Current Events > Why are people poor?

(+) Yeah! (+)

John_Galt posted...

Quit melting down and get a job

Shut the fuck up. You dont know any god damn thing about me.

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Shablagoo posted...

Yeah, well. My first job as a county lifeguard. I was on track to be Head Guard (the boss) until one of the supervisors got jealous that my big brothers girlfriend was considered before her for the County supervisor position. So she fucked me hard. Its all a dumbass game and people like the dude I responded to want to act like working hard gets you a god damn thing and it fucking DOESNT.

You are not going to get anywhere as a lifeguard. Life is not Baywatch. Should've of buckled down in school, and studied for a job that is in demand. Personal decision.

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We are at level 3 meltdown. Everyone please take your proper precautions.

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MeltyAlert posted...

I choose to take this literally.

Nice.

I wish, lol. I woulda fucked that monster.

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MeltyAlert posted...

We are at level 3 meltdown. Everyone please take your proper precautions.

*grabs a chair and popcorn*

Moar!!

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Squall28 posted...

You are not going to get anywhere as a lifeguard. Life is not Baywatch. Should've of buckled down in school, and studied for a job that is in demand. Personal decision.

KILBOTz posted...

Individuals and their parents. The poor parents typically dont know how to teach their children how to not be poor. The individual then doesnt know how to change their trajectory

How do you expect people to just make better decisions? If it's not systemic, why are there so many seemingly unimportant variables like race and gender that are strongly associated with income and poverty?

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Shablagoo posted...

I wish, lol. I woulda fucked that monster.

There ya go! Doesn't that make you feel better?

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Squall28 posted...

You are not going to get anywhere as a lifeguard. Life is not Baywatch. Should've of buckled down in school, and studied for a job that is in demand. Personal decision.

It was my first job at 15! Jesus Christ! Stop being an ass!

I went to school.

I got a great fucking job with the City after testing against 3,000+ people and waiting 5 years for it!

And they fucked me again! hahaha! If only you knew a fucking thing outside of your ivory tower!

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what the fuck is happening

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Funny how capitalists crow about "personal responsibility" when they're in charge, but its somehow a systemic problem when people get sick of them and bring out the guillotines. You guys should have just gotten a better job and made good decisions.

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Why not both? Neither option in the OP is 100% the answer. Yes, there are people who stay in the financial status due to lack of motivation or taking personal responsibility for their plight in life. There's also other factors that effect people's financial status that are out of their ability to control and/or effect their ability to better themselves to the degree they may desire.


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Balrog0 posted...

How do you expect people to just make better decisions? If it's not systemic, why are there so many seemingly unimportant variables like race and gender that are strongly associated with income and poverty?

I dont think what I wrote suggests I think people can just spontaneously make better decisions. I think a lot of this shit needs to be taught in schools. Like how to budget, how to apply for jobs, how to get a better job you normally need experience doing something similar already, how to fill out scholarships and apply for financial aid, the importance of investing, etc.


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Squall28 posted...

You are not going to get anywhere as a lifeguard. Life is not Baywatch. Should've of buckled down in school, and studied for a job that is in demand. Personal decision.

You really dont get it. Like at all. It doesnt matter if Bob worked harder so he wouldnt be working at a shit job. If he did, then his job would be filled by John instead. The low paying jobs have to be done by someone. Even if everyone did put in effort, all that happens is that you depress the value of higher skilled jobs and end up with a bunch of people making like $9 hour with massive amounts of debt from school.

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Balrog0 posted...

How do you expect people to just make better decisions? If it's not systemic, why are there so many seemingly unimportant variables like race and gender that are strongly associated with income and poverty?

You start as a society by teaching the importance of one's own decision. What socialist like to teach is victim mentality. You are powerless. You can't do anything about it. Instead people should focus on what they have control over. Their decisions. Their effort level. If you can do well there, middle class in attainable. (Upper class is another matter.)

So in short, socialists need to STFU. You're not helping.

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So you think it is a systemic issue, but the systemic issue is our cultural victimhood complex and not something about the material conditions we live in?

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Yes blame the system and ask to take rich people's money for free instead of spending what you make wisely and working toward middle class.

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Balrog0 posted...

So you think it is a systemic issue, but the systemic issue is our cultural victimhood complex and not something about the material conditions we live in?

It's obviously a combination of everything, but I don't like the mentality of focusing on things outside your control. There's a lot an individual can do to up their status.

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Many people struggling I know spend on junk. Shit like beer and cigs. That adds up. Plus a lot don't cook their own meals which is cheaper than going out to eat.

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AbysmalTrinity posted...

So if I'm born into poverty is that my choice?

Such a dumb post...

Did you not read the word 'mostly'?

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Squall28 posted...

