gratitude to people who have given this sacrafice?
I agree. During the Viet Nam war era, I spent three years in the Marine Corps doing administrative office work in Okinawa and Southern California along side officers and senior enlisted who were shot up or injured. When hearing "thank you for your service" I reflect on the days driving a senior officer with a burn-scarred face and glass eye who survived a helicopter crash, or type travel orders and make countless copies of discharge papers for Marines returning to civilian life. Those were the heroes that deserve thanks. Not me.
I just reply with "Thank you for paying. I got to see the world on your tax payers dollars!" Of course some reply with "Money well spent." So there you go. lol
Wow. This video hit deep. On the day of this posting, I had just watched the NAVY Blue Angels and the Air Force Thunderbirds fly over Washington DC. Right over my neighborhood. And at least one neighbor of mine is a healthcare worker at the hospital. Thank you for making these videos. Everyone really needs them.
Actually i'm speechless how precise you expressed my thoughts on this "hero" thing. And even more so about problems of our society which is run by wealthy who like to make themselves comfortable by worreing about nature and animals and what not and DO NOTHING when billions of poor people starve and live in inhuman conditions. And many of poor people live not even in some africa or bangladash, they live in the most wealthy country in the world. Most of those so called heroes dont even have insuarence... they will go totally bankrupt if something happens. How they'll be called then? The right answer is homeless. Rich people dont give AF about others and while this is undeniable truth and we cant do much about it, hearing them calling poor people who dont have a choise heroes is an INSULT. Its hypocricy of our society.
_No one person or government has a hold on others._ That is a basic human right. Remember that as a starting premise. All oppressive regimes, on the right or the left, have acted otherwise. You have no hold on the earnings of others, for example. Except, in the USA, the wealthy pay most of the taxes. I personally don't call anyone a hero unless they put their lives in danger in a way that wouldn't have normally been a part of their job.
I'm not sure of I completely agree with this statement. I feel like your making an us vs them argument that I just feel isn't a very healthy mindset. Believe or not rich people are people too and we should never loose sight of that. There are plenty of reach people doing absolutely nothing and there are plenty of reach people doing everything they can. I'm not saying that our current system isn't fundamentally flaud all I'm trying to say is that people are people no matter how many numbers are in their bank account.
I really appreciate this video, a lot more than I ever would have expected to. I work at a grocery store in North Richland Hills, Texas, and have been one of the innumerable frontline workers trying to keep everything afloat. We have, and don’t quote me on this because it’s just a rough estimate, anywhere between 50 and 100 employees at just our store alone. We offer very low prices on many of our items, even cheaper than Wal-Mart in a lot of cases. Our store also stays open much later than other grocery stores in the area, so as you can imagine we stay quite busy. It honestly wouldn’t surprise me if we were the busiest for our city. The city guidelines concerning the virus are almost completely nonexistent, though I’m not sure if the responsibility falls on the city or state government. Regardless, people aren’t confined to their homes, there are no travel restrictions, no ban on nonessential businesses staying open, no mandates regarding face masks or gloves when out in public, and as you can probably imagine many people take absolutely no precautions when inside our store. It’s not a stretch to say that my fellow employees and I are at very high risk of getting sick. I can’t speak for everyone and so will only explain my thoughts on this. You’re absolutely right. I don’t want to be working right now, not at all. Maybe it’s just paranoia or senseless worrying, but I’m terrified of catching this virus and potentially finding myself in a life threatening situation. And especially not for how little I’m payed. But I literally, and I do mean literally, have absolutely no choice but to work. I’ll spare the details but my youngest daughter has propionic acidemia and spent two weeks in the hospital for it, so I used up all of my vacation hours just to stay with her at the hospital. I was even forced to take two attendance write ups for the few days I was there beyond what my vacation time had allotted. I can’t miss a single day of work now, for any reason whatsoever, or I will lose my job. I have to work through this. I have to put my life at risk. I don’t have a choice. I would obviously rather wait this out at home along with everyone else, but I can’t. And what’s even worse is I was already fully aware of the problem you bring up in this video. Of course essential workers aren’t going to be taken care of once this all passes. Of course we won’t. When the hell have we ever? The whole reason a lot of us essential workers are in this position is because we don’t get taken care of. Deep down I know our company doesn’t give a damn about us. If they did we’d be making a hell of a lot more than just above minimum wage. We’re only here to take the money from the customers and then give it to the people in corporate. We’re just the middle men. They wouldn’t pay us anything if they could get away with it. Rest assured there are countless people stuck in the same position as me and it pisses me off because after this blows over it will be right back to business as usual. It won’t be long before everyone forgets what we’re doing right now and it’s discouraging. I don’t care about recognition for myself, but I’m a supervisor and my employees absolutely deserve recognition. They’ve been through hell because of this and they damn well deserve respect they just aren’t getting. My employees deserve better than that. I’m so beyond proud of them and amazed at how incredible they are. And it breaks my heart because we all know nothing is going to change. People are going to forget this just like they forget everything else. But what does make a difference is knowing that somewhere out there, amongst all the people relying on us, that somewhere there are a select few who will remember. It’s comforting to know that not everyone is blind to this injustice, just like you Joe. So thank you Joe. Thank you for just being a human. Thank you.
@@sleepingbackbone7581 thank you, I know it's long so I do appreciate it. I know there must be countless other people in similar situations right now and I just hope they're being taken care of somehow. I can push through this, it sucks but I'm sure I'll be okay. I'm relatively young and healthy, all things considered. My appreciation goes out to the ones who aren't. My heart breaks for the ones that aren't going to be alive by the time this crisis ends.
Joe, You are now my best friend! You have almost word for word said what I have been saying for years. I am a combat vet, 10 years in the U.S. Army, over 1 year deployed to Iraq (03-04)... Long rant short, I have been around the world, twice. I have seen the best of people and I have definitely seen/lived through the worst of people and what they can do. When it comes to "Hero", I have only had the honor of meeting 1. It’s a great story, but for another time. Thanks again Joe.
I am one of the grocery store clerks that have gotten Covid-19. My job pays $11/hr. My employer only provided a mask at 5 weeks, and only because a customer complained. I've even been denied a raise. We get rude responses when we are out of something. This is what being #essential looks like.
Rudyard Kipling wrote eloquently about how society idolizes our "heroes" when we need them, and craps on them once the need has passed: -------------------- "I went into a public-'ouse to get a pint o' beer, The publican 'e up an' sez, "We serve no red-coats here." The girls be'ind the bar they laughed an' giggled fit to die, I outs into the street again an' to myself sez I: O it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, go away"; But it's "Thank you, Mister Atkins", when the band begins to play, The band begins to play, my boys, the band begins to play, O it's "Thank you, Mister Atkins", when the band begins to play.
I went into a theatre as sober as could be, They gave a drunk civilian room, but 'adn't none for me; They sent me to the gallery or round the music-'alls, But when it comes to fightin', Lord! they'll shove me in the stalls! For it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, wait outside"; But it's "Special train for Atkins" when the trooper's on the tide, The troopship's on the tide, my boys, the troopship's on the tide, O it's "Special train for Atkins" when the trooper's on the tide.
Yes, makin' mock o' uniforms that guard you while you sleep Is cheaper than them uniforms, an' they're starvation cheap; An' hustlin' drunken soldiers when they're goin' large a bit Is five times better business than paradin' in full kit. Then it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, 'ow's yer soul?" But it's "Thin red line of 'eroes" when the drums begin to roll, The drums begin to roll, my boys, the drums begin to roll, O it's "Thin red line of 'eroes" when the drums begin to roll.
We aren't no thin red 'eroes, nor we aren't no blackguards too, But single men in barricks, most remarkable like you; An' if sometimes our conduck isn't all your fancy paints, Why, single men in barricks don't grow into plaster saints; While it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, fall be'ind", But it's "Please to walk in front, sir", when there's trouble in the wind, There's trouble in the wind, my boys, there's trouble in the wind, O it's "Please to walk in front, sir", when there's trouble in the wind.
You talk o' better food for us, an' schools, an' fires, an' all: We'll wait for extry rations if you treat us rational. Don't mess about the cook-room slops, but prove it to our face The Widow's Uniform is not the soldier-man's disgrace. For it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Chuck him out, the brute!" But it's "Saviour of 'is country" when the guns begin to shoot; An' it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' anything you please; An' Tommy ain't a bloomin' fool -- you bet that Tommy sees!"
Hey, Joe. I’m someone who stopped going out about 4 years ago. There were several occasions when I went for a vacation or met someone but it was very, very limited number of occasions. And at first I was struggling. I went into depression, my negativity peaked a year later, everything went to really, really terrible. Then I’ve regained contact with a certain person who.. managed to bring me back. And they did it mentally, not physically. I have managed, with time, to broaden back my social circles, I’ve started engaging in contact with people who weren’t bringing me all that negativity social media has so much of and my life drastically improved as it went on and improved my mental stability and positivity in general. I think that online people need to limit themselves like they would, be it irl. Talk to people you want to talk. Don’t with those you don’t want to. Respect the people on the other side of the screen. It is possible to have friends in this environment, it’s possible to create healthy relationships, it’s possible to stay positive, you just need to look for ways that are able to achieve that. And if that means cutting put most of the social media interactions with the general public - so be it. Mental health is much more important than being sure to pick your nose at the viewing of another scandalous car crash a celebrity got caught in. Hope you find your peace with the situation in that regard and I totally agree with the “hero kinda means nothing as they are only called heroes with no behavior from our side to support that name and to make it mean something”. Thanks for the videos.
I’ve been trying to figure out why “hero” has been making me cringe lately too. You found the right words for it though. Thanks for that. Keep up the good content
I respect your honesty and intelligence. Initiating conversations regarding the changes that need to happen is vital. I am glad you have the courage to address this and appreciate you more than ever. Thanks!
This was a refreshing take. Personally, I believe heros and villans belong in comic books along with good and evil. Real life is much more complicated and nuanced than most are willing to accept.
But here's the difference between heroes in fiction--ACTUAL heroes--and most "heroes" in real life. The majority of "heroes" in this time are not real heroes. Why? Because they have to put their lives on the line. Real heroes are the ones that choose to do so. And there are some of those people in real life.
"You know what the definition of a hero is? It's someone who gets other people killed. You can look it up later." -- Zoey Washburn, executive officer of Serenity. "A hero is what they call it when someone gets left behind so other people can get out. If you find your own way out later, they call you a survivor instead." -- anonymous special operations
I think you managed to put into words a lot of things I've been feeling for a long time. I'm really glad I managed to find your channel(s). It has been informative, inspirational, funny, kind, and now, poignant. Thank you for the work you put into these videos. I, for one, am very appreciative.
My wife and I work in a grocery store. We are not heroes, we are expendable workers. We go to work because we need the money. That's all it is, we have no choice.
@@toddkorson6390 yes, you can always starve. Or steal. Sell drugs. Get real. Not everyone has an easy life like you. (This is coming from someone who _has_ a relatively easy life. But I have known hardship and can empathize. Unlike some.)
It's easier to call people "heroes" instead of actually paying them what they're worth. The country would come to a standstill without the working class, but it's easier to congratulate ourselves for saying nice things about them instead of actually impact the class and economic struggles that people go through
True - I got paid 1/3 of minimum wage driving an.hour away to do a job that a whole city relies on. People pay sheep and non essential jobs these days more than essential ones. If I want.to work in an intellectual field, I have to work for free, so I volunteer.day and.night.to do what I kind of should be paid - all while I get attacked more.than thanked (which happens.when it's forced on them). At least people in the past got paid their worth, now you only get paid if you put out junk and let real work be treated like junk.
You are RIGHT, Joe. I feel 100% the same. We had a tower fire here in England, the firefighters who went in were hailed as heroes and a few months later they were in court being blamed for the number of people who weren’t rescued, even though it was clearly the cladding on the tower (Grenfell) that was at fault. Also, their funding had been cut. Someone needs to call out how we treat heroes and I’m glad you have.
This resonated with me on a few levels that weren't anticipated. I'm a stepfather to special needs twin girls. My wife is disabled. I'm the glue in the house. When my followers hear about this, they start saying things like "You're an inspiration" and "you're a hero". I really don't feel like it. I'm just a dad being a dad. But maybe I wouldn't have to work my ass off to take care of 3 disabled adults while also fighting to keep a roof over our heads if we took better care of those who deserved it. Heroes need taken care of. Everyone needs taken care of. Other countries get this right in a lot of ways, yet the US is dropping the ball so hard that it's creating an undue burden on families like mine. And instead of addressing the problems that put me in this situation to begin with (trouble finding and keeping qualified respite staff because medicaid restrictions keep getting tightened and gutted, coupled with a healthcare system that practically guarantees bankruptcy for those who need it the most), we call those of us who do what we HAVE to do for our loved ones "Heroes". We make people like me out to be patron saints and figures to strive to be. "He's so inspiring". "He's such a good dad". I don't want to be a fucking inspiration for taking care of my family. I'm not an above average dad, I'm just a dad. What I want is for our family to no longer be seen as people mooching off of the system that was designed specifically for people like my family, and for America to WAKE THE FUCK UP that we need to take care of one another on a much deeper level than we currently are. Selfish people need to stop electing selfish people to office. Thank you for this video.
I am “one of those” who has been called an inspiration many many times. I’m simply an older woman who has lived with serious disability and pain most of my life. I feel a little disrespected when someone refers to me that way. I’m simply living the life I have. Seeing my physical challenges first denigrates all the other things that I would like to be admired for: Intelligence, wit, faithfulness. It can be difficult to explain to others. But it’s very real.
