Producers and Parasites

I divide the world into two categories--me and everybody else. Just kidding. . .

I do have two categories for people, but they are generalizations since people can go back and forth between them. These two categories are producers and parasites.

In your life or in any organization you find yourself in or observe, you will see these two groups of people. The producers are the ones who get things done. The parasites are the ones who get out of doing things.

No matter what, success depends upon the producers. If all you have are producers, things will be fine. If all you have are parasites, you have nothing. Producers can live without parasites. Parasites cannot live without producers.

We see these two groups throughout history. When producers have the upper hand, we get things like ancient Athens, the Renaissance, and America. When parasites have the upper hand, you get ancient Sparta, the Dark Ages, and the USSR.

These two groups represent the two paths you can follow in life. You can follow the productive path and be honest and work hard and strive to rise by merit. Or you can be a parasite taking the credit for the merit of others and rising by politics, personal favors, and betrayal.

I fall into the producer camp. Part of this will explain the strange nature of my life. I tend to do fine on my own, but I get undone by parasites. I'm not very political in the office politics sense of the term. I don't use people or try to take advantage of them. But they never hesitate to use me. It is their nature to be this way.

It does seem unfair that these parasites are able to do what they do and get away with it. But I do not envy them. I can always do what they do. I choose not to do this. This doesn't mean that I don't sell myself because I do. I am a shameless self-promoter. But I cannot do those things that go against my principles. Stealing and lying are two of those things. This is why I am a libertarian instead of a GOP hack.

Being honest and productive is a long hard road. There are easier ways to live, but there is no easier way to live with yourself. I know that parasites are essentially unhappy. Happiness is impossible without virtue, and parasites are without virtue. They are what Ayn Rand called "secondhanders."

At the end of the day, all you can do is work and make something good and stop worrying about the parasites. They made their choice, and you made yours. It is simply the choice between misery and happiness. I've met many happy producers. I've never met a happy parasite. I don't know who wins in the end, but parasites are nothing without people like me. You are always appreciated after you are gone.

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