I've been trying to make sense of what I regard as Conservatives selfishness. And I may have had a serendipitous experience.

There I was, minding my own business, driving along a freeway in heavy traffic. I'm getting where I want to go, not as fast as I might like to, but getting there. I'm in the right lane except for a freeway entry which has a lane which merges on the right. Most people entering merge soon after entry and long before where I am. In my right mirror I see a car coming up that lane until the line disappears and that car keeps coming until it will either hit the right barrier or the car next to it. About two cars in front of me that car slows and lets the driver enter.

I'm a little pissed. And I get annoyed that I got annoyed. What is bothering you, I asked? After all, you're getting where you want to go.

Well, I says, says I, it's not fair. I'm playing by the rules and they're ahead of me. I'm doing what society says a nice guy should do, and they are in front.

That's true, I tell myself. Is that all?

NO. It gets worse if I stay with the idea. The next that comes to mind:

I start thinking that what they are saying when they do that is to tell me I'm worthless, I don't count, they are important and I'm not. I might as well be chopped liver, and they are people who have a value. I, me, personally, have been disrespected, they are better than I am, they are the greater and I am the lesser, and they got ahead of me. Unfairly. I was playing by the rules. Those rotten bastards!

I suspect that's what Conservatives are thinking and feeling when they comtemplate the government granting benefits to those they consider to be crowding in line, not following the rules.

That helps a little.

Arf