Schrader's self-induced poverty points to laziness, selfishness

Editor,

This letter is in response to the Oct. 21 letter in the Daily Lobo from Don Schrader titled "Living modestly can solve America's greedy addictions." Schrader, before we use your lifestyle as the example of how America can solve its problems, let's take a closer, more critical look at it.

You say that you don't use a heater in your apartment. It's just a guess, but I would bet your apartment shares at least two interior, poorly insulated walls with your piggish, energy wasting neighbors who pay probably $150 per month for their heat in the winter. The temperature in your home on cold winter days and nights would be well below freezing (not 50 to 60 degrees as you tout) without the uncompensated help from your wasteful neighbors.

You say that you only eat seeds, greens, fruits, etc., and you mention a garden. Last time I looked, a garden only produces a few months out of the year, and apartments don't usually have enough room to grow all of this produce. It's my guess that you purchase much of what you eat. And how do you pay for this?

You mention that you don't have health insurance. What happens when you get old and sick? Who will pay for your health care? Again, it's just a guess, but it will probably be those same nasty, hoggish neighbors. If yours is to be the exemplary life, where is your charity? Where is your work ethic? Do you help the poor and needy around you? Do you work hard and sacrifice your own needs and desires for the benefit of others? Do you support your family, friends and neighbors and help to provide them with a better life? Do you contribute to your society's success?

It seems to me that your chosen life of minimalism and poverty would prevent you from helping anyone but yourself. The truth is that your lifestyle, Schrader, is nothing more than a self-induced poverty that reeks of laziness, hypocrisy and selfishness. Your entire existence is obtained off the blood and sweat of the society around you, and you have the audacity to chastise it for its excesses. An old proverb seems to fit here: If you do not work, you should not eat. If you really want to help our society, come in from your lawn chair where you spend your days getting a suntan and start contributing. Then maybe someone will be inclined to listen to your advice. If we all tried to live like you do, we would all be dead.

Matt Lawrence

Daily Lobo reader