Staking a Claim

Has anyone seen the Ashton Kutcher video from Ellen? He discusses the work ethic. It is a statement about his Teen Choice Award.  If you haven't, click the link.  I'll wait....

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Oh good you're back.

Good stuff. Huh?

Most of us were raised with some sort of a work ethic.  My father and mother instilled a strong one in us. My siblings all work(ed) insane hours in a week. Working is important and wanting to work is important.  I agree, sometimes you have to take jobs that you don't like.  I  spent one summer painting outhouses. I sold shoes in K-Mart, worked as a mop boy in a cafeteria, mixed feed at a mill, rented videos and sold gas, and painted schools and water towers.  None of these a particularly glamorous jobs.  I applaud Mr. Kutcher's statement about working while you search for what you want to do, especially when you consider the recent survey asking kids what they wanted to do when they grew up, and the number one answer was "Be Famous."

My problem is  claiming the video for political gain while making statements about how Kutcher hasn't gone Hollywood as if all of Hollywood except a select few are among the famous for being famous. Work ethic is not a political agenda.  It is an attitude that Democrats, Republicans, Independents, and any other group can have.

The Robertson Brothers
Duck Dynasty

Most work hard to reach even a tiny amount of stardom, and as Kutcher points out, he has been "incredibly lucky." Let's face it, the famous for being famous crowd whether it is the Kardashians or Duck Dynasty is actually a pretty small group.  I am also pretty sure that the guys who founded a very lucrative hunting equipment company, Duck Commander, worked hard before becoming famous for a very staged reality show.  Still claiming work ethic as the domain of one political group or another is simply nuts.   To dismiss anyone because of what they do for a living is also just as wrong.

The Roberson Brothers
A few years before Duck Dynasty

So when this video appeared on my timeline courtesy of Facebook's Conservative Daily's page, I say "bravo" for bringing out this video and "no," you have zero claim to work ethic as a political agenda item.

By the way, Kutcher, stated on Bill Maher's show, "I am a fiscally conservative, socially liberal, independent."  Sorry to both Democrats and Republicans, neither of you get to claim him.

(I should note shortly after I wrote this blog, the video also appeared on Up-Worthy.)