@@mlfeathers7527 I'm living a very similar life as I came down with my first autoimmune disease in my early 20's. It wrecked my life for a long time, required dozens of surgeries, and 14 years later, I now have 7 autoimmune diseases and I'm fully disabled. I don't define my life by those and it doesn't sound like you do either. I'm celebrating all the great things about you. I come from a strict Irish Catholic background (family & school) and I've heard the worst things said about me, but like you, they praised me for "accepting god's suffering for me that I have because I'm so SPECIAL, INSPIRATIONAL, & CHOSEN TO SUFFER. I hate people saying these things. It reduces me to a disabled person, suffering in constant, unending pain with the added layer of all the god stuff. I'm not a believer in Catholicism, and am agnostic at best. Part of the reason is because I hate the things these people say!! I'm not just those things. So you sound like you're pretty incredible, and that doesn't mean you're anything but YOU, not your diseases. I hope you are safe & can be as "healthy" (define that as you see fit). Be well 🌠
One of the things I love most about your channel Joe; the honesty you have with yourself and the courage it takes to put that out there is so refreshing. Thank you for sharing. I am sure this was a tough decision for you to put yourself out there in a light that could be seen negatively. But these are discussions and realization that our society needs to have. I'm behind you all the way.
As one of those "heroes" (nurse), I have to say that I don't want the title. I became a nurse partly to make a difference in the world, and I don't mind being appreciated - I certainly appreciate those millions of others who are trying to make a difference - but I also became a nurse to have a solid career to support my family. Through all my years in the ER, I've faced SARS, H1N1, and many other outbreaks, but every day has always faced risks. I am MRSA positive and will always be, despite not really being in environments where MRSA is a thing besides the ER. That's what I accepted when I went through school and took the license. I'm no hero. I'm just a guy who is trying to do what I can in life. So when my patients tell me, now more than ever, that they are grateful for what I do, I accept the gratitude - we should all be grateful for everyone in the service industry all the time - but I'm nothing special. The heroes are the nurses flying to New York to volunteer to be on the real front lines. Heroes are rare, and we shouldn't water them down.
The problem with Joe's content on this is he never voiced his other "gnome" in his head. There are heroes out there and this video takes away their agency and diminishes their work and effort . Oh by the way your ending paragraph sounds like all the people who have done heroic deeds and talk about them . Good on ya mate !
Arthur Ashe said “True heroism is remarkably sober, very undramatic. It is not the urge to surpass all others at whatever cost, but the urge to serve others at whatever cost.”
I completely agree with you buddy! Hi Joe, I really appreciate your channels. I just got discharged from the hospital (gall stones), and your intellect kept me awake and looking toward the future because a stay in that hospital was a real nightmare. I'm amazed at the different subjects you thoroughly discuss at length, the different channels, podcasts. This baffles me because to most humans this would seem boring and some may find tedious but what fascinates me is that all subject you speak of keep me very engaged and help me grow in intellect. Please keep up the great work! Your fan from Austin.
100% agree with you on this take. I'm an "essential work", and when I heard people start calling us "heroes", my first thought was damn that feels empty.
Thank you SO MUCH for this. I'm a cashier and never signed up to risk my life. Actually, I never signed up to be a cashier. I was made a cashier because I developed a disability and couldn't do the job I was doing because of the physical demands so they made me a cashier allowing me to stay sitting down all day rather than fire me for becoming disabled. I'm 50 years old and have health issues. My almost 80-year-old father lives with me. So does my sister (who has a compromised immune system) & her child. Every day, I live in terror of bringing this awful thing home. I'm as careful as circumstances allow, but still, I worry. From the instant people started referring to people like me as "heroes" I became even more worried because I know heroes are expected to sacrifice themselves for the "greater good." Also, you're expected to work for as little pay as possible because asking for more money would be spiting in the face of the people who consider you a "hero." It's like how we call teachers "heroes" then get mad when they strike for decent wages & working conditions. "You're a hero! You should be honored to make these sacrifices for free!" And we definitely treat our soldiers even worse. We throw them into the meatgrinder war then act as thought they're weak when they get traumatized by it. Weird how Republicans, the party most eager to send kids into war, are also most reluctant to care for them when they come back damaged. It's like they think of people as disposable tools or something. And don't tell me it's okay because our military service is voluntary now. People sign up to protect the country, not engage in unnecessary wars, And please understand, calling a war "unnecessary" isn't the same thing as calling it "meaningless." Of course it had meaning to the people who fought it. Of course the lives lost fighting it had meaning. I'm not saying their sacrifices were meaningless, I'm saying none of it had to happen. It would be like if someone set fire to an empty building and told the firefighters there were people inside and some of the firefighters died in the rescue attempt. Their actions and lives still had meaning. They're still heroes. But their loss was UNNECESSARY. It shouldn't have happened. I don't want to be a hero. I certainly don't want to be treated like one. I just want to make sure my family is safe and taken care of.
The real question is, are you still doing it because you want to or because you have no choice? Whatever your answer may be, if it wasn't for people like you, we would probably be in a much more chaotic situation than we are right now... So ty so much ❤️❤️❤️
i am a produce peon in a supermarket, not a hero if you consider me a hero, consider these words *FFS go home! - if you are sick, we get sick - if we get sick, you don't eat*
Chances are your employer is looking forward to the day when a robot does your "essential" job. FYI, robot is derived from the Czech word for slave labor.
I agree. Even though I work in an ER, I feel like the real heroes are the ones who would go out and do this even if they weren't getting paid. I . . . would not. I can't see my family because of fear of exposure. If I could get paid while staying home with my family, I absolutely would. I love helping people . . . but I'm no hero.
I didnt know what I didnt like about the word “hero” being used. But I thought it fit because they are doing what nobody else wants to be doing. And you put it into words. They don’t want to be doing it either, but they’re being made to. Thank you for speaking up about this because while I was aware of the absolute injustice of the “essential workers” being made to work, I still didn’t want to discount the risk they’re exposing themselves to. This just gave me a clearer perspective of what I was beginning to think.
Essetial health care worker here - I am certainly no hero; I like my job, I picked it because I always wanted to do it. I agree with you, Joe but I also want to remind people that there are quite a number of people who can't do anything to help in this crisis and want to show some form of gratitude - they want to show that they care and are thankful that medical staff put themselves out there. As you said - tey have their hearts in the right place. What bothers me about it is that last year nobody really cared and next year they will go back to not caring. Especially about nurses and the hard job that they do - day in day out. So the most important thing that everybody can do now and in the future is helping to improve the system by voting for politicians that want to do that. And the US is certainly one of the places where A LOT improvement is needed. Especially in health care. But a republican just needs to say the word 'socialism' and boo-hoo everybody is afraid. While the rest of the developed world is shaking their heads in disbelief.
I'm one of those shaking their heads in disbelief... I really don't get why people in the US are so afraid of a more restricted and social capitalism. It's still the same (working) system, just less unfair and more humain
I will freely admit that that the GOP has had an abysmal record on addressing the failings of the our health care system. They spent most of a decade whining about the evils of Obamacare, and when they were finally in power, the GOP had absolutely no clue where to start fixing the problems. I'll even go further, a well designed single payer system would likely offer many improvements over the system that the US has today. It would also have significant problems, but there's a real argument to be made that the system would be better than what we have now. All of that being said, the failings of the US system arguably come from too much government interference. We all agree that there are huge problems in the health insurance industry right? How does the free market fix problems? Consumers switch to buying better products. But the government has destroyed consumer choice. During WW2 (maybe WW1 I'd have to double check) the government froze wages for the war effort. Predictably, when the war had already caused a labor shortage, employees demanded some kind of raise, and employers started to add extra benefits because they weren't legally allowed to pay their employees more, and they needed to do something to get the employees they needed. After the war, the unions thought this was great and successfully lobbied for tax law changes that encouraged employers to make the addition of these health benefits permanent. The echoes of those disastrous policy decisions can be found throughout the health care marketplace. It's almost impossible to get a plan that covers mental health care. Why? There's no demand for that type of plan from the businesses that make the purchasing decisions, because good employees generally don't have mental health problems, and worse, once someone is diagnosed, they're part of a protected class. That doesn't mean that your employer is actively trying to undermine your health, but the costs and benefits line up in such a way that employers that try to get you mental health coverage will be at a disadvantage to another employer that doesn't. We complain that medical bills are too complicated, but there's no market pressure to fix the problem. Insurers can't go on TV and advertise how much easier it will be to get a bill when you switch to their company, because you can't switch without getting a different job, and their real customer, your employer, will be pissed that the plan is a little bit more expensive because they straightened out billing. There's no demand for health insurance that won't increase in cost as you age, again, because the insurance company knows you'll be kicked off as soon as you leave your employer. The short term additional cost isn't to your employer's benefit. Would all of this be fixed under a free market system? Who the hell knows, but we do know that the areas of medicine with the least government interference are also the only areas that have had prices come down in recent years. Laser eye surgery isn't covered by insurance, not because of government interference but because the other policy holders shouldn't be forced to pay for your elective surgery, and has seen a 75% reduction in cost over the last 15 years. That doesn't mean the free market can do everything. There's a real argument to be made that government should subsidize care for chronic, pre-existing conditions. Kids shouldn't have to suffer because their parents are too lazy to buy insurance, so it's reasonable to talk about a universal health care for children under the age of 18, and classes for high school students so they understand the necessity of having health insurance. The need for employers to provide health care has artificially lowered wages because employees weren't expected to buy their own insurance. Government has a role in creating subsidies to fix things that the government screwed up. So some kind of subsidy for businesses that appropriately increase pay when they stop providing health care. There might be other things that come up. I know that most people have already decided that the government should take over health care. But do you really want the same people in charge that ignored their own decisions that broke health care for the last 70 years? The government can't be relied on to replace bridges that they knew would need to be replaced today from the moment the bridge was built 50 years ago. They're going to keep pace with a medical field that achieves new advances almost daily? The industry is screwed up now because it's impossible for you to "fire" the person in charge of your health insurance. You want to only be able to fire them once every 4 years, and only when some random partisan issue isn't considered more important? None of that seems like an improvement to me.
The real divide is not between Republicans and Democrats, but between the super elites of the world and the rest of us. As a Republican, I hate crony capitalists (the Paul Singers and Mitt Romneys of this world, (not ordinary business people or entrepreneurs) They are clever. But they produce nothing. They build nothing of value other than quick profit. They are parasites. Socialists too, are parasites and are equally as guilty. Spread-the-wealth socialism leads to a repressive squandering of resources which leads to poverty and hopelessness everywhere. Venezuela and Cuba come to mind. There is no successful socialist society on earth and there never will be. And no, not Sweden either. Bernie's blind to the fact that the Swedes are aggressively capitalist though he cited them enough in his windy speeches. A much better health care system will be developed under capitalism. Government just has to get out of the way and cut lots and lots of red tape.
@@paulbradford6475 populism isn't the answer. It's just old school anti-semitism under a new face. Pick a group that represents less than 1% of the population, find reasons to blame them for all of society's ills that maybe, sort of have a little bit of a bearing on reality, and throw them to the wood chipper because you're too lazy to face the facts that fixing societal problems is always going to be harder than hell. Let's be blunt, Jeff Bezos, the richest guy on Earth? He's probably going to have personally saved more lives from Covid-19 than every doctor on Earth combined. Social distancing would be a luxury for Heads of State and multimillionaires if he hadn't personally overturned the global economy to allow nearly everything to be dropped at your doorstep without ever coming into contact with a single person. Grocery stores had given up on putting your order together and delivering it before Amazon told the world to either start bringing products directly to consumers or get ready for bankruptcy. Google has put all of human knowledge at your fingertips for the cost of a few seconds of using your eyeballs to look at ads. Long before either of them, Mcdonald's and similar companies made cheap food a permanent fixture in the US. That's caused its own problems, but given the choice between starving to death and eating yourself to death, I'd think it's a significant improvement. The US simply doesn't track deaths from starvation. We never have them. So no, simple vilification of the rich isn't just not the answer, it's clearly wrong.
@thatguybn you wrote three paragraphs and only managed to write one sentence describing problems with free market health insurance. A random comparison to dental insurance, which suffers the same problem that health insurance does, much of the market is dominated by employer provided coverage, although I'm less sure on whether that's from current government policy, or the lingering effects of the war time price freeze I already brought up. Frankly, dental care is almost always something that's done as preventative care, so I don't know why there's widespread insurance coverage except for government shenanigans. The insurance model only makes sense to share costs for unexpected events. Dental care when you don't brush your teeth isn't an unexpected event. It isn't like heart disease, you eat badly and you're fairly surprised by what went wrong with your health and when, if you're getting regular dental check ups, usually the dentist has told you something is going wrong with that particular tooth for multiple appointments before more expensive work is necessary. That gives you over a year to either improve your dental hygiene or start saving for the increased cost. A root canal is expensive, but it's still affordable, I charged one to my credit card when I worked at Mcdonald's and didn't go over the limit, I promise that wouldn't have been the case if I'd been recovering from a major medical issue.
Wow, You're right. We send them out as "Heroes" they come back with real PTSD, amputations and all we offer them is a thank you and good luck with the rest of your life.
Unfortunately, all employers work that way. When they no longer need their employees, they are dismissed. Any injury mental / physical must be taken care of by the individual. Society knows how to make civilians into soldiers, but has no idea how to make soldiers in to civilians. That is why the issue of veterans is extra difficult.
