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I never said I was better or smarter than anyone else--please show me any place you can quote that.
Obviously you don't say it straight up. But the "tone" in which you post comes across in a manner where you are always talking down someone, demeaning them for not making the correct career choices.
Not to mention how often you pat yourself on the back for how well-off you are, and rubbing it in the face of those who aren't.
I was speaking to someone today I know as a vague acquaintance. I won't put in any details but she's around 60 and had what is a good 'service job' but was recently let go.
I'm not sure why. Could be office politics. Could be someone else knows someone younger for the job.
She's has no hard skills to fall back on (mainly done service work/c.s. work). The job she had was giving her training and benefits which she needs being 'partly disabled.'
Now she has 'nothing.' And here it is so hard to find anything over a service (retail/food service) job and that means minimum wage and standing for hours if you can get that. (who can live on this IF you do get this type job?)
She needs a sit down job but will not be able to get one in a million years IMO.
I feel so bad for her. It's hard enough to be 40 something and out of work. But 60 something with 'no training' in any desk skills whatsoever.
Sometimes the world is very screwed up.
You sound like a very kind and empathetic person, but you have to understand that we are all responsible for ourselves. This lady has had a lot of time and the same opportunities that you and I have had to learn about technology and how to "do" something. My mother is 83 years old and I have worked with her to learn computers because she did not want to be left behind when it comes to using and understanding technology.
If you truly care, you can take the time to try to help her to find a funded program that will help her gain marketable skills. My guess is that you will soon find that she does not have much interest in bettering herself and is content to maintain the status quo.
It's a big, mean, nasty world out there and we all have to put on our big-girl panties and make our way the best we can.
You sound like a very kind and empathetic person, but you have to understand that we are all responsible for ourselves. This lady has had a lot of time and the same opportunities that you and I have had to learn about technology and how to "do" something. My mother is 83 years old and I have worked with her to learn computers because she did not want to be left behind when it comes to using and understanding technology.
If you truly care, you can take the time to try to help her to find a funded program that will help her gain marketable skills. My guess is that you will soon find that she does not have much interest in bettering herself and is content to maintain the status quo.
It's a big, mean, nasty world out there and we all have to put on our big-girl panties and make our way the best we can.
I hope that she can find hers.
20yrsinBranson
gee, 20yrsinBranson....
Gypsy's post said that "job she had was giving her the training and benefits she needed being partly disabled".
It does sound as though this poor lady was trying to improve herself.
I'm really shocked at your post....
Kinda harsh coming from someone who's got a thread where you've been complaining about "being offered an $8. and hour job 40 miles away" and how bad the economy is.
One things certain, I'm beginning to understand how really alone we all are in this current economy.
It's only a serious problem if it's OUR own problem.
We shouldn't expect anyone else to care or to understand.
Last edited by World Citizen; 01-21-2010 at 04:07 PM..
Obviously you don't say it straight up. But the "tone" in which you post comes across in a manner where you are always talking down someone, demeaning them for not making the correct career choices.
So you are back peddling now and saying that I didn't say it. Which is it?
Hmmm, maybe you haven't read my posts where I've given people heads up abotu job leads, interview advice, advice on dealing with difficult bosses, etc. You think I'm always talking down? Or are you being selective.
Quote:
Not to mention how often you pat yourself on the back for how well-off you are, and rubbing it in the face of those who aren't.
I'm not rubbing it in anyone's face. I'm saying that I went from below the poverty line to having a comfortable life through a lot of hard work and perserverence--including having to make tough decisions and sacrificing a lot of things that many take for granted. I don't consider that patting myself on the back, but rather showing that it can be done.
You sound like a very kind and empathetic person, but you have to understand that we are all responsible for ourselves. This lady has had a lot of time and the same opportunities that you and I have had to learn about technology and how to "do" something. My mother is 83 years old and I have worked with her to learn computers because she did not want to be left behind when it comes to using and understanding technology.
