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Actually, the days of a lifetime job are over. There was a reason you were laid off not because the company "just felt like" laying you off. It could have been many reasons. Would you keep someone on if you couldn't afford to pay them? Would you keep someone on if there wasn't enough work?
You do have it part right though. Not buying into the white picket fence, not wanting to "slave away" and deciding to live below your means. I get you. As long as you don't end up costing me money but you may be costing me money and don't even realize it. Are you getting an Obamacare subsidy? Are you subsided in any way. If you aren't then good, but you will cost someone else somewhere along your life because at your rate you won't be able to support something you "need" and you'll need someone else to give up money to pay for you (it's called the government handout). That's where the looser part comes in.
Oh and please don't have kids, we have enough kids to support. Don't have them because bringing children into poverty is cruel and selfish.
I agree, and I don't like kids so that's not a problem.
I have no problem paying taxes to ensure everyone has healthcare and a good education. As a country we simply don't invest in our own citizens and it shows dearly. I'm planning on moving to Europe and living out my dream as a ski instructor. When I'm old and frailI at least want to know I had a fulfilling life that went beyond sitting in a cubicle 10 hours a day and sitting in gridlock traffic for another two hours.
Are you saying that marriage is the way out of poverty for people who will have kids whether they get married or not?
I wouldn't say it's "the" way, as if there is only one. While marriage can be a way out of poverty, it is a good way of preventing people from falling into poverty in the first place. If you do marriage, then kids in that order, you get a whole lot fewer economic & social problems. And it's not just conservatives saying that any more.
Be careful. It depends on how long they had been earning that high income. It's one thing if someone has been earning that much for 10 years and has little to no wealth outside of home equity. It's another matter if they have only had that income for 6 months, or even one year if they had huge student loan debt. Now you can make the argument about that debt being irresponsible, but at the same time don't lose sight of the high cost of many graduate and professional degrees.
Possibly true, but I think another poster did a good job addressing many other poor decisions/unrealistic assumptions made by the person in question.
Being poor is easier...but it makes your life harder ironically
Correct. Just to clarify--It's easier in the short run, but harder in the long run. This is the universal problem of humanity. We go for the short term fix to our long term detriment.
The problem, as I said in my previous post, is that few people outside countries like Sweden have this value system.
Actually, many do. Certainly the Scandinavian countries. And most countries feel more camaraderie than in the US unless they have a long history of racial, ethic, religious division. Usually it depends on how their borders came to be.
Regarding the ways that people are divided, I didn't mean to imply that religion was the only one, but it is a big one that is manipulated in the US. Our largely controlled media loves to create division, fear, and anger. There was a time not long ago in the US when it was very different. The powers that be have a great deal of control over the national attitude, and if they want us to be divided there are plenty of wedges available.
Actually, many do. Certainly the Scandinavian countries. And most countries feel more camaraderie than in the US unless they have a long history of racial, ethic, religious division. Usually it depends on how their borders came to be.
Well all I can say is none of them have pulled it off as well as they have in those countries. The Scandinavian model certainly isn't feasible for the US. Both the people and the government are too corrupt for it to work....and even if we weren't, we simply don't have a cohesive value system that would make it work.
Quote:
Originally Posted by rruff
Regarding the ways that people are divided, I didn't mean to imply that religion was the only one, but it is a big one that is manipulated in the US. Our largely controlled media loves to create division, fear, and anger. There was a time not long ago in the US when it was very different. The powers that be have a great deal of control over the national attitude, and if they want us to be divided there are plenty of wedges available.
Ok, I got the impression you were one of those people who thinks if we just got rid of religion, all the problems in the world would be solved. I'm glad to hear that's not where you're coming from.
Very few of the poor choose to be so. But the topic of the thread is those who do. Certainly those in religious orders take a vow of poverty. And as one poster noted, some don't want to participate in the corporate rat race. I remember a line by a railroader, on a job through the poorer section of town noting that while there were screens missing and clothes on a line, here there were animals and children and grandmothers, life was going on. By contrast while railroading pays well, it takes up most of ones time.
You CHOOSE to buy more "stuff" than your income, you've made a choice to be poor.
You CHOOSE to forgo an education or training because you can't be bothered, you've made a choice to be poor.
You CHOOSE to have more children than you can afford, you've made a choice to be poor.
Lots of people make those choices.
Not necessarily. Please read about Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs. When you are trying to take care of your basic needs, you cannot self-actualize (which would include getting an education or training to better your situation). The first six needs must come before personal growth.
Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs
1. Biological and Physiological needs - air, food, drink, shelter, warmth, sex, sleep, etc.
2. Safety needs - protection from elements, security, order, law, stability, etc.
3. Love and belongingness needs - friendship, intimacy, affection and love, - from work group, family, friends, romantic relationships.
Well all I can say is none of them have pulled it off as well as they have in those countries. The Scandinavian model certainly isn't feasible for the US. Both the people and the government are too corrupt for it to work....and even if we weren't, we simply don't have a cohesive value system that would make it work.
Ok, I got the impression you were one of those people who thinks if we just got rid of religion, all the problems in the world would be solved. I'm glad to hear that's not where you're coming from.
Lots of countries have shared value systems. But scandinavia is probably the only area that took that system and applied it in a way that is still decent, though not without problems. This goes to show that even those who have a shared strong value system may not be able to reach the Scandinavian model.
Indeed, it is a model created and sustained in Scandinavia.
I would say other relatively successful places of this kind include Japan, south Korea, Taiwan, and Hong Kong. They are largely homogeneous societies where people gravitate toward one another.
The United states is the total opposite to these societies. It is, however, one of the most desired destinations for immigrants. I think that tells you a story of the American model.
I wouldn't say it's "the" way, as if there is only one. While marriage can be a way out of poverty, it is a good way of preventing people from falling into poverty in the first place. If you do marriage, then kids in that order, you get a whole lot fewer economic & social problems. And it's not just conservatives saying that any more.
It's probably even more dramatic than studies suggest, since income-only measures of poverty do not account for child care costs.
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