[MD] still going?

[John Carl]

Hi Dan,

>
> Dan:
> Do you have any choice in the matter? The way I see it, the reward is
> in the work itself.



Jc:  This is true, and today I came to the decision that I don't have any
trouble finding work.  I just have trouble finding money for my work.  So
I've decided to give up on money.  Actually, I think I decided that a long
time ago and now I'm just realizing anew what that means.  And so far, it's
going good.  I got two new jobs, yay!

Dan:


> Take my writing. I put a great deal of care into
> my stories. Does anyone notice? Probably not. I look around me and I
> see bestselling novels that are little more than drivel.


Jc:  Amen.  Did you ever read Harry Potter?  It was pure crap.  I couldn't
believe it was so popular.  Goes to show you.

Dan:


> Poorly
> plotted, shallow one-dimensional characters, hard to follow story
> line. And yet readers lap them up.
>
>
Jc:  We can only conclude that people are dumbing down.  The phenomenon
isn't completely surprising, but ghastly nevertheless.

Dan:



> Now, does that mean I'm gonna follow suit and write trash? No. No more
> than you're gonna stop putting your best into your work just because
> no one seems to notice the care you put into it. We haven't a choice.
> And why is that?
>
>
Jc:  Because caring is its own reward.  Yes, absolutely.  I gotta remind
myself of that.  I guess part of my problem is that doing bad is also its
own reward!  heh.

Dan:


> As for the kid... if you can't trust him to leave the nickels and
> dimes alone, what happens when a greater temptation arises?
>
>

Yeah, I know the slippery slope argument.  The way I look at it,  the kid
is trapped in a world where he HAS to have money, but the ones that control
the money play by very strict rules designed to maximize advantage for
those who have the money.  That's why it's gonna be a Trump/Sanders
election next year.  People know this and they are pissed off about it.

Take care,

John