@Demosthenes “Well, it’s not about price, it’s about whether you have worked for or earned something as opposed to having it handed to you. The thing need not have a monetary value. The question was inspired by a discussion in another question where a user (not me) said that “free housing” inevitably gets trashed and destroyed by its residents because things people do not work to attain are worthless and people do not value them.”
Thanks.
In that case, I would say that it still seems to me clearly entirely not true that the actual worth of something is based on earning or gifting.
And also in the case of the idea that free housing inevitably gets trashed and destroyed by its residents… that part all by itself is also entirely untrue…
And as for the idea that such behavior is “because things people do not work to attain are worthless and people do not value them.” is also very much not true.
There are endless counter-examples to all such assertions.
Which does not mean, of course, that there are not many cases of people who have not valued things given to them, and/or who have destroyed housing or wasted other gifts. And of course there are many cases of people particularly appreciating the things they have worked for.
But it is definitely not a universal truth. And the cases where people have not valued gifts, and/or destroyed them, are not just about this basic idea. When people destroy valuable things, it tends to be about other causes and reasons.
In that original context, I would say that it is true that the racial and economic issues in this country certainly cannot be solved by only simply providing a few needs to some people. The issues are deeper and more complex and call for intelligent and well-executed solutions.