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This is why social programs are so important. People can dream of a world where we're all responsible and take care of ourselves, but it's not realistic.
I agree.
Another important issue that people don't look at is the abilities people have to get along in the world.
The average IQ in the US is under 100.
Not everyone has equal abilities to learn, earn and understand life.
Everyone is not equally abled.
There really are people that are as dumb as a box of rocks.
____________
No, it is society's problem.
Many people did live within their means and are unable to make it in retirement.
Do you think everyone makes $100k/year or something?
IQ is not necessarily a good predictor of financial well being. There are a lot of smart people out there who have no common sense. Sometimes smart people actually make their financial situations more complex than they need to be, which increases the chance of financial failure. I think emotional steadiness is a much better predictor of financial well being than IQ.
As far as the 100K a year thing goes, I'm calling BS on you. I live in a high cost area, have never made more than 52K, am 42, and have a net worth over 200K....and I have made my share of financial mistakes. I just don't understand how people cannot value saving. People complain about being broke, but as soon as their incomes improve, they go right back to spending everything they have. I have seen it over and over and over again with many people. I find it very frustrating to watch. It's kind of like watching someone with an addiction who refuses to get help.
High interest on savings accounts
Unmatched job security
No multicultural bs (they were responsible for that suicidal move)
Dirt cheap housing
What do you have to show for it? The greatest generation handed you everything on a silver platter and you f'ed it up. You were too bust smoking weed and being a hippy. You had the cheapest housing ever with the greatest price appreciation. You had pensions. Abundant, well paying jobs many not requiring college. And now the boomers collectively as a whole have nothing to show for it.
Oh come now. the next generation sits on their hands crying about life. I train them to work because they were far more interested in video games than getting jobs as teens. I deal with it everyday.
No one had to teach me when to sweep a dirty floor. No one had to teach me to empty a full garbage can.
It was a collective screw up and whats the average age of our elected reps? This country was destroyed by them and their hardliner followers.
Correct in intent, but the reality is that many have nothing other than Social Security income. Nothing.
Then there needs to be more of a moral imperative in our culture to save, as there used to be before the 1980s. Pretty much every other developed country has a higher savings rate than the U.S. We should be absolutely embarrassed at our low savings rate. Unfortunately, we're not. We make excuses instead and people who say what I'm saying are written off as cruel, mean, moralistic, right wing nut jobs.
But see Chiel that is the point. You took control of your life. You chose to control your future at least to the extent that you could. I did the same. I like you understand that there is more to a quality of life than wide screen TV's or video games. We took control of our futures.
Most people sit around complaining while taking no active role. To live that way is unthinkable to me.
I bought gold when it was $500 an ounce. How did I do this? Because I didn't wait until I was 49 to start worrying about retirement. I started saving when I was dirt poor. One thing I learned from growing up on a small farm is to to it myself. We couldnt afford mechanics, painters, fence builders, or carpenders. I learned that no one cared if I lived or died. I had to do that myself.
Independence and freedom go hand in hand. It amazes me how many choose to be slave to a government.
But I'm smart and my parents raised us to know about such things.
I didn't start saving until I was in my mid-30s.
I couldn't afford to.
I didn't have enough money to live on without a second job.
And I never lived an exorbitant lifestyle.
I didn't own a TV until I/we got one as a wedding present.
Lots of people are not very smart.
That's a fact.
They can't see beyond today.
They'll get from SS based on their earnings, nothing more.
I just don't understand the mean spirited postings in this thread and others like it.
High interest on savings accounts (oh, really?)
Unmatched job security (I was fired from my job after I become pregnant - BECAUSE I was pregnant - yes, I was married and already had one child)
No multicultural bs (they were responsible for that suicidal move) (not many immigrants from non-European countries those days)
Dirt cheap housing (er, I certainly don't remember THAT but I DO remember the 15% mortgage interest rates!)
What do you have to show for it? The greatest generation handed you everything on a silver platter and you f'ed it up. You were too bust smoking weed and being a hippy. You had the cheapest housing ever with the greatest price appreciation. You had pensions. Abundant, well paying jobs many not requiring college. And now the boomers collectively as a whole have nothing to show for it.
Let's play
The Blaaammme Gaamme
Boomer!
Boomer, boomer, bo boommer, banana fanna fo foomer, fe fi fo foomer, Boomer!
..with apologies to those fabulous soul sisters from the Motor City...
Last edited by Fox Terrier; 07-23-2012 at 02:39 PM..
Reason: addition
This is why social programs are so important. People can dream of a world where we're all responsible and take care of ourselves, but it's not realistic.
Or the opposite is true. People dream that Uncle sam cares and will take care of them. Tell them when to brush their teeth, tell them when to go potty.
Social programs start out as a bandaid and turn into a crutch. They tend to be wasteful and poorly managed. They are always paid for by those of us who succeed in spite of big brother. In the end Big brother asks for more so that he can make even more people dependent upon him. That is reality.
These programs should be for the few who can't help themselves. Those citizens that are disabled, autistic, down syndrom etc. Not I went out, got laid, forgot birth control.
I was taught over 30 years ago that SS was a suppliment. If people are so foolish to trust in Big Government they deserve their fate. Why ask those of us who had a lick of common sense to sacrifice even more?
This is why social programs are so important. People can dream of a world where we're all responsible and take care of ourselves, but it's not realistic.
It's also not realistic to think that one can go through life carefree and there will be a social program waiting for you when you run out of money.
Just look to Europe to see how well that dream is working out.
IQ is not necessarily a good predictor of financial well being. There are a lot of smart people out there who have no common sense. Sometimes smart people actually make their financial situations more complex than they need to be, which increases the chance of financial failure. I think emotional steadiness is a much better predictor of financial well being than IQ.
As far as the 100K a year thing goes, I'm calling BS on you. I live in a high cost area, have never made more than 52K, am 42, and have a net worth over 200K....and I have made my share of financial mistakes. I just don't understand how people cannot value saving. People complain about being broke, but as soon as their incomes improve, they go right back to spending everything they have. I have seen it over and over and over again with many people. I find it very frustrating to watch. It's kind of like watching someone with an addiction who refuses to get help.
If people don't have the ability to learn, they're not going to understand finances, so IQ does have a bearing on critical thinking and ability to process.
Can smart people have no common sense, absolutely. It's proven time and again.
The $100k comment was in response to a post.
Most people don't make $100k, I posted US stats on income.
Certainly, some people are idiots with finance and have to have the next shiny thing, but is that the vast majority? I don't know.
I am bothered by the contempt that I continually read based on assumptions of other's behavior.
Social programs start out as a bandaid and turn into a crutch. They tend to be wasteful and poorly managed.
I was taught over 30 years ago that SS was a suppliment. If people are so foolish to trust in Big Government they deserve their fate. Why ask those of us who had a lick of common sense to sacrifice even more?
Well that's either cold-hearted malice, or ignorance. Do you know that about 50% of senior citizens lived in poverty before Social Security? To expect everyone to save enough to support himself and pay for his health care when he's unable to work anymore is simply unrealistic.
Dream on, government-haters. Your cruel fantasy will not happen in this country. Most Americans are too humane to accept that type of world.
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