 When it comes to making a living and pursuing happiness in the world today, individuals adopt one of two very distinct philosophies in their hearts and minds. As individuals interact with the world around them, these philosophies and beliefs express themselves, either negatively or positively. Having the right philosophy makes all the difference. The leftist philosophy is about making demands to get one's way (e.g. the demand for a $15 living wage). The leftist philosophy is about establishing a system of collective equality, where all resources are redistributed equally and workers are all paid the same. This warped sense of fairness disregards an individual's skill levels, work ethic, efficiency and productivity. The leftist philosophy is one of no incentive, where hard work, competence and efficiency are NOT rewarded. Greater production is actually punished, as the fruits reaped by an individual's labor are redistributed to create a warped sense of equality for the lazy, unproductive takers. Today, the leftist philosophy is gaining momentum in America. In New York, workers recently gathered in Foley Square to demand a living wage of $15 an hour. Who determines what a living wage is, anyway? An individual's consumption habits, money management, responsibilities, living arrangement choices and investment decisions are far greater determining factors for how far a dollar goes to make a living. What about responsible budgeting - putting numbers to paper and cutting out unnecessary expenses? What about careful financial planning - setting aside an emergency fund for when things break down? Those who demand a living wage are not necessarily oppressed. They simply fail to manage what they already have. Most demand to be paid more and will only squander what they forcibly get. The same leftist philosophy that demands a living wage is the same belief system that demands the world owes them free education and free healthcare. But consider this: where does 'free' anything come from? By conscripting the services of a doctor or a teacher and demanding that it be free, the products and/or services are taken . There is no mutual exchange of any kind. It doesn't matter if the taking is done through taxation. It's still thievery and violence. It's still force taking from others who may not want to pay for someone else's bad decisions. It's absolute chaos that shows no respect for anyone. Those who adopt this taker philosophy may end up trying to get other people's sympathy. They will pretend to be down and out, using false guilt to coax others to bail them out. It's a selfish, victim mentality that eats at the soul of the taker and tears down others in the process. The right philosophy is one of servitude and mutual respect. If an individual feels they are underpaid, they do not demand some sort of fairy-tale $15 living wage by using the force of government to extract more money from an employer. The right philosophy is about learning new skills, reading books, taking classes and becoming more valuable through personal growth exercises. It's about working hard and smart and applying oneself to produce better results. It's about leading by example to earn one's way forward. Only then will compensation come, and it will come in the most fulfilling way. In this philosophy of responsibility, individuals become free to earn and pay their own way, truly pursuing freedom and happiness. Jobs and incentive are lost when businesses are forced to pay higher wages for no reason A new study by the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco and the Center for Economics & Public Policy at the University of California finds that minimum wage hikes at the state level are one of the main reasons why jobs are disappearing in America. When employers are forced to pay their workers more with no reason or incentive, their businesses lose the capital needed to create new jobs. Two years ago, a similar study by the Congressional Budget Office found that an increase in the federal minimum wage to $10.10 an hour would inevitably dissolve 500,000 jobs throughout the country, as businesses would be forced to scale back creation of new jobs. Here's an important question: How can a free market grow and respond to the ACTUAL poverty and oppression in the world, and how can it heal the sick and assist the disabled, if fully-capable takers are demanding and taking resources they have not earned and do not deserve? Minimum wages really help no one in the long run because it's all about demands. It's perpetual poverty control that feeds the taker mentality and destroys the incentives to work harder and smarter. When the jobs dissolve due to rising minimum wages, more people are forced into poverty and dependence . Sources include: TheBlaze.com 