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People in America who are well off seem to have unrealistic expectation for what the poor can accomplish.
They don't realize how incredibly difficult it is to work your way up from nothing. And they don't realize that there seriously is a lack of decent jobs out there.
If you are hard working and sharp and have everything going for you. Sometimes there still just won't be a good job for you. That's how the economy is these days. There are tons and tons of college grads with great resumes looking for work, it's extremely competetive.
You have to be trained in a field that is particularly in demand these days to get a good job. And high-paying blue-collar jobs are really hard to get into too right now, like construction, etc. everyone is clammering for these jobs.
A few years ago I had a hellish time finding anything that paid more than 10 dollars per hour. So I moved overseas to get work.
I know how incredibly difficult it is. There are a lack of decent jobs out there. I know, because I was laid off and have been looking. I'm hard working, sharp and have years of experience. It's very competitive.
Now try being almost 50, in that situation. But guess what? You have a CHOICE to either curl up into the fetal position and moan about how "you have it so rough". Or you can keep pounding the pavement. I did just that, and after a few rough starts, I have a great temp job. Good pay, potential for advancement, and great coworkers.
I'm not that skilled as a worker. But I work hard, I'm on time, I do whatever my boss asks me to do, I treat customers with respect. That gets you a lot further than whining about how low your wage is.
Not everyone can work for themselves. All different people make up the world..you cannot just say "go work for yourself" and voila..they are an LLC.
There are janitors that love being janitors and wouldn't know what else to do and they are good at what they do, happy doing it and don't want to do anything else. Now fire that guy and he's like a fish out of water.
You cannot snap your fingers and become someone else. Life doesn't work like that.
Of course anyone can work for themselves. Not everyone wants to, but they can.
And I and many of the so-called middle class live with significantly less than the so-called poor.
I have no air conditioner for example and I live in the SW - USA. I had one but it broke a few years ago. The so-called poor around here all have air conditioners and they run them all the time - why not? The government (ie taxpayers) pay their bills for them, they don't have to conserve energy.
I have no cable or satellite television while most of the so-called poor do. I'm a taxpayer - so I'm pretty much screwed - the poor lay around all day eating their food stamp food and watching soap operas and novelas.
I also don't have an automatic dishwasher like so many so-called poor have.
Luckily for me, I'm able to afford some of the luxuries our poor classes have here in the USA, but no way do I have the money to load up shopping carts with expensive steaks and junk food the way I see them do.
So if all the people in your neighborhood are living a better life than you by not working and seem to be getting everything they need for free,including Air conditioning
Satellite TV
Dishwasher
Full shopping carts
To name a few, whats up with you playing the village pauper?
Is your personal honor and integrity the only thing keeping you from raising your standard of living and becoming unemployed?.
Something is definitely wrong with some ones thinking if you can have the choice of a better life for free and you choose to live a lower standard of life by working for a living.
At least thats the impression you give in your post.
What I dislike are people that take advantage of the system.
And no one seems to call them out; no one cuts them off. Why ?
On a micro level:
I donate to a food pantry and sometimes stay and help.
For the most part the majority need the help and are truly thankful for the extra food.
But every once in a while you get that "gamer" who shows up with dragon lady nails talking on a cellphone with one or two kids in tow who have gameboy like toys and she loads up like the SuperMarket Sweep TV show. I'm a helper there and I would love to speak out and throw her butt out of there with NO food but I don't. The folks running the place don't say anything either.
We sit idly by and let people game the system. We complain but do nothing. We shake our heads and let it continue.
A common theme I see on these threads is that most city-data members basically hate poor people. They see poor people as lazy, worthless scumbags of no value.
They have little or no interest in helping poor people. Have very little empathy or compassion. And basically just want to ignore the issue.
What's up with that???
I'm pretty sure most of you all who hate poor people are Christians. You should probably go back and re-read some of Jesus' quotes about helping the poor.
I've been living away from the US for a while and I forgot about this American hatred for poor people. The coments on city-data on this topic are shocking to me after not hearing this kind of talk for so long.
Bravo NomadRefugee, it's about time someone spoke up for the poor!!