It's obviously a combination of everything, but I don't like the mentality of focusing on things outside your control. There's a lot an individual can do to up their status.

it's not about what mentality you like, it's about what we can do to address the situation if anything, jmo; there is evidence that focusing on the things you can control and change is better for you, but at the same time there is plenty of evidence that living in poverty reduces your ability to make good decisions. without some level of material comfort it's not realistic to expect people to make 'good' decisions about long-term planning

Austin_Era_II posted...

Yes blame the system and ask to take rich people's money for free instead of spending what you make wisely and working toward middle class.

I mean I have catapulted from homelessness into the fourth household income quintile and its not because I'm a harder worker or a wiser decision maker than anyone else in poverty (although those things may be true of me)

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With the exception of people who are unfortunate enough to have a disability that keeps them from working, being poor is a result of bad choices and lack of hard work.

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IShall_Run_Amok posted...

Funny how capitalists crow about "personal responsibility" when they're in charge, but its somehow a systemic problem when people get sick of them and bring out the guillotines. You guys should have just gotten a better job and made good decisions.

We have so many laws and safety nets in place since the 'guilotine' era and poor people are still shit with money.

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Squall28 posted...

It's obviously a combination of everything, but I don't like the mentality of focusing on things outside your control. There's a lot an individual can do to up their status.

I can see both sides of this. On one hand I was born into a bit of money and had the luxury of paying for college in full, out of pocket, as well as every car I've ever owned. The only loan I've ever taken out is on my house, which I did before I was 30. I have no idea what it's like to be in debt or wonder where my next meal is coming from. That said, I did still work hard to make a name for myself, and as a college-educated, upper-middle class person, I still cannot land a job that pays more than about $15 an hour. It's always, "oh, you didn't intern or never did this or that." Frankly, after a while, being told no no no so often when you are clearly qualified (sometimes overly so) becomes so disheartening that it makes you not want to try any longer. I get it. so even though I have a cushion a lot of people don't have, I'm still in kind of of the same boat

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Austin_Era_II posted...

Yes blame the system and ask to take rich people's money for free

Well it worked before
https://imgur.com/gallery/kiFCDmt

PsychicHippo posted...

I can see both sides of this. On one hand I was born into a bit of money and had the luxury of paying for college in full, out of pocket, as well as every car I've ever owned. The only loan I've ever taken out is on my house, which I did before I was 30. I have no idea what it's like to be in debt or wonder where my next meal is coming from. That said, I did still work hard to make a name for myself, and as a college-educated, upper-middle class person, I still cannot land a job that pays more than about $15 an hour. It's always, "oh, you didn't intern or never did this or that" and it has become rather disheartening. Frankly, after a while, being told no no no so often becomes so disheartening that it makes you not want to try any longer. I get it. so even though I have a cushion a lot of people don't have, I'm still in kind of of the same boat

The first job that I thought I could make a career out of, which I tested against thousands of people and waited years for, promised me benefits like health insurance when I first applied.

When I got the job, they said haha, we were just kidding about the benefits.


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PsychicHippo posted...

and as a college-educated, upper-middle class person, I still cannot land a job that pays more than about $15 an hour.

Sorry, but I find that hard to believe. Maybe you can't find a job paying more in the particular field you want, but there are plenty of companies that pay more than that which require no degree at all or just require a degree in any field.

I had a plan in mind for what I wanted to do when finishing school and ended up changing it completely because in that particular job market the pay was shit for most of the jobs.


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Rexdragon125 posted...

Well it worked before
https://imgur.com/gallery/kiFCDmt

comment in that thread:

I'm tired of the man making a $1000 an hour telling guys making $25 an hour that the guy making $10 an hour is their enemy.

true dat playa

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PsychicHippo posted...

I can see both sides of this. On one hand I was born into a bit of money and had the luxury of paying for college in full, out of pocket, as well as every car I've ever owned. The only loan I've ever taken out is on my house, which I did before I was 30. I have no idea what it's like to be in debt or wonder where my next meal is coming from. That said, I did still work hard to make a name for myself, and as a college-educated, upper-middle class person, I still cannot land a job that pays more than about $15 an hour. It's always, "oh, you didn't intern or never did this or that." Frankly, after a while, being told no no no so often when you are clearly qualified (sometimes overly so) becomes so disheartening that it makes you not want to try any longer. I get it. so even though I have a cushion a lot of people don't have, I'm still in kind of of the same boat

Well the thing is, getting an internship or doing a co-op is a key part of the college experience. Many students work even harder finding those positions than they did on their classes. I do admit it gets dicey here because a lot of people luck out and just know someone who can get them a job. I personally wish I put more effort into internship and interviewing early in my college years.

it's not about what mentality you like, it's about what we can do to address the situation if anything, jmo; there is evidence that focusing on the things you can control and change is better for you, but at the same time there is plenty of evidence that living in poverty reduces your ability to make good decisions. without some level of material comfort it's not realistic to expect people to make 'good' decisions about long-term planning

The solution to take out the systemic aspect of it would have to be drastic. It'd be some dystopian shit where you take kids away from their parents, and make sure everyone is raised equally. Or that you take away all consequences of personal decisions. Regardless of what you contribute, you get the same as everyone else.