If you truly care, you can take the time to try to help her to find a funded program that will help her gain marketable skills. My guess is that you will soon find that she does not have much interest in bettering herself and is content to maintain the status quo.
It's a big, mean, nasty world out there and we all have to put on our big-girl panties and make our way the best we can.
I hope that she can find hers.
20yrsinBranson
Well said. And you are correct there are Federally funded programs to assist the disabled in learning skills that will allow them to enter or return to the workplace. There are also tax credits to employers for hiring a disabled or partially disabled person. Many employers seek out disabled employees for exactly this reason.
So you are back peddling now and saying that I didn't say it. Which is it?
Hmmm, maybe you haven't read my posts where I've given people heads up abotu job leads, interview advice, advice on dealing with difficult bosses, etc. You think I'm always talking down? Or are you being selective.
I'm not rubbing it in anyone's face. I'm saying that I went from below the poverty line to having a comfortable life through a lot of hard work and perserverence--including having to make tough decisions and sacrificing a lot of things that many take for granted. I don't consider that patting myself on the back, but rather showing that it can be done.
I'm not back-peddling one bit. Clearifying my point is all..
My mother was part of the "Greatest Generation". They did not survive the Depression with some of the behaviors and attitudes I'm reading on this thread.
So they don't think for themselves and you fault me for calling them morons?
And again, people need to think for themselves.
People can only be used if they allow themselves to be used. If they won't think for themselves, then I do believe the term "moron" is completely applicable.
mo-ron
–noun 1.a person who is notably stupid or lacking in good judgment.
Not everyone knows it all like you do. What else can I tell you?
Excellent post. I am seeing a lot of judgement here, and we don't really even know this woman! The OP mentioned that this person is an acquaintance, not a dear personal friend nor a family member. How do we know that she never invested, never saved, never owned a home? Things happen.
The other piece of the puzzle I see may be a generation gap issue. It's very easy for those of us in our 20s-40s, to say she "should have" invested, saved, increased her job skills, etc etc etc. But we are talking about a 60+ year old woman. One must remember that back in the 50's and 60's women were encouraged to meet a nice man, get married, stay home and raise their children. Those who did venture out into the workforce were often shunted into low-paying secretarial positions, with little-to-no room for advancement.
So, it's entirely possible, that this woman did everything she was "supposed to" do, and it didn't work out for her. I do wonder if we will hear more stories such as this as the baby boomers age.
Excellent post right back at ya!
As one of those baby boomers age 60+, I know first hand how women were encouraged to get high school business diplomas that prepared them to go directly from the high school prom to their new clerical job as secretaries or bookkeepers. Attending college was only for those females who aspired to be teachers, nurses or therapists (no push for female docs back then), or lawyers.
As an "aside", I was one of those who met the nice man, stayed home, and raised our children. Due to circumstances beyond my control, I was forced back into the business world at age 38. I'm so thankful that I was able to supplement my high school education by on-the-job training and taking college courses at night. Some "boomer" women won't be as fortunate. I will feel compassion for them should they end up as the woman in the op. Some will be more fortunate than I. I will respect, not resent, them.
My mother was part of the "Greatest Generation". They did not survive the Depression with some of the behaviors and attitudes I'm reading on this thread.
If you are referring to me, I beg to differ. I'm frugal with my money. I grow many of my own fruits, vegetables, and herbs, only buy clothing when it's on sale, drive my cars until they have at least 100K miles on them (I would still have my last car with 110K miles on it except that I gave it to my son to help him out and negotiated hard for my current car). I scrape every last lick out of the jelly jar, buy my groceries on sale with coupons, and make almost everything from scratch. I learned a lot from older relatives on how to live cheaply, and practice their lessons in my daily life.
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How hard would you work for $8 an hour?
The OP mentioned that this person is an acquaintance, not a dear personal friend nor a family member. How do we know that she never invested, never saved, never owned a home? 
Things happen. 