Agreed Joe and glad you had the courage to share your thoughts. My observation is we default to bestowing this title on those whose activity benefits us and but also involves some risk to themselves for a lack of other perceived options. But there are other options. Is the danger due to COVID-19 and having to work for an income? Then let’s consider UBI, universal healthcare, radically increased min wage, etc. Our servicemen and women in constant, often endless foreign wars? Then reset the criteria that justifies and approves of sending them in harm’s way. So many Americans deserve our gratitude and just as Importantly our collective action.
Wow, that's something that has needed to be said for so long and in my 66 years hasn't been heard. Don't start wars that you can't afford the rehab costs. Medals of service should be solid gold, so they can be used for a house deposit, rent or next weeks food. Now I am feeling ranty and in need of a cup of tea. Thanks Joe.
"Calling them heroes dehumanizes them" totally agree with that. Romanticing poverty, labour, sacrifice and all that shit. They are workers, risking their lives just for you to be comfortable. Don't disrespect these people.
@I Bet You Kiss Girls Faggit I don't understand... Since they "have" to go to work it's ok for them to face all this without more compensation? And is it so impossible to think that people working jobs like nursing actually like to take care of others? In the capitalist world the big bucks are not in taking care of others so they shouldn't get more? People calling them hereos is nice yes, but at the end of the line it's just like when your boss calls you the best but still cannot give you the raise you have been waiting for so long.
A friend of mine was called a "hero" after the Towner l bus tragedy, which happened on March 26, 1931. She could not understand where the term "hero" came from. She was a victim of a spring storm, at a time when school buses were Model As with a big box on the back to hold kids. She was a survivor - and watched her own brother die that day. "Hero" is a cheap, tawdry, trite journalism word that crams hours of terror and years of PTSD into an easy box - keeping the newspaper copy down to a few column inches, and keeping us free from actually caring. She was fortunate, for before she died, historical researches came and ask her to tell her story - her way. Those who entered into that story received the blessing of having a deeper life. Life is struggle. It just is. And we have just two things we can do about it. First, we can get through our own struggle. And secondly, we are called to tend to others who struggle.
You’re totally right on. I’m an actual essential employee, I drive trains. Electricity is essential, but my employer did nothing to protect us for about the first month. After that they only begrudgingly started handing out 2 alcohol wipes per day.
I appreciate you saying this. It always bothered me after 9/11 whenever anyone stepped in front of a microphone the first thing out of their mouth was "I'd like to take a second to thank our troops." I swear I heard it everywhere, the places you'd expect graduation speeches, political speeches, and sporting events, but then I also started hearing it in the most random of circumstances and everyday events that would be completely unrelated. I swear I heard it at the beginning of a biology presentation in college back in 2009. It felt empty and hollow, just like you said. Thank you for doing this video.
Until 3 weeks ago I was one of those called ""hero"" making barely over minimun wage keeping internet alive for medium and big bussines in a main ISP in Spain. Now im fine, im working from home after fighting a lot for it, but for more than 3 weeks since the outbreak in Spain i was everyday in a big room with at least 60 people sharing computers on shifts, had to leave my mom on her own, because i could not risk it, still carry the heavy groceries to her doorway (until a really nice neighbour of ther took over) and yes dont feel like a hero, just feel disposable, i just had to do it because there was no other way, im not counting with a pat in the back, i dont get mad or anthing when the people go out their windows to cheer for the healthcare workers, just dont share the feeling, they are just being throw under the bus like all people working in essential services, but what really infuriates me is when we are called the lucky ones because we didnt loose our jobs. Thats F***** up this world is F***** up the system is F***** up and maybe we deserve it for let it happen. Sorry for the rant, sorry for my english (really sorry for those with bleeding eyes after reading this) greetings from Spain, we are doing better now, things will get better, just hang in there.
homer simpson have you looked at the sort of ppe doctors and healthcare workers wear when they deal with covid patients? Youre about as dumb as your namesake
I'm a vet, and never have liked being "thanked for my service". I refuse to thank other vets, nor is it something that we even do to one another. I'm also in healthcare, and think you've hit the nail on the head on every point you made here. Thank you for saying all of this!
Really appreciate your rant. I work in a grocery store and really have no choice. I have not been able to shelter in place even 1 day since this all started. I have 1 day off a week and end up going out to support my family who I'm risking getting infected. I absolutely would rather stay at home. The store I work at has gone crazy and business has tripled which means the work has tripled and its exhausting. Customers aren't making anything easier either with their "raiding" behavior either. Its just really really hard. I even had my picture printed in the local news paper relating to the topic of this video calling me a hero. Thank you for your insight and effort to make people look at this from a different angle.
Yea, this iWitchcraft is making me feel and think things that are not comfortable. I'm being overwhelmed by thoughts of others. That's why we need to continue support his channels after the internet thought police come to exorcise them.
Well Joe, you weren't expecting that, most people, including me, agree with you. I've had that Goblin in my head about the misuse of the term hero too.
Thank you! Everything you said I completely agree with. Me and my husband go to work everyday because we get paid. We are not heroes. But what it is appreciated more than anything is kindness and compassion. When someone says thank you to me I am thankful to them for being kind. I have to remember that everyone handles fear and confusion differently and have compassion for everyone. Some days are harder to do that than others. My job is not saving lives, all I do is work for a retail pharmacy. But even that is important if I can treat one person with kindness. Not because my company expects it, but because even if I was cleaning toilets (which I do) i still try and share positive energy. I talk with people from every walk of life and the one thing that every one of them says makes a difference is kindness and a little patience. Thank you to everyone out there just trying to get by a day at a time, no matter who you are or what you do.
The word "heroes" implies voluntary self-sacrifice. It is so much easier for us to live with the notion that these people are at serious risk because they choose to be. The reality is that they are generally under economic coercion (for most) or moral, professional and economic coercion (for the medical staff) to risk their lives in ways they would never want to. When your "front line" is composed of a vast mass of coerced troops, you've got an army of conscripts. Conscripts gets rubbish pay, little respect and get treated like cannon fodder. Sure, a few rise beyond their forced obligations into genuine heroism but most of them are simply the people unfortunate enough to draw the short straw. As someone from a family with several career military service members in it, I've noticed that the people who constantly praise any and every service member as a hero seem to know JFA about military life. They're worshiping the uniform and failing to see the professional. It is indeed a job, albeit a potentially high risk one, and yes for some folks it is by far the best economic option they had. As you point out, once you're a veteran and need society to help you out for the consequences of the danger you experienced, suddenly you're a burden on society and a mooch. A small number of folks out there are true heroes, voluntarily risking far more than they need to for the good of others. The vast majority are honestly expendables with cheering squads who mean well but aren't willing to offer more than "thoughts and prayers". Calling the ones society is willing to sacrifice a hero without actually rewarding them with more than words isn't a compliment to them. It's a salve for our collective conscience for how little we are actually willing to sacrifice for them when we ask them to sacrifice so much for us.
So I don't know how I feel about a lot of this, I work at a Target unloading trucks, I can't afford health insurance because they rarely give me more than 30 hours a week. I used to do odd jobs and tutor for extra money. I don't really care what other people think I am, but the reality is if I get sick I can't get help, I can't even afford to get tested to know if I have covid-19. On top of this, I hear every day that people are earning bonus unemployment due to layoffs and making more than I am, but I can't afford to call off, and I can't afford to quit because I get nothing for it. I have to go out every day and treat each day the same as before the crisis and hope that's what it is. I have a Master's degree in Biotechnology and I really wish I could be using my knowledge to help find a vaccine or something, but my career search is on hold amidst this panic. I really do worry each day because I don't know what will happen if I get sick it's not an option. I'm not a hero, all I do is unload boxes and put products on the shelf, but sometimes it does feel like I'm walking a minefield that is just small misstep from being a disaster I'll never get through. I just want my family and friends to stay safe through this mess and maybe at the end of it all finally start living the life I want to live and not feel like I'm one step from never having the chance again.
Hero: Now that I have your attention, look at my advertisement. Hero: Go to work and make me money. Hero: Go to work, you aren't getting hazard pay. Hero: Go to work, no raise for you. Hero: Go to work, don't complain. Hero: I am manipulating you, can you tell? Hero: It is much cheaper to fluff you than to pay you.
@@lowhanlindsey Bo Burnam has a song on his comedy special called Panderin" How modern country songs are formulated using key words like Truck, Dirt, Beer. It is very smart.
The term "slave", like many other terms has a somewhat fluid definition. Some have a very narrow definition in that it is a form of physical imprisonment. In reality everyone who has to work as an employee is a form of slave. Many however are to proud to admit they are slaves. Bound slavery is actually illegal in most countries, although, even then, there are still quite a few. Modern nations, including the US, European and Asian countries are slave dependent. In the US for example fruit is picked by people who could not possibly prosper in the main community. What "prosper" means is the ability to live in a reasonable secure home in which you can eat, sleep and if you have the opportunity, to raise your own children. Most slaves do not need to be bound anymore, they are bound by not having any other choice (except death of course). Even among who can prosper to some extent, they are enslaved by debt, including rents and taxes. It is among this group that denial that they are slaves is most widespread; as they are free to pick their slave master.
The Fed: “Your essential work, and you get to work!” Also the Fed: “The banks and corporations that irresponsibility spent money they didn’t have get trillions of dollars”
And just when i thought i my love for joe scott couldnt possibly get any higher.. Dude.. You are a main source for critical thinking, and outside the box ideas... I love this channel and I love you man!!
To quote an A&E nurse from the UK.
Calling us heroes just makes it ok when we die.
As an EMT in the UK... We all feel the same in the NHS and this quote hits home very hard.
Do not worry about your death for others they will get their turn soon enough LOL
Damn. Thanks for sharing that is such a great quote that hurts so hard.
popsmoke
I'm in the military, and I fully agree. Being called a hero is hollow and patronising.
Same here. If anyone wants to experience an unpopular opinion, have this one in the military.
Same here. I can't stand it. I find it so empty.
Not always, it's my seem that but it's also true. It's a shame that the word has been devalued because the word is used then nothing is done to show that the word means something. You served you're a hero, not good enough true but not good enough. You're a hero so here is what we are going to do for you. Is the right thing to do. Being a hero needs to be something that you are and so get treated in a special way because you sacrificed. That sacrifice that makes you a hero needs to be repaid not just said.
Thank You, on TV it just seems like people just automatically add "thank you for your service" and then always move on, maybe recognizing something specific or asking the military person about their experience and knowledge gained from their military experience would be more respectful and real.
@@TheJohnBordonaro Do you really think that the motivations behind sending soldiers to storm Normandy are the exact same motivations behind sending soldiers to multiple areas in the middle east?
"One of the shittiest things about getting older is seeing the same mistakes made again and again, and the same problems never being solved."
Truer words have never been uttered!
An even shittier thing is when you realize that if they're doing it again and again it's not a "mistake".
Shit I’m only 26, I just have a rudimentary understanding of history
...or the same compromise solutions rediscovered.
I wouldn't call this an unpopular opinion. It's an uncomfortable truth.
Agree 100%
I'm a bus driver, moving around the coughing masses;keeping the wheels turning. I have a toddler and a newborn at home and it's terrifying... I don't want to be there; I want to be home keeping my family safe. I'm underpaid, can't afford to put my house straight, yet risking the lives of my family and loved ones... Yet, will anybody help me fix the leaking roof of my family home or help fit a kitchen, which we don't currently have, or put heating in our bedrooms? No... We will just be expected to. Go without...
@@TheKyleodgers stay safe Kyle. Sure Ur family wishes U were home to.
USC just released an antibody study that points to the mortality rate being under 0.1% , while over 80% of the fatalities are from people over 80. check out louder with crowders short video about it.
@@luizcastro5246 louder with crowders are you kidding me. I beg you to come out of that echochamber and listen to other opinions. It might enlighten you on issues that are uncomfortable but need dealing with whether its gonna cost you something or not
"People who are valuable get paid, people who are not valuable get told how valuable they are by the people who get paid." -My last boss
I'm not a hero, I'm just someone who has to work because I'm not wealthy enough to quit and have no income for 3 months.
This qoute almost hurts, working everyday OT bosses are working from home.
Both true and untrue. Low paying positions are usually the most important positions in the entire company. They pay low because the skills are considered low... But really, it is how replaceable the people are that makes the difference. Cashier quits? It's nothing to get another cashier, even at minimum wage.
At the same time, if you don't have a cashier, your store makes no money. Your business is halted. If cashiers were scarce or refused to work for less than a certain amount, the company would be forced to pay it. That won't happen though, so it is what it is.
Same.
BOOM - what a great quote.
All good points:
I am a veteran that joined the Navy because as a child of a single mother my choice was military or try to go full time at the grocery store I was working at. In the Navy I was an engineer (i made the ship go). I never fired a weapon or single-highhandedly kept the ship from sinking. When I got out of the navy in 1995 I had all this training but back then it was even worse as far as transition back to civilian life. I could run a power-plant but my military experience did not convert to all the civilian certifications I needed so I ended up working as a security guard and in that industry I have worked my way up to mid-level management.
I actually in college wrote an sociology paper on the topic of heroes following the 2003 Columbia disaster an talked about how those astronauts were being hailed as heroes and juxtaposed that versus the 9/11 res ponders. The synopsis was tragedy should not automatically make someone a hero. Being an astronaut is a dangerous job and for those astronauts they died in a tragic work accident (Tim Dodd will probably hate me saying that). Where as the 9/11 responders that died (yes it was their job) did so as a result of a sacrificial decision. Taking it back to the military if my ship had been sunk and I died I would not be a hero. I would be a victim of a tragedy. A Navy SEAL who raids Bin Laden's compound is a hero.
