A man looked at my Harley Davidson and sarcastically said “I wonder how many people could have been fed with the money that bike cost.
And I replied “I don’t know but what I am absolutely sure of is, it fed a whole lot of families in Milwaukee Wisconsin where it was build and the employees of Bridgestone Tires and their families. It fed people who made every single component that went into it and the miners who mined copper for all the wires. It fed truck drivers who haul copper ore at Caterpillar and the employees of SAA who transported it to South Africa. It fed the truck driver who delivered it and employees of the dealership where I purchased it. It fed the family of the artist who did the paintwork. Last but not least, it constantly feeds petrol attendants of various filling stations and mechanics who regularly work on it when I take it in for service.
That’s the difference between capitalism and welfare mentality. When you buy something, you put money in people’s pockets and give them dignity for their skills. When you give someone something for nothing, you rob them of their dignity and self-worth. The fact is, bikers directly and tangibly contribute to the world’s economy.
By: Max Rabalago kaZondi
