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No, you are quite wrong. Being poor today still means struggle and doing without. And the number in such circumstances is continuing to grow as the 1% continue to bleed the 99% dry.
Typical right-wing hogslop. Only the single worst off person in the world has anything to complain about. What a load of garbage.
Going without what? Almost all US households today have refrigerated air conditioning, even those of welfare recipients, air conditioning is far from a necessity. Almost all households have paid television service like cable, almost all households with kids have video game players and we're the second most obese nation on earth.
I live in one of the poorest cities and you don't see any real poverty compared with what you see in other countries.
The middle class is the one being squeezed but the difference between rich and poor today might just be the model of iPhone one has -- but even that isn't a good indicator because the rich guy might be hanging onto his iPhone4 while the poor guy has the iPhone5.
"It seems to me that the nature of the ultimate revolution with which we are now faced is precisely this: That we are in process of developing a whole series of techniques which will enable the controlling oligarchy who have always existed and presumably will always exist to get people to love their servitude."
“A really efficient totalitarian state would be one in which the all-powerful executive of political bosses and their army of managers control a population of slaves who do not have to be coerced, because they love their servitude.”
“The real hopeless victims of mental illness are to be found among those who appear to be most normal. "Many of them are normal because they are so well adjusted to our mode of existence, because their human voice has been silenced so early in their lives, that they do not even struggle or suffer or develop symptoms as the neurotic does." They are normal not in what may be called the absolute sense of the word; they are normal only in relation to a profoundly abnormal society. Their perfect adjustment to that abnormal society is a measure of their mental sickness. These millions of abnormally normal people, living without fuss in a society to which, if they were fully human beings, they ought not to be adjusted.”
Well, the more bitter reality is that too many people constantly live beyond their means.
They don't want to admit this though, even to themselves. Unfortunately, it brings on a lot of financial stress and hence dissatisfaction.
Exactly.
You would not believe how many minimum wage workers if asked about their cell phone plan and it's costs will proudly beam while they tell you that they pay only $90 a month or $120 but get unlimited talk. And they thought that 0% interest they got for a 6 year loan on a new car was like they were giving those cars away, and between the principle and interest and comprehensive insurance, their car payment is only $500 a month.
One couple in their 20's should be doing okay, one income, their rent is affordable but they heat their home to 75-80 all winter, they run air conditioners all summer, they both have iPhones, they both have nice vehicles, two kids, all the necessities and Bowflex treadmill, new out of the box ATV. It's their spending that will do them in, not so much their income.
There was never some magic time in the past where 25 year olds had no struggle at all. In my dad's day, it was possible to support a large family on one income -- but not too common in a 4000 sq ft home like people expect to have today, and not with airplane trips to Disneyland, and meals out 4 days a week. Back in those days, a typical middle class home had one land line, one black and white television, and even just one family car. No air conditioner, and they wouldn't have had the thermostat turned up high all winter.
I do not live beyond my means. My parents did not do so, either. One of my women friends has a good job and keeps her credit card maxed out. I can't comprehend living like that. My brother and his wife live like very rich people live, due to the largesse of his wife's family, but, many necessary expenses are not so subsidized and they are usually strapped for money. I will not loan to them because neither would have a memory of borrowing. I learned this from our parents.
I would like to have an Ipod and an Iphone. I have the money to buy them, but, I have no need whatsoever for either.
I guess you could say that I fall into the never satisfied group. Making money is like taking drugs. Once the high is over from a big score it's on to the next high. I have issues, but watching momma dollar and papa dollar make lots of baby dollars is fun.
Can you tell us how many homeless people there are in this country?
Which definition of homeless? There are a number of definitions and some are ridiculous. Apparently if you move in with family members, you're counted as homeless. Even if you move a lot from one home to another, you're viewed as homeless. Staying in a motel makes you homeless.
Which definition of homeless? There are a number of definitions and some are ridiculous. Apparently if you move in with family members, you're counted as homeless. Even if you move a lot from one home to another, you're viewed as homeless. Staying in a motel makes you homeless.
So does living in your car, in a shelter, or under a bridge. But apparently the larger answer is that you either CANNOT or WILL NOT tell us how many homeless persons there are in this country. You are just going to stand there sheepishly and wfaffle, waffle, waffle instead.
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