Bringing it to modern day with this pandemic you make an excellent point that these people that are working fast food in the hospitals etc. are doing so out of necessity. I have stayed home for the last 6 weeks and limit trips to the grocery store and Wal-Mart and I have gotten frustrated with all the non-essential stuff people bought off Amazon and at Wal-Mart because these people are having to risk their lives for $10-$15/hr for home decor items.
I have been so frustrated with these lockdowns because they weren't true lockdowns. 60% of the businesses here in Texas have somehow been deemed "essential". Wal-mart, Target, Petsmart, Lowes, Home-depot, dollar-tree, every convenience store and take-out restaurant have been essential but JcPenney's, Marshall's, Ross, dentist offices, religious centers of worship, barber, salon, etc. are non essential.
....I am going off on an off topic tangent....
See Joe you are not the only Texan that can go on a rant :)
Good points. Thank you for the danger you accepted and the service you provided in defending the nation.
It is a mixed up world both good and bad are intertwined. Calling people heroes is a method of distinction but I do agree that it is hollow in many ways. Partly in the way that movies portray lone wolf heroes like 007, we probably over simplify and heap praise on the best of the best but forget the rest.
Somehow we all must find satisfaction in the choices we make apart from the accolades of others. It would however be nice if society supported those who do make sacrifices for the good of others. Blessings to you.
@@talldarkhansome1 Not even defending the nation. Who is attacking the USA? Defending interests of a kleptocratic bunch of psychopaths for pittance fits the description better.
Samsies except I was a helicopter mechanic in the army. Btw I loved your rant lol you’re awesome
Couldn't see Joe's face due to his massive balls covering the whole frame.
Thanks for daring say this, Joe. You already had my views. Now you have my respect.
Colorfully put, but amen.
Joe, it's rare that I'm yelling at my screen because I agree with someone so much. Thank you.
I trust joe.
He seems to find deep truths that are overlooked.
He is not afraid to call himself out.
I'm one of those quote essential workers and I think calling us heroes is silly, I'm just glad I can still work. First responders are your real everyday heroes and they're business as usual.
If you see vets be a bit dismissive of “thank you for your service” you now understand why.
JOE FOR PRESIDENT!!!!
You’re definitely not an a-hole Joe, you’re real and honest. Thank you
I bet he wouldn't want that job, it would be terrible!
You want someone who knows what they think for president
He's my kind of a-hole!
Would be a good replacement for the other Joe running for president right now, who is actually demented
@@justinwubble1419 Can he run against Donald Glover? Really, any other Donald would be better, as would most other Joes.
Nah. Not president. But a group of folk who work to help those left high and dry.
As a vet that suffers from ptsd, and an “essential worker” so that I can feed my family and pay my bills, I appreciate your opinion bud. I often tell people that call me a hero or thank me for my service, that I wasn’t drafted that it was a choice of service. While I appreciate the thanks, being reminded that ive survived shit that greater men than me and brothers DIDNT survive as often as I am, is counterproductive. And yes, i fought for years to get off the meds that the VA thought should replace actual monetary support or counseling. Such a clusterfuck. So yeah man, fuck that word.
I'm in the same boat. I managed to get my VA stuff done much or quickly as I was medically retired but at the end of the day I'm still working now trying to take care of my daughter and keep the demons in my head at bay. At the end of the day being a hero doesn't feed my family doesn't make it easier to deal with what I went through and doesn't make it any easier that people "forget" their ppe that doesn't just protect them but me also.
I know very few fellow veterans who LIKE being told "Thank you for your service" It is kind f trite and doesn't mean much. Aside from feeling like I personally don't deserve or desire any recognition. I would rather get a "How are ya?" or "Hey I do XXX or YYY job." because most jobs have value and deserve respect, because if you can get out of bed and do it every day you deserve a little "Hey man nice going!"
My heart goes out to you and all who are in your shoes
I won’t call you anything.
But I will say that learning other peoples stories reverberates your experiences in myself through unending empathy.
I hope you’ve got a group to reach out to when needed, vets help vets it’s what we do. Remember it’s not safe to go alone.
I have cringed everyone someone calls us nurses “heroes”. Thank you for articulating why.
We should start calling the Pawns on a Chess Board "Heroes".
👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
😂😂😂😂
That actually represents the problem very well
Who can deny that they are
#FACTS
"Vote for politicians that take care of them."
Hit the nail on the head.
Thanks, Joe. You're a good man.
Who?... They are all corrupt.... :(
Yes.......yes I would agree majority are already super rich and want to remain rich. So they pay the news networks to tell us want they want us to hear.
Which means, what? ... exactly? For example, if we had a totally Socialist system, would that fix anything? Tons of people would STILL be REQUIRED to work in the "essential" industries to sustain the rest of society.
Take care of them how? By giving handouts to them for the rest of their lives?
Suthin Scientist imperfect world and imperfect solutions?! We could just not care and let them rot? Or turn to life of crime and then live in the jails getting “free” handouts?! Americans are entitled people and not willing to share the wealth. Sorry billionaires maybe you could spread the wealth Jeff B for example.
Brings to mind the image I saw of a nurse with a sign saying "Don't call me a hero. I'm being martyred against my will"
I get the rant- bravely spoken. Seriously, I almost switched off for a minute- I'm glad I stayed. I'm an "essential" worker because I work at the shipyard- I build Navy ships. We are required to continue to produce- our timetables affect literally thousands of people. Shipyard has in place liberal leave- using your paid time off (bummer), many are "working" from home (w/laptops- those that were at high risk), and there are shift changes in place to help minimize groups of people working too closely together. Me? I've opted to pay the rent and keep my PTO for an actual vacation or two. My anxiety level is pretty high- every time I open a door I think I'm infecting myself. Sanitizer, Lysol, hand washing. I'm dealing by making masks for my coworkers, friends and the occasional postal worker who is also essential, yet unprotected. People are very grateful for the masks (I don't sell them, they're gifts), but I will tell you, as I tell them- don't pay me- just pay it forward. Making masks is how I soothe my lizard brain into thinking I have some control over the situation- it's a lie, but it's one that works. I'm not a hero- the people working at Walmart aren't heroes- we're people who depend on our income to survive. Are we frightened? Yes. Will we continue to work? Yes. These are weird times- thank you for continuing to make videos, they are a tonic.
It's not a lie you're telling yourself. Everyone wearing a mask reduces transmission of COVID dramatically. Good on you.
About control over the situation. You can't control what happens, but you can control how you respond.
life throws waves at you, all one can do is surf.
Studies show many of us are already exposed and immune, so i hope that helps calm your nerves some.
"Hero" is a term that politiciens have abused for decades.
and the media...
"Hero" has always meant "the survivor of a group of expendable idiots who put themselves in danger for other people's health and prosperity without expecting a reward"".
Yes, being called hero in lieu of real financial compensation
@@JerehmiaBoaz that was the point of Joe's video. They did not "put themselves" in danger. They *have been* put in danger.
It does get seriously overused.
Thanks for the daring honesty Joe. You’ve perfectly articulated an issue I’ve had for many years with our hyperbolic, self congratulatory use of the word “hero” and phrases of a similar Ilk.
"Heroes" is the new "Thoughts and prayers".
Its not meant to change things, its meant for people to wash their hands of doing anything useful.
My wife is a former nurse, and had exactly the same take on it yesterday. I hope enough people feel this way after this to maybe change how we handle things going forward.
Keep in mind, the most useful thing that most people can do right now is to stay home!
Also, I am a CNA in a nursing home. To me "hero" sounds empty and cliché. Kinda takes credit away from real heroes.
My heroes are the people who will suck it up, and adhere to social distancing and self isolation and prayer until this pandemic is over.
@@Marcusmarcb0tI To me a hero is someone who goes above and beyond what is expected of them in the time of need. Someone saving someone from a burning building is a hero while a fireman is just doing his job. It doesn't retract at all from the great work firefighters do but it's their job to save people from burning buildings.
Am an essential worker as well (grocery store). Mostly worried that I might infect others if I'm asymptomatic. Got my health in order just in time for the pandemic and already had a good immune system before that so I'm not worried about myself.
@@halkihaxx5 interesting take, re: "just doing their job" vs. someone who throws themselves into a dangerous situation with nothing to gain but a sense of taking a risk when someone else needed it.
A friend of mine used to work for minimum wage at a dodgy gas station on a bad side of town, often times at night. I'm surprised it was never robbed while he was there. (Oh, because it's definitely been robbed.) But one time, middle of the day, some idiot erratically pulls up to a pump station ..with his car on fire. My friend, working for minimum wage, grabbed a fire extinguisher, ran TO the car on fire in front of the gas pump, ASKED the guy if he could spray the car (flames were shooting out of the hood and through the dash on the inside), and proceeded to put the fire out. Now, admittedly he was an employee of the gas station, but I always thought that was a pretty heroic move. Definitely put his own safety on the line just for the sake of preserving some corporate assets. I once sent a letter to that corporation on his behalf, but of course I never heard back.
Fuck - what a succinct comment. I'll take it now, and make it my own.
JOE, as a service member in the healthcare field (ARMY), Veteran of OEF, and currently serving in NYC, I absolutely agree with you, thanks for having the courage to speak a truth many of us clearly recognize.
Joe-- Thank you. I'm an ER nurse in New Orleans, and I've also been cringing at the way I see "hero" used since pretty soon after this all started. I wasn't sure why until you articulated my feelings so well. Thank you for your empathy.
I want to make the point that I feel wonderful when someone directly tells me I'm a hero, or thanks me. It's when I see someone using it on social media and accumulating likes, followers, popularity, love, validation... that I get most upset. I don't have social media. I deleted Facebook 3 years ago, and never got an Instagram, etc. Right about now, when I'm social distancing more responsibly than most people I know, I feel very alone. As I sit at home, replaying in my head the sudden, surprising death of one of my patients last week, I feel very alone. So when I hear appreciation directed at me, or when a friend just asks if I'm okay, it feels good. But when I see a celebrity post a video extolling "heroes" on their social media account to thousands of likes and fawning comments, it feels like virtue signalling, and it feels like they've appropriated something that should have been mine.
I know a lot of this is coming from my own insecurities, but I think there's truth to some of these feelings and at least wanted to try to put my feelings on paper.
jldstuff, you ARE a hero. Going to work, in an ER, in 2020, is one of the bravest things anyone can do. Continuing to do that makes you a hero. Even if you feel you have no choice other than to go to work, you are still a hero. There is always another choice, but you choose to push forward and THAT makes you a hero, and you have my respect. Please take care of yourself, whatever it takes.
@@BrightBlueJim Means a lot! Thank you for taking the time to say that 💙
I love how John Stewart always put chairs for the entire crew, even after all but one had died. Specifically to make you feel shitty for doing nothing for them. He was and is a master of his art.
I'm out of the loop why/when did his crew die?
I think that was a dream you had, buddy.
Jessica Stewart he literally explains the whole thing in the video.
Zach Turner No, it was something that happened and the videos are everywhere and easily accessible. Joe explained it and showed pictures to aid in driving the point home. It can’t be a dream if it actually fucking happened. 🤦🏻♀️
@@Ash-ow5yc I posted this comment before I watched the whole thing lol
I agree with you Joe. I’m also sick of the insincere “here’s to the heroes” crap in all the ads right now. It’s a commercial and they’re a corporation and don’t care about people other than making a profit off of them.
You know what, if i see a company, putting their advertisement fund towards to medical workers, or even the people that make the medical worker's lives easier, I would believe in that company. Spending 10 grands on "heroes" then spend another 50 grands making and putting an Ad telling everybody how good of a company it is to spend that 10 grands, is not something should be celebrated.
The lesson is clear. Never be a hero.
Same here. It's horrible that we don't treat our heroes better. I can't escape the feeling that while it's up to politicians to enact widespread, permanent improvements for veterans, first responders and clinicians (love Doctors Without Borders), it's up to us yo demand that our politicians make improvements for these people.
We do need to step up, but people tend to help once, and walk away, as Joe said. We need widespread, consistent and meaningful help to or heroes.
Thomas Carlyle
I work for a Midwest retailer and internally they keep calling us 'Heroes' and quite honestly I find it insulting because of many of the reasons you've said here. I see hordes and hordes of people coming into the store and some will thank me for being at work and many will tell me to "stay safe" which is funny because when someone during a pandemic and stay at home order comes in to buy two cases of beer and a lottery ticket . . . they are part of the problem.
I am not a hero in any sense of the word. It took 13 years for my job to become 'essential' during a pandemic. Like I really planned this a decade and a half ago. Totally agree with everything you said.
“Like” times a million. My partner and I have been discussing this for years and you hit all the points we’ve been talking about.
We also pretty much hate the clapping at 7pm for essential workers too. It smacks of the elites up in their castles throwing scraps to the peasants.
.... the clapping also reminds me of martial law, Commie-style, North Korea shit !!!
Sendero Flamenco (and others with similar views)
Yes yes Yessssssss. I've been reacting this way for years in situations like this, for example, respecting the individual soldier's dedication, service, and sacrifice, and TELLING him so, but cordially, carefully and clearly stating that he's been USED by "the system", and the war he fought might not have been the right thing to do.