In today's economy it's a shame that anybody should have negative thoughts about the poor. Jobs are scarce, food pantries are running out of food, clothing donations are down, people are living in tents, sleeping bags, on blankets, cardboard boxes, anything they can find. My heart aches for them, never mind complain about them!!!!
They need help in reconstructing their lives. Going to school for training in different fields that they can possibly obtain employment in, like computers, medical, fashion....
Have a heart help the needy, you never know, it may be you someday.....
A common theme I see on these threads is that most city-data members basically hate poor people. They see poor people as lazy, worthless scumbags of no value.
They have little or no interest in helping poor people. Have very little empathy or compassion. And basically just want to ignore the issue.
What's up with that???
I'm pretty sure most of you all who hate poor people are Christians. You should probably go back and re-read some of Jesus' quotes about helping the poor.
I've been living away from the US for a while and I forgot about this American hatred for poor people. The coments on city-data on this topic are shocking to me after not hearing this kind of talk for so long.
Well right wingers are anti poor as you can se here very well on CD from their posts espcially the christian wing conservatives butt they are suckers for the rich.
I tried it out a few years ago, and many of my friends have tried it because I used to work in the newspaper industry. So naturally we decided to try our hand at freelance.
It is VERY difficult to make decent money at freelance writing. A decent writer who hustles hard can maybe expect a few hundred dollars per month and the money is very unstable.
I know lots and lots of journalists and none of them even attempt to make a living freelancing. Some of them do freelance for fun or for a little extra pocket money but that's it.
Making a living as a freelance writer, like the person in this thread is suggesting, is very unrealistic.
Not true. I've done it for 2.5 years now. I made $2700 one month and on one short-term project that took like 2 or 3 weeks, I made $1400. It's just a matter of looking. The company I work for has a quota to meet and the minimum you make each month is like $500 if you just meet your quota. There is plenty of work available but this is the minimum. The only limiting factor is the amount of time you have to put into it.
Freelance journalism is not the same as freelance writing. Not at all. I would never consider myself a journalist. And no, I don't hustle anyone.
Not true. I've done it for 2.5 years now. I made $2700 one month and on one short-term project that took like 2 or 3 weeks, I made $1400. It's just a matter of looking. The company I work for has a quota to meet and the minimum you make each month is like $500 if you just meet your quota. There is plenty of work available but this is the minimum. The only limiting factor is the amount of time you have to put into it.
Freelance journalism is not the same as freelance writing. Not at all. I would never consider myself a journalist. And no, I don't hustle anyone.
I don't understand why you see freelance writing as the holy grail. It's not going to work for everyone. It's good it worked for you. Some people are terrible writers; some people hate to write. They're not going to sell much.
A common theme I see on these threads is that most city-data members basically hate poor people. They see poor people as lazy, worthless scumbags of no value.
They have little or no interest in helping poor people. Have very little empathy or compassion. And basically just want to ignore the issue.
What's up with that???
I'm pretty sure most of you all who hate poor people are Christians. You should probably go back and re-read some of Jesus' quotes about helping the poor.
I've been living away from the US for a while and I forgot about this American hatred for poor people. The coments on city-data on this topic are shocking to me after not hearing this kind of talk for so long.
Some people might lump me into this category and nothing could be farther from the truth.
I do not hate poor people.
I hate people who are capable of working and abuse the system because they are lazy.
Social services are good when they are used for their intended purpose. To help people get over a "rough patch". They are not designed to subsidize people who do not WANT to work.
Yes, there are truly DISABLED people (people with MS and cancer and who have been involved in terrible accdients, etc.) who cannot work, and I do not mind supporting these people with my tax dollars.
However, disability payments are HORRIBLY abused in this country. There are thousands - HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS of people on disability, welfare, food stamps, etc. who are perfectly capable of holding down a job. But they REFUSE to do anything.
I live in an area where this is especially true. I see perfectly healthy people abusing the system every single day and I DO NOT FEEL SORRY FOR THEM. I feel that they are stealing from me and every other tax-paying citizen out there.
If people cannot work, that is one thing. But if they WILL NOT WORK, then they have no sympathy from me and they do NOT deserve to have government hand-outs.
20yrsinBranson
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. My heart aches for them, never mind complain about them!!!!