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Shablagoo posted...

comment in that thread:

I'm tired of the man making a $1000 an hour telling guys making $25 an hour that the guy making $10 an hour is their enemy.

true dat playa

Judging from your emotional meltdown and your posts like this one, I'm surprised that you're able to get a job at all.

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Why don't poor people just get more money

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People making less than yourself isn't the enemy. I don't think billionaires look at their employees making min wage those that do as the enemy.

Also a lot of poor and middle class people are hypocrites. Why don't those who have an empty spare room in their house rent it out to someone for a decent price or for free? Checkmate.

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Austin_Era_II posted...

People making less than yourself isn't the enemy. I don't think billionaires look at their employees making min wage those that do as the enemy.

Also a lot of poor and middle class people are hypocrites. Why don't those who have an empty spare room in their house rent it out to someone for a decent price or for free? Checkmate.

What spare room? The fuck you talking about.

sorry he means the guest house

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The Trent posted...

sorry he means the guest house

*guest mansion

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What a stupid fucking topic. It can obviously be either reason, along with other reasons. Are y'all 12?

BarneyBosco posted...

Judging from your emotional meltdown and your posts like this one, I'm surprised that you're able to get a job at all.

Yes, you love judging the disenfranchised. I know.


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Squall28 posted...

You start as a society by teaching the importance of one's own decision. What socialist like to teach is victim mentality. You are powerless. You can't do anything about it. Instead people should focus on what they have control over. Their decisions. Their effort level. If you can do well there, middle class in attainable. (Upper class is another matter.)

So in short, socialists need to STFU. You're not helping.

@Squall28 What part of society needs people to do the shitty low paying jobs do you not understand? If everyone actually did what you said, you wouldnt get rid of poverty. What would happen is that the average wages in a lot of currently decent to good paying jobs/careers would get dragged down because youd have a massive pool of possible employees. If someone doesnt think the pay is enough, you offer the job to the burger flipper at McDonalds.

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Like literally I worked for half a decade and was prepped to be the next Head Guard until the County supervisor (who only was picked after my big brothers girlfriend declined the offer) got jealous of my brothers girlfriend and started treating me like shit including sending me to a pool hours away from my house when the one Id been at my entire career was a 5 min bike ride from my house and no one wanted to work there aside from me, because of the neighborhood it was in.

It was like reverse nepotism.

I only found out about it years after the fact. Depressing shit.

Then, years later, like I said before, the City yanked my benefits out from underneath me at a job that I tested into against thousands of other people and waited years for.

The people ITT judging me and calling my rightful anger a meltdown, should get off their fucking high horse and actually for once try and fucking listen to those of us who have been treated poorly by the system.

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Squall28 posted...

It doesn't matter that capitalism "necessitates" it. It doesn't force anyone to it.

You can get out of the lower class if you work for it. Period. The problem is people don't. They rather sit there and whine about how stuff is not fair.

one person getting out of the lower class does not solve the problem.

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KILBOTz posted...

I dont think what I wrote suggests I think people can just spontaneously make better decisions. I think a lot of this shit needs to be taught in schools. Like how to budget, how to apply for jobs, how to get a better job you normally need experience doing something similar already, how to fill out scholarships and apply for financial aid, the importance of investing, etc.

those things will also not fix the systemic problems

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uwnim posted...

@Squall28 What part of society needs people to do the shitty low paying jobs do you not understand? If everyone actually did what you said, you wouldnt get rid of poverty. What would happen is that the average wages in a lot of currently decent to good paying jobs/careers would get dragged down because youd have a massive pool of possible employees. If someone doesnt think the pay is enough, you offer the job to the burger flipper at McDonalds.

You keep talking about a hypothetical that won't happen. People are lazy and make bad decisions. People need stepping stone and part time jobs. There will be these people to do those jobs without a need for the system to "force" them to.

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Squall28 posted...

You start as a society by teaching the importance of one's own decision. What socialist like to teach is victim mentality. You are powerless. You can't do anything about it. Instead people should focus on what they have control over. Their decisions. Their effort level. If you can do well there, middle class in attainable. (Upper class is another matter.)

your solution can work for some people, at the individual level. the grownups are talking about this as the systemic issue that it is.

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Becuase people arent equal, regardless of the individual, system, luck or whatever. Becuase of this theres always going to exist a bottom line in some capacity.

Unfortunately most who lost this particular lottery cant accept this reality which is why they support systems socialism to attempt to bypass this reality of life and nature which inevitably leads to EVERYONE getting fucked over instead of just a few.

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Notti posted...

Both? Both.

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averagejoel posted...

your solution can work for some people, at the individual level. the grownups are talking about this as the systemic issue that it is.

The "grown-ups" aren't doing anything but disempowering the people they claim to stand for. Removing their belief in the power of their own actions.

Don't pretend like you guys are accomplishing anything.

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