Maybe I've been lucky, but NEVER has this approach offended the soldier in the slightest, and several times it has turned into a very deep and respectful conversation with a total stranger where he THANKED ME for thinking the way I do. Sometimes I've been told sad stories of loss of innocence, where a patriotic boy enlists, and comes back a broken man, much wiser, but embittered about the lie he was sold when he was too young to know better. He risked his life for no reason. Buddies died for no reason. He KILLED people for no reason. He carries shame and has intense memories of joyful camaraderie with his platoon. He can't figure this out and he never will, because it's impossible.
He's a Hero. Is this what it's like to be a Hero?
Even when the soldier himself believes that the particular war he fought was worthwhile, I've answered, Yes, i might be wrong, you might be right, and you were there while I was not, but the Public that you defend, SHOULD contain a diversity of opinion and do lots of soul searching on this very point --whether or not it is WORTHWHILE. Because if the Public was universally and automatically gung-ho about using military force as the first option, this is a recipe that will SURELY result in soldiers' lives being wasted --maybe not in the war HE fought, but in a future war and certainly ones in the past.
And the people who sling this HERO word around the most, are often the very ones who are most adept finding excuses not to pay for the damage. Like evading taxes with dodges. Like shifting a conversation about increasing funding for the VA, into a conversion about how "inefficient" it is with the funding it already has.
And the soldier nods Yes. Because he knows it's true. A citizen who thinks differently than he does about a particular conflict is not a threat to him, or an affront, a citizen who favors soft power and diplomacy over warmongering and threat-making and firing artillery, isn't an anti-patriot, he's the voting, thinking counterweight that protects enlisted soldiers from being used wrongly. Calling a soldier a Hero and then abandoning him when he comes home broken is a much better definition of an anti-patriot.
This automatic use of "Hero" has so many sneaky, self-serving uses, and they're cataloged quite nicely by Joe. As usual, he has a special knack for it.
Ever since I got out of the US Army in 1991 I have had this feeling and never was able to express it. I was a civilian in Somalia after Black Hawk Down. I'm now working in a hospital doing environmental services (to include cleaning Covid 19 rooms) I'm issued one mask a week to wear. The gowns come down to just above my knees. I am afraid everyday go to work, that I'm going to bring something home. I hate it when people tell me " Thank you for your service." I want to say "Where the hell were you when I couldnt get a job and I was homeless for 3 year?" Joe thanks for giving this feeling a voice.
lazsloe Whoa! I guess you’d prefer the thanks my father got when he returned from Vietnam huh? You get spit on ??? Anyone call you a “baby killer”? Fuck no they didn’t... Now, I’m sorry if you turned out to be they type whose psyche couldn’t handle the horrors of war. I’m sorry you feel like your CHOICE TO ENLIST somehow puts you on the same level as men like my father who HAD NO CHOICE AND WERE DRAFTED. But my Dad actually did wind up having to shoot a young boy who was shooting an AK47 at him. He didn’t choose to go, as you did, he was drafted. He could have ran to Canada, but he didn’t. He felt it was his duty as an American and as a man. He came home and went to work immediately to feed me, my brother, and our mom. No two stories are exactly alike, but the biggest difference I see, is that he didn’t whine that shit didn’t go his way after he served. I’d love to see you tell this little tragedy of yours to him or one of his Ranger buddies .... making sure to let them know how pissed off you get when someone has the nerve to respect you by simply saying “Thanks”
......Buddy, you’d be picking up your teeth with broken fingers..... BTW, Thanks for your Service
@@MrBonney1990 Whoa! Thanks to you, you've made it blatantly clear you dont care about the issues others have to endure for us to live comfortable lives! Maybe next time you can serve the same spot he did in war, get abandoned by your country, then be treated like shit during a global crisis with the most thanks you getting being the equivalent to a gold star sticker over text! Prove to him how weak he is and do every little thing hes done, and just amaze me with how well you handle that! Sure, you'll bottle up all your emotions until it becomes a soul crushing depression, but who cares? Certainly not the people you served!
@@MrBonney1990 Seriously?! You're going to dump on him like that? Get a grip and act like an adult. And threatening violence? Yeah, that's the way to go with this. Real mature! Did you serve? Doesn't seem that way or you'd be bragging about it. Thank you for not serving. We don't need shit stains like you in the military.
@@MrBonney1990 Did/do you serve?
Tim Malinowski I’m the first in my family who hasnt ,I lost my left arm at the elbow my Junior Year... No, I’m just the “insensitive asshole” who tells every single guy in uniform “Thank You”... but nice try
That is an incredibly smart gnome you have in your head. Keep listening and keep sharing the information. We really need to hear this kind of opinion. More of this kind of thought process will restore the balance we have lost. Thank you.
I lost my dad 1 year ago on Memorial day.He was a vet. He lost his battle with ptsd and depression. He took his own life. You see he had a bad motorcycle wreck, had a really bad head injury,when he woke up he had forgotten everything. As time moved on things came back, he remember what he had done for this great nation, he couldn't live with it anymore. He couldn't live with himself. He is my hero. I miss him so much.
Im so sorry, i hope you are doing ok friend.
So sorry to hear about your loss, and I’d like to extend my sincere appreciation to your father, a real hero, for all that he did for me and the people I love. I hope he rests in peace.
Latisha Russell I'm so sorry about your dad. My oldest daughter suffered greatly from ptsd. She also had schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. She took her own life. Nothing can describe how much a heart breaks when you know your loved one just couldn't take it anymore. So I'm reaching out to you to say I get it, and I'm sending love and prayers for you to have peace, as I search for peace also. ♡ and yes, she was the bravest person I've ever known, facing her debilitating fears every day for 30 years.
Well said, Joe. I remember seeing an EMT on the news who said he'd had enough free pizza. He needed sufficient wages so that he didn't need to work three jobs to make ends meet. Platitudes only go so far.
aLarj Mammal Yeah, THAT was a chilling interview! Never realized EMT pay was that bad...
I am an EMT in a department that is one of the highest paid in the region and I still have to work two jobs. We don't do this job because we make a lot of money. We do it because we care about people and our community.
I really dislike being called a hero because it feels hollow and makes me uncomfortable.
Long time watcher and I just subscribed because of this one. I was a wildland firefighter for the better part of a decade and I was always uncomfortable when someone called me a hero. Sure most of us were thrill-seekers, outdoors people, and many were just borderline pyromaniacs, but we were not ever required to jump into some burning building and rescue someone. There was nothing more sad and tragic than hearing about a colleague or friend who died protecting a few acres of timber. So a lot of the cringe factor I always felt about "Hero" you definitely articulated. Thank Joe!
This is a small point that in no way contradicts your larger point, but some of the people we call heroes really do have a choice about whether they put their lives on the line. I think in particular of retired healthcare workers who came out of retirement to help staff overwhelmed hospitals. Many of them are financially well-off, plus they are likely at greater risk from the virus because of their age.
"Show me a hero and I'll write you a tragedy."
Matt McCarthy ‘Jesus Christ’ that’s one hell of a quote.
F. Scott Fitzgerald
@@donnanobel514 Thanks.
I know it from it being quoted in another book that I read 30 years ago. It's been locked in my brain ever since.
I remembered the book it was in but not who it was a quote from.
As a nurse, I went into the nursing program with the understanding that I would be given the tools I needed to perform my duties as safely as possible.
I never agreed to be a martyr. Or to put my family at risk.
It makes me so angry when people say if your not willing to go into an isolation room without PPE, then you shouldn’t work in healthcare.
I’m one of four nurses in my family. What we need, at the moment, are the tools to do our jobs. Not a round of applause and a pat on the back.
I’ve always loved your channel Joe. Thank you for putting this out there.
As I saw someone put it: "I'm not a hero, I'm a hostage."
Well said.
A hero is someone that does something that isn't expected of them in order to selflessly protect another person. It's very rare.
A homeless guy rushes in and tackles a gunman, preventing the gunman from shooting into a crowd. That's a hero.
A person who's deemed essential and forced to go out into a pandemic isn't a hero. They're a victim of the government.
While I agree 95% with your comment, no one is forcing anyone to go to work.
A "victim of government" I think that's over reaching. I think it's more like a victim of circumstance.
Veraux they don’t “have to” go to work, they will just lose their home/apartment in a few months when all those backed up payments come due and eviction restrictions are lifted. The choices are go to work and risk getting a potentially fatal virus or lose your home/ everything you have worked for. Neither of those are a great choice...
I am a Vet and I have been homeless. I am grateful for the programs to help homeless vets. Seeing what none ever an homeless people endure, I am very grateful.
I feel like thanking "heros" is the new "thoughts and prayers".
Actually it's not new.
Thank u for summing up the focus of this Vlog
i said that as soon as the commercials about "essentials" first came out
And the fast food article was where i first said that "essentials" = thoughts and prayers
It's the new "that you for your service". Don't thank me, vote for politicians who will actually have our best interests at heart when my brothers and sisters finally come home.
Joe,
Sad part is I am one of those "heros" twice over. Both as a United States Military Veteran, and active security personnel, what I do occupationally makes me a "first responder AND an essential worker" I have to carry a letter from my employer to walk down the street incase the law enforcement here in L.A. decides to stop me for any reason during all this.
You are absolutely correct, we will see no compensation.
The worst part is that the resources ARE there for veterans, how ever the V.A. doesnt tell us anything (I've dealt with it in several states).
I agree with you 100 percent. So far I'm doing well, thank you for the concern. How ever if people call me a hero, then they absolutely have to act and treat us accordingly.
There is nothing vain here just calling out the hypocrisy
Hey, at least you got a letter! My security company seems to think the flimsy embroidered badge on our uniforms will suffice for the police.
No pay bump, no bonus, no sick days (didn't have any of those anyway), no vacation time - we aren't appreciated by the very people we work for, let alone whether we are WILLING to do this. I would rather stay home and be safe, as I fall into the high risk category. I have enough to cover staying home for a while (now that my travel plans for this year are in the garbage).
And yet... there is a gnome of my own, screaming about duty to the friends I work with and see every day. *sigh* I am mid-shift as I write this, and I will do my tasks, go home alone, and cry for the world that is hurting, sleep, then get up and do it all again.
Out of curiosity, let’s say I meet a soldier at an airport, or at a McDonald’s, what is the best way to show my appreciation? I’ve heard ppl say that it’s pandering when a person says “thank your for your service”. I’m curious to know if a civilian wanted to show their appreciation, how should they show it?
@@e.w.3989 join the military or thank you for your service
@@e.w.3989 why say anything? The feeling that you need to say something comes from inside you so that you feel better. Give to an organisation which supports veterans or do something more direct to help.
PD Ken okay but that’s not why I fee the need to say it. I didn’t join the military but my family has a history in the services and I’m proud of it. So I don’t say it to make myself feel better, I say it because I’m my head it’s from a place of honor and respect.
Joe you have an incredible strength of character that allows you to present a loaded point with empathy and understanding that makes it a truly valuable perspective. Thank you for expressing your passion through UA-cam with your videos.
"Essential Worker," sounds better than, "Sacrificial Tribute."
Or "suicide mission"
Before these pandemic times the last time I heard the term 'Essential Worker' was in the movie Schindler's List, and that is all I think of when I hear that term.
Me, making wind turbine blades: Im... a hero?
* Martyr
@@golf398 0.3-12% not to mention the US system might be even worse.
“Essential” (or “hero”) is a euphemism for “expendable.” Change my mind.
A hero is someone that does brave things when they don't need to do it. Pretty certain that means some are.
But, especially in the US, many are basically forced to work.
Essential is literally the opposite of expendable, expendable is not needed but essential is needed
I think a better word is "sacrificial". Doctors are essential but not "expendable". Or at least they're very expensive to replace. A necessary sacrifice is still a sacrifice, not expendable per se.
@ Brian Denslow.... wow.... just WOW, brother !!!
I think SOME people are using hero in a bad way and do mean "expendable" but I think that is the loud minority. Most people when they say it about health workers and such, genuinely mean it as someone going above and beyond and say it as a sincere respect for them. I'm of the mind that, I don't like it when crappy people steal words from the rest of us. Hero has a meaning, most people use it the way it is intended and we should let the assholes of the world redefine it.
I'm in the UK which pretty much does the same as the US in these types of situations. I'm now classed as an "essential worker" & if ANYONE dares to call me a hero, then they get reminded that I'm there because I HAVE to be, not because I want to. I love that too you've addressed this, it has bothered me for a while. So, while I'm here I'm going to bring up something else which may cause outrage. *deep breath* clapping. It's infuriating me. To me, it feels patronising and just another way for people to pat themselves on the back and consider themselves great people because, hey, they stood on their doorstep and clapped. If you really want to show some bloody gratitude, how about donating some food to a food bank, or, maybe not going into your local shop every day for bars of chocolate and lottery tickets? Oh sorry, forgetting the ridiculous amounts of alcohol people are consuming right now. (yes, I work in my local convenience store). All I keep thinking is, if I worked in the NHS I'm sure these sycophantic, hypocritical rounds of applause would feel like a smack in the chops. Whilst these clappers are still taking risks they want to feel what? "I'm a good person because I clap?" Oh please, do one. Rant over. Thanks again Joe, personally I totally agree x
That was really well said. I’m also glad to see that everyone else in the comments agrees too. This a problem that needs to be voiced.
I was an "essential employee" a "hero" who asked about a Hazard Pay Policy, I was rewarded with being terminated 48 hours later.
You have to get rid of the smart ones or the other sheep might get ideas
So sad.
@@macberry4048 more or less how I feel.
@@Hardts Thank you.
We are expendable. I work at Lowe's, they had a sale on essential flowers and mulch. Stores are packed. They put profit over health.
