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The root problem in our nation now, is the forced collectivism upon the people, by the very government that's only job is, to secure our rights and defend our soil and resources in the world.
Oh that doesn't include the "right to your neighbors money"? Somebody send DC a memo.
Looking at the behavior of the Texas 'affluenza' teen and his parents I'd say blaming only low-income parents doesn't come close to identifying the problem.
i have to agree with burdell here, we cannot just blame only low income parents. that is the easy way out. we have to blame all irresponsible parents regardless of income group. but more than that, we have to blame the kids themselves. most of us when we were younger, tended to get into trouble for a variety of reasons, but we also knew that there was a limit, a line in the sand if you will, that we should not cross. todays kids have the same line in the sand, but too many of them decide to cross that line regularly.
Looking at the behavior of the Texas 'affluenza' teen and his parents I'd say blaming only low-income parents doesn't come close to identifying the problem.
This.
Speaking as someone from a very financially comfortable family, wealthy parents do not necessarily parent more effectively.
Let's see here...
- Leaving me home alone for a week when I was 6 so that my parents could take off to Bali. (The only notice being a sticky note on the outside of the door...brilliant, right? )
- Did I have a nightmare (being 5 years old, mind you)? Help yourself to the liquor cabinet and bugger off .
- Bad day? Again, go have a drink and go away.
- Got caught stealing at 7, parents called to pick me up from the store. My dad's response? Whining that I woke him up from a nap, and picking me up a McDonald's.
- Got a D in History? "It's okay sweetie, I guess you're not that smart!"
- I wanted tutoring to help prepare for SATs? "If you're smart enough, you don't need to study."
- When asking my mother for life advice: "You need implants and a nose job, or you'll never get married. " Gee...thanks mum.
Most of my close friends from less affluent backgrounds...I usually absolutely adored their parents. Their parents were actually there for them, truly cared for their wellbeing, and provided actual guidance. I'd have traded all the material and physical luxury for that.
Me, I basically had to raise myself by actively modelling successful and upstanding folks I saw on everyday life.
So I do tend to have little patience for people who assume wealth is correlated to good parenting.
Speaking as someone from a very financially comfortable family, wealthy parents do not necessarily parent more effectively.
Let's see here...
- Leaving me home alone for a week when I was 6 so that my parents could take off to Bali. (The only notice being a sticky note on the outside of the door...brilliant, right? )
- Did I have a nightmare (being 5 years old, mind you)? Help yourself to the liquor cabinet and bugger off .
- Bad day? Again, go have a drink and go away.
- Got caught stealing at 7, parents called to pick me up from the store. My dad's response? Whining that I woke him up from a nap, and picking me up a McDonald's.
- Got a D in History? "It's okay sweetie, I guess you're not that smart!"
- I wanted tutoring to help prepare for SATs? "If you're smart enough, you don't need to study."
- When asking my mother for life advice: "You need implants and a nose job, or you'll never get married. " Gee...thanks mum.
Most of my close friends from less affluent backgrounds...I usually absolutely adored their parents. Their parents were actually there for them, truly cared for their wellbeing, and provided actual guidance. I'd have traded all the material and physical luxury for that.
Me, I basically had to raise myself by actively modelling successful and upstanding folks I saw on everyday life.
So I do tend to have little patience for people who assume wealth is correlated to good parenting.
Nobody is saying that ALL wealthy parents do a great job parenting...but again we should really focus our time and energy on the 80% and less on the 20%...only makes sense right?
Quote:
Originally Posted by ohhwanderlust
Nailed it.
Financial poverty is conflated with moral poverty. Vestigial Calvinism is deeply embedded into American culture
This right here is why I posted this to begin with...a pathetic philosophy and the reason the poor stay poor and continue to stand there with their hand out....because you're always willing to drop something in an open hand and make excuses for them. Look, this land is as equal opportunity as it gets....free education, damn near free everything to get you going...if you can't get it in gear with all the resources taxpayers are throwing at you then at some point you have to be on you're own...sink or swim! No more excuses, no more chances....good luck to you.
NOPE…not the government or any other fabricated excuse…
PARENTS SUCK!
The quality of parenting in low income households is an absolute joke...animals in the wild do a better job. Kids need to know that you have expectations they MUST meet...it's not a choice, it's an absolute demand...period! Children need to be micro-managed, mentored, pushed, encouraged, disciplined, held accountable...etc. They need to truly believe that they are SUPPOSE to be successful. Being a good parent is not easy and it takes a lot of work…apparently loser parents on welfare with no job and funded by me can't find the time to put into their kids...They keep their baby factory running and turning out more of the same that I will pay for…UNBELIEVABLE!
This country is made up of excuse makers. In the real world when real people face challenges they usually get to that fork in the road where good decision making (or bad happens). Do I blame some source that I have no control over for my shortcomings and quit trying or do I put my head down and conquer? If society is always telling you that you aren't to blame, it's not your fault and your held back by everybody else...well what kind of philosophies will kids adopt?...What can we expect? Life and success or failure always boils down to your decision making processes. If you're a bad decision maker you're usually a loser....simple.
Let me tell you how simple this is...a simple recipe to succeed in this country:
Learn to speak the english language CLEARLY...rid yourself of any foreign or illiterate accents. Look, dress and act like a legitimate human. (you know exactly what that means)
Go to school...ride a bus, ride your bike, walk...whatever...get educated.
Wake up early and always think about being proactive and productive.
Set and attain goals...surround yourself with others with goals.
Never ever blame others for your struggles.
Don't break the law. Respect others and their property.
Work...get a job, keep a job until you find your next better job. Ride a bus, ride a bike, walk...just WORK!
Lead your family....Always remind yourself that your kids did not ask to be born...you owe them your very best.
Spend every minute of every day of the rest of your life doing better or thinking about doing better.
There you go people...STOP ALL THE EXCUSE MAKING AND GET TO WORK...it's just that simple. Send me royalty checks please.
Now, I agree with the main point which is that good parenting is essential. However, I don't like your very right-wing approach to this. For example, you being up people who are unemployed and collecting welfare and popping out kids. Most adults on welfare are actually employed in some way. They simply aren't making enough, even if they work full time. A 40 hour work week on $7.25 is not going to get someone with kids very far. I assume you'll say they should go to school, but that costs money they don't have and time, which will leave the child unsupervised more.
Being poor isn't easy. When one is successful, it's easy to say 'try harder' but it's rarely that simple. They may be trying, but be in a position where their options are simply awful.
There is a portion of people who exist like you describe, at least to some extent, but the issue is are more complex that you are making it.
But, I suppose the children attending these schools are to blame, right? Or maybe the parents are to blame, right?
Thanks for sharing this!
While the issue does have something to do with the parents (who are responsible for children who think education is stupid), schools like this only fuel the problems that already exist. If the schools were improved some, surely improvement to the community would follow.
This is slightly off topic, but this is an issue I actually have the Bernie Sanders. Sanders wants to start funding college education, which I don't have any problem with that in principle, but I think a better thing to do (that would probably get more bipartisan support) would be to improve the public schools we already have. That would make college more accessible as well.
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" Gee...thanks mum. 