Calling someone who is forced to work a hero is like calling someone who's been robbed generous.
"We're behind you, we're behind you". Yeah. as A veteran, I can tell you that's exactly the problem - how about being in front of us for a change....Thank you for a heartfelt - hopefully cathartic - rant!
One more thing: I once had an interesting conversation with a veteran while waiting to board a flight. We talked about how hard it is to find space for your bag if you are last to get on and he said he appreciated when he was offered early boarding while on active duty. But he also said that the one thing he hates is when someone says ‘Thank you for your service’ because he knows it is just pandering.
I served in the Navy and was speaking about this to another veteran (Marine) and we both agreed that that whole "Thank you for your service!" just grates on your nerves.
Uk army, same.
katumispencer so as someone who has family and tries to look at the military as honorable and respectful thing to pursue how can I as someone who isn’t in the best financial situation to throw money at a problem like this, show my gratitude to people who have given this sacrafice?
I agree. During the Viet Nam war era, I spent three years in the Marine Corps doing administrative office work in Okinawa and Southern California along side officers and senior enlisted who were shot up or injured. When hearing "thank you for your service" I reflect on the days driving a senior officer with a burn-scarred face and glass eye who survived a helicopter crash, or type travel orders and make countless copies of discharge papers for Marines returning to civilian life. Those were the heroes that deserve thanks. Not me.
I just reply with "Thank you for paying. I got to see the world on your tax payers dollars!" Of course some reply with "Money well spent." So there you go. lol
Wow. This video hit deep. On the day of this posting, I had just watched the NAVY Blue Angels and the Air Force Thunderbirds fly over Washington DC. Right over my neighborhood. And at least one neighbor of mine is a healthcare worker at the hospital. Thank you for making these videos. Everyone really needs them.
Actually i'm speechless how precise you expressed my thoughts on this "hero" thing. And even more so about problems of our society which is run by wealthy who like to make themselves comfortable by worreing about nature and animals and what not and DO NOTHING when billions of poor people starve and live in inhuman conditions. And many of poor people live not even in some africa or bangladash, they live in the most wealthy country in the world. Most of those so called heroes dont even have insuarence... they will go totally bankrupt if something happens. How they'll be called then? The right answer is homeless.
Rich people dont give AF about others and while this is undeniable truth and we cant do much about it, hearing them calling poor people who dont have a choise heroes is an INSULT. Its hypocricy of our society.
Виталий Карнаухов Uninsured “essential worker” here.
Well put
_No one person or government has a hold on others._ That is a basic human right. Remember that as a starting premise. All oppressive regimes, on the right or the left, have acted otherwise. You have no hold on the earnings of others, for example. Except, in the USA, the wealthy pay most of the taxes.
I personally don't call anyone a hero unless they put their lives in danger in a way that wouldn't have normally been a part of their job.
This sums up pretty well why I decided to not have children...😐 I don't want to give the wealthy elite anyone to control...😔
I'm not sure of I completely agree with this statement. I feel like your making an us vs them argument that I just feel isn't a very healthy mindset. Believe or not rich people are people too and we should never loose sight of that. There are plenty of reach people doing absolutely nothing and there are plenty of reach people doing everything they can. I'm not saying that our current system isn't fundamentally flaud all I'm trying to say is that people are people no matter how many numbers are in their bank account.
I really appreciate this video, a lot more than I ever would have expected to. I work at a grocery store in North Richland Hills, Texas, and have been one of the innumerable frontline workers trying to keep everything afloat. We have, and don’t quote me on this because it’s just a rough estimate, anywhere between 50 and 100 employees at just our store alone. We offer very low prices on many of our items, even cheaper than Wal-Mart in a lot of cases. Our store also stays open much later than other grocery stores in the area, so as you can imagine we stay quite busy. It honestly wouldn’t surprise me if we were the busiest for our city.
The city guidelines concerning the virus are almost completely nonexistent, though I’m not sure if the responsibility falls on the city or state government. Regardless, people aren’t confined to their homes, there are no travel restrictions, no ban on nonessential businesses staying open, no mandates regarding face masks or gloves when out in public, and as you can probably imagine many people take absolutely no precautions when inside our store. It’s not a stretch to say that my fellow employees and I are at very high risk of getting sick. I can’t speak for everyone and so will only explain my thoughts on this.
You’re absolutely right. I don’t want to be working right now, not at all. Maybe it’s just paranoia or senseless worrying, but I’m terrified of catching this virus and potentially finding myself in a life threatening situation. And especially not for how little I’m payed. But I literally, and I do mean literally, have absolutely no choice but to work. I’ll spare the details but my youngest daughter has propionic acidemia and spent two weeks in the hospital for it, so I used up all of my vacation hours just to stay with her at the hospital. I was even forced to take two attendance write ups for the few days I was there beyond what my vacation time had allotted.
I can’t miss a single day of work now, for any reason whatsoever, or I will lose my job. I have to work through this. I have to put my life at risk. I don’t have a choice. I would obviously rather wait this out at home along with everyone else, but I can’t. And what’s even worse is I was already fully aware of the problem you bring up in this video. Of course essential workers aren’t going to be taken care of once this all passes. Of course we won’t. When the hell have we ever? The whole reason a lot of us essential workers are in this position is because we don’t get taken care of. Deep down I know our company doesn’t give a damn about us. If they did we’d be making a hell of a lot more than just above minimum wage. We’re only here to take the money from the customers and then give it to the people in corporate. We’re just the middle men. They wouldn’t pay us anything if they could get away with it.
Rest assured there are countless people stuck in the same position as me and it pisses me off because after this blows over it will be right back to business as usual. It won’t be long before everyone forgets what we’re doing right now and it’s discouraging. I don’t care about recognition for myself, but I’m a supervisor and my employees absolutely deserve recognition. They’ve been through hell because of this and they damn well deserve respect they just aren’t getting.
My employees deserve better than that. I’m so beyond proud of them and amazed at how incredible they are. And it breaks my heart because we all know nothing is going to change. People are going to forget this just like they forget everything else. But what does make a difference is knowing that somewhere out there, amongst all the people relying on us, that somewhere there are a select few who will remember. It’s comforting to know that not everyone is blind to this injustice, just like you Joe.
So thank you Joe. Thank you for just being a human. Thank you.
I read it whole...my hat is off to you. wish you all the best in life, please take care of yourself and God bless.
@@sleepingbackbone7581 thank you, I know it's long so I do appreciate it. I know there must be countless other people in similar situations right now and I just hope they're being taken care of somehow. I can push through this, it sucks but I'm sure I'll be okay. I'm relatively young and healthy, all things considered. My appreciation goes out to the ones who aren't. My heart breaks for the ones that aren't going to be alive by the time this crisis ends.
Joe, You are now my best friend! You have almost word for word said what I have been saying for years. I am a combat vet, 10 years in the U.S. Army, over 1 year deployed to Iraq (03-04)... Long rant short, I have been around the world, twice. I have seen the best of people and I have definitely seen/lived through the worst of people and what they can do. When it comes to "Hero", I have only had the honor of meeting 1. It’s a great story, but for another time. Thanks again Joe.
I am one of the grocery store clerks that have gotten Covid-19. My job pays $11/hr. My employer only provided a mask at 5 weeks, and only because a customer complained. I've even been denied a raise. We get rude responses when we are out of something. This is what being #essential looks like.
I am angry for you, fella. Not fair, and I do hope the virus does not leave you disabled as is often the case.
@@billdale1 Unfortunately I am suffering from the shortness of breath daily, and I've lost a lot of my singing voice. But I'm still here!
So, is it worse than the flu? (I already know it is I just want confirmation)
Rudyard Kipling wrote eloquently about how society idolizes our "heroes" when we need them, and craps on them once the need has passed:
--------------------
"I went into a public-'ouse to get a pint o' beer,
The publican 'e up an' sez, "We serve no red-coats here."
The girls be'ind the bar they laughed an' giggled fit to die,
I outs into the street again an' to myself sez I:
O it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, go away";
But it's "Thank you, Mister Atkins", when the band begins to play,
The band begins to play, my boys, the band begins to play,
O it's "Thank you, Mister Atkins", when the band begins to play.
I went into a theatre as sober as could be,
They gave a drunk civilian room, but 'adn't none for me;
They sent me to the gallery or round the music-'alls,
But when it comes to fightin', Lord! they'll shove me in the stalls!
For it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, wait outside";
But it's "Special train for Atkins" when the trooper's on the tide,
The troopship's on the tide, my boys, the troopship's on the tide,
O it's "Special train for Atkins" when the trooper's on the tide.
Yes, makin' mock o' uniforms that guard you while you sleep
Is cheaper than them uniforms, an' they're starvation cheap;
An' hustlin' drunken soldiers when they're goin' large a bit
Is five times better business than paradin' in full kit.
Then it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, 'ow's yer soul?"
But it's "Thin red line of 'eroes" when the drums begin to roll,
The drums begin to roll, my boys, the drums begin to roll,
O it's "Thin red line of 'eroes" when the drums begin to roll.
We aren't no thin red 'eroes, nor we aren't no blackguards too,
But single men in barricks, most remarkable like you;
An' if sometimes our conduck isn't all your fancy paints,
Why, single men in barricks don't grow into plaster saints;
While it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, fall be'ind",
But it's "Please to walk in front, sir", when there's trouble in the wind,
There's trouble in the wind, my boys, there's trouble in the wind,
O it's "Please to walk in front, sir", when there's trouble in the wind.
You talk o' better food for us, an' schools, an' fires, an' all:
We'll wait for extry rations if you treat us rational.
Don't mess about the cook-room slops, but prove it to our face
The Widow's Uniform is not the soldier-man's disgrace.
For it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Chuck him out, the brute!"
But it's "Saviour of 'is country" when the guns begin to shoot;
An' it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' anything you please;
An' Tommy ain't a bloomin' fool -- you bet that Tommy sees!"
Hey, Joe. I’m someone who stopped going out about 4 years ago. There were several occasions when I went for a vacation or met someone but it was very, very limited number of occasions. And at first I was struggling. I went into depression, my negativity peaked a year later, everything went to really, really terrible. Then I’ve regained contact with a certain person who.. managed to bring me back. And they did it mentally, not physically. I have managed, with time, to broaden back my social circles, I’ve started engaging in contact with people who weren’t bringing me all that negativity social media has so much of and my life drastically improved as it went on and improved my mental stability and positivity in general. I think that online people need to limit themselves like they would, be it irl. Talk to people you want to talk. Don’t with those you don’t want to. Respect the people on the other side of the screen. It is possible to have friends in this environment, it’s possible to create healthy relationships, it’s possible to stay positive, you just need to look for ways that are able to achieve that. And if that means cutting put most of the social media interactions with the general public - so be it. Mental health is much more important than being sure to pick your nose at the viewing of another scandalous car crash a celebrity got caught in.
Hope you find your peace with the situation in that regard and I totally agree with the “hero kinda means nothing as they are only called heroes with no behavior from our side to support that name and to make it mean something”. Thanks for the videos.
As a veteran myself I know that any true hero would never want to be called one. The only thing anybody would ever want is to be respected.
I’ve been trying to figure out why “hero” has been making me cringe lately too. You found the right words for it though. Thanks for that. Keep up the good content
I respect your honesty and intelligence. Initiating conversations regarding the changes that need to happen is vital. I am glad you have the courage to address this and appreciate you more than ever. Thanks!
This was a refreshing take. Personally, I believe heros and villans belong in comic books along with good and evil. Real life is much more complicated and nuanced than most are willing to accept.
Good comments Kyle.
Your right. It's a little childish.
You summed it up perfectly
Complicated and nuanced are harder to process. And they highlight problems people would rather not acknowledge, much less deal with.
But here's the difference between heroes in fiction--ACTUAL heroes--and most "heroes" in real life.
The majority of "heroes" in this time are not real heroes. Why? Because they have to put their lives on the line.
Real heroes are the ones that choose to do so. And there are some of those people in real life.
"You know what the definition of a hero is? It's someone who gets other people killed. You can look it up later." -- Zoey Washburn, executive officer of Serenity.
"A hero is what they call it when someone gets left behind so other people can get out. If you find your own way out later, they call you a survivor instead." -- anonymous special operations
Serenity -2005
I think you managed to put into words a lot of things I've been feeling for a long time. I'm really glad I managed to find your channel(s). It has been informative, inspirational, funny, kind, and now, poignant. Thank you for the work you put into these videos. I, for one, am very appreciative.
My wife and I work in a grocery store. We are not heroes, we are expendable workers. We go to work because we need the money. That's all it is, we have no choice.
Mortam there is always a choice.
@@toddkorson6390 yeah, I could quit and not pay my bills.
@@InimicusSolitus It would be a terrible choice, but it is a choice
@@dwindeyer the illusion of choice still isn't a choice. Death is not a choice.
@@toddkorson6390 yes, you can always starve. Or steal. Sell drugs.
Get real. Not everyone has an easy life like you. (This is coming from someone who _has_ a relatively easy life. But I have known hardship and can empathize. Unlike some.)
It's easier to call people "heroes" instead of actually paying them what they're worth. The country would come to a standstill without the working class, but it's easier to congratulate ourselves for saying nice things about them instead of actually impact the class and economic struggles that people go through
True - I got paid 1/3 of minimum wage driving an.hour away to do a job that a whole city relies on. People pay sheep and non essential jobs these days more than essential ones. If I want.to work in an intellectual field, I have to work for free, so I volunteer.day and.night.to do what I kind of should be paid - all while I get attacked more.than thanked (which happens.when it's forced on them). At least people in the past got paid their worth, now you only get paid if you put out junk and let real work be treated like junk.
You are RIGHT, Joe. I feel 100% the same. We had a tower fire here in England, the firefighters who went in were hailed as heroes and a few months later they were in court being blamed for the number of people who weren’t rescued, even though it was clearly the cladding on the tower (Grenfell) that was at fault. Also, their funding had been cut. Someone needs to call out how we treat heroes and I’m glad you have.
This resonated with me on a few levels that weren't anticipated.
I'm a stepfather to special needs twin girls. My wife is disabled. I'm the glue in the house. When my followers hear about this, they start saying things like "You're an inspiration" and "you're a hero". I really don't feel like it. I'm just a dad being a dad. But maybe I wouldn't have to work my ass off to take care of 3 disabled adults while also fighting to keep a roof over our heads if we took better care of those who deserved it. Heroes need taken care of. Everyone needs taken care of. Other countries get this right in a lot of ways, yet the US is dropping the ball so hard that it's creating an undue burden on families like mine. And instead of addressing the problems that put me in this situation to begin with (trouble finding and keeping qualified respite staff because medicaid restrictions keep getting tightened and gutted, coupled with a healthcare system that practically guarantees bankruptcy for those who need it the most), we call those of us who do what we HAVE to do for our loved ones "Heroes". We make people like me out to be patron saints and figures to strive to be. "He's so inspiring". "He's such a good dad".
I don't want to be a fucking inspiration for taking care of my family. I'm not an above average dad, I'm just a dad. What I want is for our family to no longer be seen as people mooching off of the system that was designed specifically for people like my family, and for America to WAKE THE FUCK UP that we need to take care of one another on a much deeper level than we currently are.
Selfish people need to stop electing selfish people to office.
Thank you for this video.
I am “one of those” who has been called an inspiration many many times. I’m simply an older woman who has lived with serious disability and pain most of my life. I feel a little disrespected when someone refers to me that way. I’m simply living the life I have. Seeing my physical challenges first denigrates all the other things that I would like to be admired for: Intelligence, wit, faithfulness. It can be difficult to explain to others. But it’s very real.
I couldn't raise my first enough in support of you and all that you're saying!!
@@mlfeathers7527 I'm living a very similar life as I came down with my first autoimmune disease in my early 20's. It wrecked my life for a long time, required dozens of surgeries, and 14 years later, I now have 7 autoimmune diseases and I'm fully disabled. I don't define my life by those and it doesn't sound like you do either. I'm celebrating all the great things about you. I come from a strict Irish Catholic background (family & school) and I've heard the worst things said about me, but like you, they praised me for "accepting god's suffering for me that I have because I'm so SPECIAL, INSPIRATIONAL, & CHOSEN TO SUFFER. I hate people saying these things. It reduces me to a disabled person, suffering in constant, unending pain with the added layer of all the god stuff. I'm not a believer in Catholicism, and am agnostic at best. Part of the reason is because I hate the things these people say!! I'm not just those things.
So you sound like you're pretty incredible, and that doesn't mean you're anything but YOU, not your diseases. I hope you are safe & can be as "healthy" (define that as you see fit). Be well 🌠
Thank you for articulating my cringe every time I heard it or saw our politicians clapping while simultaneously cutting healthcare worker pay.
One of the things I love most about your channel Joe; the honesty you have with yourself and the courage it takes to put that out there is so refreshing. Thank you for sharing. I am sure this was a tough decision for you to put yourself out there in a light that could be seen negatively. But these are discussions and realization that our society needs to have. I'm behind you all the way.
As one of those "heroes" (nurse), I have to say that I don't want the title. I became a nurse partly to make a difference in the world, and I don't mind being appreciated - I certainly appreciate those millions of others who are trying to make a difference - but I also became a nurse to have a solid career to support my family. Through all my years in the ER, I've faced SARS, H1N1, and many other outbreaks, but every day has always faced risks. I am MRSA positive and will always be, despite not really being in environments where MRSA is a thing besides the ER. That's what I accepted when I went through school and took the license. I'm no hero. I'm just a guy who is trying to do what I can in life.
So when my patients tell me, now more than ever, that they are grateful for what I do, I accept the gratitude - we should all be grateful for everyone in the service industry all the time - but I'm nothing special. The heroes are the nurses flying to New York to volunteer to be on the real front lines. Heroes are rare, and we shouldn't water them down.
The problem with Joe's content on this is he never voiced his other "gnome" in his head. There are heroes out there and this video takes away their agency and diminishes their work and effort . Oh by the way your ending paragraph sounds like all the people who have done heroic deeds and talk about them . Good on ya mate !
A friend and I were joking about nurses being called heros... we said.. .isn't being exposed to disease what they signed up for?
@@bob15479 Yee but from my understanding these ppl didn't sign up for potentially staring death in the face
Arthur Ashe said “True heroism is remarkably sober, very undramatic. It is not the urge to surpass all others at whatever cost, but the urge to serve others at whatever cost.”
John Wilder love it
I completely agree with you buddy! Hi Joe, I really appreciate your channels. I just got discharged from the hospital (gall stones), and your intellect kept me awake and looking toward the future because a stay in that hospital was a real nightmare. I'm amazed at the different subjects you thoroughly discuss at length, the different channels, podcasts. This baffles me because to most humans this would seem boring and some may find tedious but what fascinates me is that all subject you speak of keep me very engaged and help me grow in intellect. Please keep up the great work! Your fan from Austin.
100% agree with you on this take. I'm an "essential work", and when I heard people start calling us "heroes", my first thought was damn that feels empty.
I used to call you my hero, Joe... now you're just a guy on UA-cam that gives me huge inspiration. ;) Thanks for this truthbomb. Shared on FB.
Thank you SO MUCH for this. I'm a cashier and never signed up to risk my life. Actually, I never signed up to be a cashier. I was made a cashier because I developed a disability and couldn't do the job I was doing because of the physical demands so they made me a cashier allowing me to stay sitting down all day rather than fire me for becoming disabled.
I'm 50 years old and have health issues. My almost 80-year-old father lives with me. So does my sister (who has a compromised immune system) & her child. Every day, I live in terror of bringing this awful thing home. I'm as careful as circumstances allow, but still, I worry.
From the instant people started referring to people like me as "heroes" I became even more worried because I know heroes are expected to sacrifice themselves for the "greater good." Also, you're expected to work for as little pay as possible because asking for more money would be spiting in the face of the people who consider you a "hero." It's like how we call teachers "heroes" then get mad when they strike for decent wages & working conditions.
"You're a hero! You should be honored to make these sacrifices for free!"
And we definitely treat our soldiers even worse. We throw them into the meatgrinder war then act as thought they're weak when they get traumatized by it. Weird how Republicans, the party most eager to send kids into war, are also most reluctant to care for them when they come back damaged. It's like they think of people as disposable tools or something. And don't tell me it's okay because our military service is voluntary now. People sign up to protect the country, not engage in unnecessary wars,
And please understand, calling a war "unnecessary" isn't the same thing as calling it "meaningless." Of course it had meaning to the people who fought it. Of course the lives lost fighting it had meaning. I'm not saying their sacrifices were meaningless, I'm saying none of it had to happen. It would be like if someone set fire to an empty building and told the firefighters there were people inside and some of the firefighters died in the rescue attempt. Their actions and lives still had meaning. They're still heroes. But their loss was UNNECESSARY. It shouldn't have happened.
I don't want to be a hero. I certainly don't want to be treated like one. I just want to make sure my family is safe and taken care of.
I’m an “essential” worker. I work at Target. I am not a hero. I just stock shelves.
The real question is, are you still doing it because you want to or because you have no choice? Whatever your answer may be, if it wasn't for people like you, we would probably be in a much more chaotic situation than we are right now... So ty so much ❤️❤️❤️
Stocking shelves is a great superpower.
i am a produce peon in a supermarket, not a hero
if you consider me a hero, consider these words
*FFS go home! - if you are sick, we get sick - if we get sick, you don't eat*
Chances are your employer is looking forward to the day when a robot does your "essential" job.
FYI, robot is derived from the Czech word for slave labor.
I used to stock shelves on night shift. I liked having the title 'night stocker' 🤣
I agree. Even though I work in an ER, I feel like the real heroes are the ones who would go out and do this even if they weren't getting paid. I . . . would not. I can't see my family because of fear of exposure. If I could get paid while staying home with my family, I absolutely would. I love helping people . . . but I'm no hero.
but you are very brave, never the less...
I didnt know what I didnt like about the word “hero” being used. But I thought it fit because they are doing what nobody else wants to be doing. And you put it into words. They don’t want to be doing it either, but they’re being made to. Thank you for speaking up about this because while I was aware of the absolute injustice of the “essential workers” being made to work, I still didn’t want to discount the risk they’re exposing themselves to. This just gave me a clearer perspective of what I was beginning to think.
Essetial health care worker here - I am certainly no hero; I like my job, I picked it because I always wanted to do it. I agree with you, Joe but I also want to remind people that there are quite a number of people who can't do anything to help in this crisis and want to show some form of gratitude - they want to show that they care and are thankful that medical staff put themselves out there. As you said - tey have their hearts in the right place. What bothers me about it is that last year nobody really cared and next year they will go back to not caring. Especially about nurses and the hard job that they do - day in day out. So the most important thing that everybody can do now and in the future is helping to improve the system by voting for politicians that want to do that. And the US is certainly one of the places where A LOT improvement is needed. Especially in health care. But a republican just needs to say the word 'socialism' and boo-hoo everybody is afraid. While the rest of the developed world is shaking their heads in disbelief.
I'm one of those shaking their heads in disbelief... I really don't get why people in the US are so afraid of a more restricted and social capitalism. It's still the same (working) system, just less unfair and more humain
I will freely admit that that the GOP has had an abysmal record on addressing the failings of the our health care system. They spent most of a decade whining about the evils of Obamacare, and when they were finally in power, the GOP had absolutely no clue where to start fixing the problems.
I'll even go further, a well designed single payer system would likely offer many improvements over the system that the US has today. It would also have significant problems, but there's a real argument to be made that the system would be better than what we have now.
All of that being said, the failings of the US system arguably come from too much government interference. We all agree that there are huge problems in the health insurance industry right? How does the free market fix problems? Consumers switch to buying better products. But the government has destroyed consumer choice. During WW2 (maybe WW1 I'd have to double check) the government froze wages for the war effort. Predictably, when the war had already caused a labor shortage, employees demanded some kind of raise, and employers started to add extra benefits because they weren't legally allowed to pay their employees more, and they needed to do something to get the employees they needed. After the war, the unions thought this was great and successfully lobbied for tax law changes that encouraged employers to make the addition of these health benefits permanent.
The echoes of those disastrous policy decisions can be found throughout the health care marketplace. It's almost impossible to get a plan that covers mental health care. Why? There's no demand for that type of plan from the businesses that make the purchasing decisions, because good employees generally don't have mental health problems, and worse, once someone is diagnosed, they're part of a protected class. That doesn't mean that your employer is actively trying to undermine your health, but the costs and benefits line up in such a way that employers that try to get you mental health coverage will be at a disadvantage to another employer that doesn't.
We complain that medical bills are too complicated, but there's no market pressure to fix the problem. Insurers can't go on TV and advertise how much easier it will be to get a bill when you switch to their company, because you can't switch without getting a different job, and their real customer, your employer, will be pissed that the plan is a little bit more expensive because they straightened out billing.
There's no demand for health insurance that won't increase in cost as you age, again, because the insurance company knows you'll be kicked off as soon as you leave your employer. The short term additional cost isn't to your employer's benefit.
Would all of this be fixed under a free market system? Who the hell knows, but we do know that the areas of medicine with the least government interference are also the only areas that have had prices come down in recent years. Laser eye surgery isn't covered by insurance, not because of government interference but because the other policy holders shouldn't be forced to pay for your elective surgery, and has seen a 75% reduction in cost over the last 15 years.
That doesn't mean the free market can do everything. There's a real argument to be made that government should subsidize care for chronic, pre-existing conditions. Kids shouldn't have to suffer because their parents are too lazy to buy insurance, so it's reasonable to talk about a universal health care for children under the age of 18, and classes for high school students so they understand the necessity of having health insurance. The need for employers to provide health care has artificially lowered wages because employees weren't expected to buy their own insurance. Government has a role in creating subsidies to fix things that the government screwed up. So some kind of subsidy for businesses that appropriately increase pay when they stop providing health care. There might be other things that come up.
I know that most people have already decided that the government should take over health care. But do you really want the same people in charge that ignored their own decisions that broke health care for the last 70 years? The government can't be relied on to replace bridges that they knew would need to be replaced today from the moment the bridge was built 50 years ago. They're going to keep pace with a medical field that achieves new advances almost daily? The industry is screwed up now because it's impossible for you to "fire" the person in charge of your health insurance. You want to only be able to fire them once every 4 years, and only when some random partisan issue isn't considered more important?
None of that seems like an improvement to me.
The real divide is not between Republicans and Democrats, but between the super elites of the world and the rest of us. As a Republican, I hate crony capitalists (the Paul Singers and Mitt Romneys of this world, (not ordinary business people or entrepreneurs) They are clever. But they produce nothing. They build nothing of value other than quick profit. They are parasites.
Socialists too, are parasites and are equally as guilty. Spread-the-wealth socialism leads to a repressive squandering of resources which leads to poverty and hopelessness everywhere. Venezuela and Cuba come to mind. There is no successful socialist society on earth and there never will be. And no, not Sweden either. Bernie's blind to the fact that the Swedes are aggressively capitalist though he cited them enough in his windy speeches.
A much better health care system will be developed under capitalism. Government just has to get out of the way and cut lots and lots of red tape.
@@paulbradford6475 populism isn't the answer. It's just old school anti-semitism under a new face. Pick a group that represents less than 1% of the population, find reasons to blame them for all of society's ills that maybe, sort of have a little bit of a bearing on reality, and throw them to the wood chipper because you're too lazy to face the facts that fixing societal problems is always going to be harder than hell.
Let's be blunt, Jeff Bezos, the richest guy on Earth? He's probably going to have personally saved more lives from Covid-19 than every doctor on Earth combined. Social distancing would be a luxury for Heads of State and multimillionaires if he hadn't personally overturned the global economy to allow nearly everything to be dropped at your doorstep without ever coming into contact with a single person. Grocery stores had given up on putting your order together and delivering it before Amazon told the world to either start bringing products directly to consumers or get ready for bankruptcy.
Google has put all of human knowledge at your fingertips for the cost of a few seconds of using your eyeballs to look at ads.
Long before either of them, Mcdonald's and similar companies made cheap food a permanent fixture in the US. That's caused its own problems, but given the choice between starving to death and eating yourself to death, I'd think it's a significant improvement. The US simply doesn't track deaths from starvation. We never have them.
So no, simple vilification of the rich isn't just not the answer, it's clearly wrong.
@thatguybn you wrote three paragraphs and only managed to write one sentence describing problems with free market health insurance. A random comparison to dental insurance, which suffers the same problem that health insurance does, much of the market is dominated by employer provided coverage, although I'm less sure on whether that's from current government policy, or the lingering effects of the war time price freeze I already brought up.
Frankly, dental care is almost always something that's done as preventative care, so I don't know why there's widespread insurance coverage except for government shenanigans. The insurance model only makes sense to share costs for unexpected events. Dental care when you don't brush your teeth isn't an unexpected event. It isn't like heart disease, you eat badly and you're fairly surprised by what went wrong with your health and when, if you're getting regular dental check ups, usually the dentist has told you something is going wrong with that particular tooth for multiple appointments before more expensive work is necessary. That gives you over a year to either improve your dental hygiene or start saving for the increased cost.
A root canal is expensive, but it's still affordable, I charged one to my credit card when I worked at Mcdonald's and didn't go over the limit, I promise that wouldn't have been the case if I'd been recovering from a major medical issue.
Wow, You're right. We send them out as "Heroes" they come back with real PTSD, amputations and all we offer them is a thank you and good luck with the rest of your life.
Unfortunately, all employers work that way. When they no longer need their employees, they are dismissed. Any injury mental / physical must be taken care of by the individual.
Society knows how to make civilians into soldiers, but has no idea how to make soldiers in to civilians. That is why the issue of veterans is extra difficult.
Agreed Joe and glad you had the courage to share your thoughts. My observation is we default to bestowing this title on those whose activity benefits us and but also involves some risk to themselves for a lack of other perceived options. But there are other options. Is the danger due to COVID-19 and having to work for an income? Then let’s consider UBI, universal healthcare, radically increased min wage, etc. Our servicemen and women in constant, often endless foreign wars? Then reset the criteria that justifies and approves of sending them in harm’s way. So many Americans deserve our gratitude and just as Importantly our collective action.
Vietnam vets were treated like bums when they came home; I’m never “coming home “ again.
Nice post Joe, thanks.
Wow, that's something that has needed to be said for so long and in my 66 years hasn't been heard. Don't start wars that you can't afford the rehab costs. Medals of service should be solid gold, so they can be used for a house deposit, rent or next weeks food. Now I am feeling ranty and in need of a cup of tea. Thanks Joe.
"Calling them heroes dehumanizes them" totally agree with that. Romanticing poverty, labour, sacrifice and all that shit. They are workers, risking their lives just for you to be comfortable. Don't disrespect these people.
@I Bet You Kiss Girls Faggit I don't understand... Since they "have" to go to work it's ok for them to face all this without more compensation? And is it so impossible to think that people working jobs like nursing actually like to take care of others? In the capitalist world the big bucks are not in taking care of others so they shouldn't get more? People calling them hereos is nice yes, but at the end of the line it's just like when your boss calls you the best but still cannot give you the raise you have been waiting for so long.
A friend of mine was called a "hero" after the Towner l bus tragedy, which happened on March 26, 1931. She could not understand where the term "hero" came from. She was a victim of a spring storm, at a time when school buses were Model As with a big box on the back to hold kids. She was a survivor - and watched her own brother die that day. "Hero" is a cheap, tawdry, trite journalism word that crams hours of terror and years of PTSD into an easy box - keeping the newspaper copy down to a few column inches, and keeping us free from actually caring. She was fortunate, for before she died, historical researches came and ask her to tell her story - her way. Those who entered into that story received the blessing of having a deeper life.
Life is struggle. It just is. And we have just two things we can do about it. First, we can get through our own struggle. And secondly, we are called to tend to others who struggle.
Beautifully put
This is beautiful. Thank you for sharing.
You’re totally right on. I’m an actual essential employee, I drive trains. Electricity is essential, but my employer did nothing to protect us for about the first month. After that they only begrudgingly started handing out 2 alcohol wipes per day.
Yes yes yes yes yes yes! Thank you Joe! I have been thinking this same thing for a while. Please keep pumping this message out.
"unpopular opinion" -> says what everyone that I've talked to is thinking
I agree that the government should help vets, but WE should be helping our fellow man. Thanks for making us think, Joe.
Judge a society how it treats those who can’t help them self’s.
I appreciate you saying this. It always bothered me after 9/11 whenever anyone stepped in front of a microphone the first thing out of their mouth was "I'd like to take a second to thank our troops." I swear I heard it everywhere, the places you'd expect graduation speeches, political speeches, and sporting events, but then I also started hearing it in the most random of circumstances and everyday events that would be completely unrelated. I swear I heard it at the beginning of a biology presentation in college back in 2009. It felt empty and hollow, just like you said. Thank you for doing this video.
Until 3 weeks ago I was one of those called ""hero"" making barely over minimun wage keeping internet alive for medium and big bussines in a main ISP in Spain. Now im fine, im working from home after fighting a lot for it, but for more than 3 weeks since the outbreak in Spain i was everyday in a big room with at least 60 people sharing computers on shifts, had to leave my mom on her own, because i could not risk it, still carry the heavy groceries to her doorway (until a really nice neighbour of ther took over) and yes dont feel like a hero, just feel disposable, i just had to do it because there was no other way, im not counting with a pat in the back, i dont get mad or anthing when the people go out their windows to cheer for the healthcare workers, just dont share the feeling, they are just being throw under the bus like all people working in essential services, but what really infuriates me is when we are called the lucky ones because we didnt loose our jobs. Thats F***** up this world is F***** up the system is F***** up and maybe we deserve it for let it happen. Sorry for the rant, sorry for my english (really sorry for those with bleeding eyes after reading this) greetings from Spain, we are doing better now, things will get better, just hang in there.
Preach it brother.
Well said
ok, not to underplay or anything but
losing your job is also not good, especially if you don't have enough saved in the first place
You are lucky for keeping your job. If you want to be safe (for the most part) can't you just put on protective gear?.
homer simpson have you looked at the sort of ppe doctors and healthcare workers wear when they deal with covid patients? Youre about as dumb as your namesake
I'm a vet, and never have liked being "thanked for my service". I refuse to thank other vets, nor is it something that we even do to one another. I'm also in healthcare, and think you've hit the nail on the head on every point you made here. Thank you for saying all of this!
Really appreciate your rant. I work in a grocery store and really have no choice. I have not been able to shelter in place even 1 day since this all started. I have 1 day off a week and end up going out to support my family who I'm risking getting infected. I absolutely would rather stay at home. The store I work at has gone crazy and business has tripled which means the work has tripled and its exhausting. Customers aren't making anything easier either with their "raiding" behavior either. Its just really really hard. I even had my picture printed in the local news paper relating to the topic of this video calling me a hero. Thank you for your insight and effort to make people look at this from a different angle.
Someone needs to shut this guy down. He makes too much sense for the internet
He's a hero.
Yea, this iWitchcraft is making me feel and think things that are not comfortable. I'm being overwhelmed by thoughts of others.
That's why we need to continue support his channels after the internet thought police come to exorcise them.
Well Joe, you weren't expecting that, most people, including me, agree with you. I've had that Goblin in my head about the misuse of the term hero too.
Thank you! Everything you said I completely agree with. Me and my husband go to work everyday because we get paid. We are not heroes. But what it is appreciated more than anything is kindness and compassion. When someone says thank you to me I am thankful to them for being kind. I have to remember that everyone handles fear and confusion differently and have compassion for everyone. Some days are harder to do that than others. My job is not saving lives, all I do is work for a retail pharmacy. But even that is important if I can treat one person with kindness. Not because my company expects it, but because even if I was cleaning toilets (which I do) i still try and share positive energy. I talk with people from every walk of life and the one thing that every one of them says makes a difference is kindness and a little patience. Thank you to everyone out there just trying to get by a day at a time, no matter who you are or what you do.
The word "heroes" implies voluntary self-sacrifice. It is so much easier for us to live with the notion that these people are at serious risk because they choose to be. The reality is that they are generally under economic coercion (for most) or moral, professional and economic coercion (for the medical staff) to risk their lives in ways they would never want to. When your "front line" is composed of a vast mass of coerced troops, you've got an army of conscripts. Conscripts gets rubbish pay, little respect and get treated like cannon fodder. Sure, a few rise beyond their forced obligations into genuine heroism but most of them are simply the people unfortunate enough to draw the short straw.
As someone from a family with several career military service members in it, I've noticed that the people who constantly praise any and every service member as a hero seem to know JFA about military life. They're worshiping the uniform and failing to see the professional. It is indeed a job, albeit a potentially high risk one, and yes for some folks it is by far the best economic option they had. As you point out, once you're a veteran and need society to help you out for the consequences of the danger you experienced, suddenly you're a burden on society and a mooch.
A small number of folks out there are true heroes, voluntarily risking far more than they need to for the good of others. The vast majority are honestly expendables with cheering squads who mean well but aren't willing to offer more than "thoughts and prayers". Calling the ones society is willing to sacrifice a hero without actually rewarding them with more than words isn't a compliment to them. It's a salve for our collective conscience for how little we are actually willing to sacrifice for them when we ask them to sacrifice so much for us.
So I don't know how I feel about a lot of this, I work at a Target unloading trucks, I can't afford health insurance because they rarely give me more than 30 hours a week. I used to do odd jobs and tutor for extra money. I don't really care what other people think I am, but the reality is if I get sick I can't get help, I can't even afford to get tested to know if I have covid-19. On top of this, I hear every day that people are earning bonus unemployment due to layoffs and making more than I am, but I can't afford to call off, and I can't afford to quit because I get nothing for it. I have to go out every day and treat each day the same as before the crisis and hope that's what it is. I have a Master's degree in Biotechnology and I really wish I could be using my knowledge to help find a vaccine or something, but my career search is on hold amidst this panic. I really do worry each day because I don't know what will happen if I get sick it's not an option. I'm not a hero, all I do is unload boxes and put products on the shelf, but sometimes it does feel like I'm walking a minefield that is just small misstep from being a disaster I'll never get through. I just want my family and friends to stay safe through this mess and maybe at the end of it all finally start living the life I want to live and not feel like I'm one step from never having the chance again.
Hero: Now that I have your attention, look at my advertisement.
Hero: Go to work and make me money.
Hero: Go to work, you aren't getting hazard pay.
Hero: Go to work, no raise for you.
Hero: Go to work, don't complain.
Hero: I am manipulating you, can you tell?
Hero: It is much cheaper to fluff you than to pay you.
I see a country song developing here...
@@LuckyDogProductions not a country song. That crowd would riot if you started telling them they were being manipulated with the word hero.
@@lowhanlindsey Bo Burnam has a song on his comedy special called Panderin" How modern country songs are formulated using key words like Truck, Dirt, Beer. It is very smart.
I hear you.. same here.. jobs don't care for it's workers
The term "slave", like many other terms has a somewhat fluid definition. Some have a very narrow definition in that it is a form of physical imprisonment. In reality everyone who has to work as an employee is a form of slave. Many however are to proud to admit they are slaves. Bound slavery is actually illegal in most countries, although, even then, there are still quite a few.
Modern nations, including the US, European and Asian countries are slave dependent. In the US for example fruit is picked by people who could not possibly prosper in the main community. What "prosper" means is the ability to live in a reasonable secure home in which you can eat, sleep and if you have the opportunity, to raise your own children. Most slaves do not need to be bound anymore, they are bound by not having any other choice (except death of course).
Even among who can prosper to some extent, they are enslaved by debt, including rents and taxes. It is among this group that denial that they are slaves is most widespread; as they are free to pick their slave master.
The Fed: “Your essential work, and you get to work!”
Also the Fed: “The banks and corporations that irresponsibility spent money they didn’t have get trillions of dollars”
Dyslexic Batnam Lol, must of made this comment at 3am or something. Too late to change now
And just when i thought i my love for joe scott couldnt possibly get any higher.. Dude.. You are a main source for critical thinking, and outside the box ideas... I love this channel and I love you man!!
Spot on Joe. I’ve been a “hero” for 24 years. When I retire next year, society can KMA. They’re not worth it.