10 Poverty Myths, Busted

poet1b
reply to post by diggindirt

 

There will always be those people who live above their means, who spend all of the money they make, and then borrow money on future income.

While these people should be held responsible for what they do, the people who lend them money they can't afford to pay back are as equally guilty of abuse.

The bankers know that the more they lend, the higher prices go, and the more they make, and the more they gain.

The whole housing bubble was an excellent example of that, and this type of economic crisis has been created many times.

These people, these bankers willing to say and do anything to make lots of money screw things up far, far more than the poor.

The poor are not people who have inheritances, and dig themselves into debt spending money they do not have.

I respectfully beg to differ with your last statement. I can point to at least a dozen families in my community who are now on the dole despite having inherited wealth in varying degrees, from a fully paid-for home to a million dollars in life insurance. They are poor because they made bad choices with money and refused to learn from those mistakes. These are not people born into the "silver-spoon" culture, they are people who worked and in some cases still work but have some distorted idea that they "deserve" the biggest, bestest, newest, whatever and by-jiminy they are going to have it even if it means their children don't have food or a college fund. These are not people born into the welfare state, they are from hard-working, thrifty families, parents who worked and saved for the future and did their best to teach their children to do the same. I have no idea what it is that causes those offspring to completely lose their financial senses and grab onto the welfare train. I have no idea why they expect friends and relatives to support their out-of-control lifestyles and get their drawers in a wad when we cut them off after realizing that it will never end.
Perhaps it is because they are of the television culture, have been bombarded with messages telling them they "deserve" the stuff they can't afford. Maybe the fact that our children grew up without cable tv is a factor in their success at avoiding becoming dependent on credit cards. I honestly don't know but I know that it is heart-breaking to see how pathetic they have become just because going on vacation or to a sporting event is more important to them than the financial welfare of their family.
It is absolutely amazing to me to hear one particular member of my family boasting one minute about how he's just spent $2k on getting tattoos and piercings only to be whining the next minute because nobody will hire him because of his tats so he can't make his car payment. Hand me the duct tape please, I think my head will explode.
Not only do these people look to other successful members of the community to provide for them, they refuse to help themselves. On dozens of occasions when we've been hit up for money, we've helped as much as possible but we have always put conditions on future help by telling them that in order to get any further help, you must show that you are attempting to remedy the problem. I've bought countless copies of Dave Ramsey's books. Those books show exactly, in words that a middle school student can understand, how to manage money. Of all those books we've handed out, only three have come back and asked questions and showed their willingness to learn and remedy the problem. They are doing well while the rest are still moaning and whining about how "lucky" some other family members are. They fail to notice that the "lucky" ones are the ones who don't have the latest gadgets, don't drive an expensive vehicle and don't take $10k vacations because they live within their means and put aside for retirement.
I understand fully that there are situations where jobs are not to be found. This is not the case with the people of which I speak. Their "poverty" is caused by their lack of self discipline and a poor work ethic. Handing them money isn't going to cure that.

Thanks to everyone for all your thoughtful, pointed and other responses.

I do think the info is valid. It highlights the disparities between the 0.01% and the rest of us by focusing on the most poor - and the attitudes that help keep ALL the 99.98% down. It's a distraction strategy - if we turn on each other we forget the rich are very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very stinking RICH.

soficrow
Thanks to everyone for all your thoughtful, pointed and other responses.

I do think the info is valid. It highlights the disparities between the 0.01% and the rest of us by focusing on the most poor - and the attitudes that help keep ALL the 99.98% down. It's a distraction strategy - if we turn on each other we forget the rich are very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very stinking RICH.

Well i must be in the 0.01% then, because nobodys kept or keeping me down.

While your so concentrated on blaming the world for where you are in life, your not concentrating on making your own world better.

The 0,01% (whoever they are) don't need to keep you down, your doing a fine job of keeping yourself where you are with your attitude of "oh, im soooo oppressed, i'll never be anything or go anywhere in life. I'll just blame someone else and stay where i am".

reply to post by soficrow


I cant stand your liberal victim mentality

but the best revenge is a life well lived

so carry on on on

money for wars, but can't feed the poor

savagediver
reply to post by StormyStars

 

StormyStars
reply to post by AthlonSavage

 

Im span I was talking about the 1-5 year relationship period the OP quoted then you decided to change the context to 18 years, and add all the house chores in. No Madam, your the spammer here.

The OP did not say that the couples had only been together for 1-5 year, only that the 5 year mark AFTER havingg a child or children. The COULD have been married 6 year or more before having their 1st child together, then split 5-11 years AFTER chil/ren.....pfft! So you just use this to have reason to be a sl ut....I was right 1st time.....you don't procreate, that you know of, ...... Therefore, what is your purpose in life? Yeah...I'm gonna go there......Children ARE our future, if you have none, are you involved in contributing to our future in any way at all like a teacher, Dr., etc? If not, you are wasting much needed space....like spam...

Wow , just wow. I am 50 years old and in all those years have not seen such hurtful and selfish words coming from a woman who considers

herself a good woman and mother.

I am not a teacher and I am not a Dr ,etc as you put it. The words you typed just really tore at my heart. I never had any

children for reasons that I always thought were responsible. I couldnt afford them so I didnt just get some woman pregnant and expect

society to pay for them for me. One reason was I had a business I fought so hard to keep afloat for 14 years and paid workers more than I took

home for myself. It was not incorporated and when it fell I didnt file bankrupt. I have been paying those 58 thousand dollars worth of debt

off with the money I make from a 8pm to 8am shift job I have had for the last 13 years on top of the usual bills of living.

There re many nights I think about the empty void in hy life and how when I am gone there wont be a damn thing of me left in this world

as far as children. Hell , I cant even make a coherent sentence and my mind is racing all over the place right now by what you said.

You lady are one cold hearted woman and very careless with your words. This might be news to you as you sound very selfish and

self centered and probable never cared , but words can and do hurt.

I dont mind my taxes helping out others as helping out others and loving them is what I believe we are here for, not just spitting out a baby.

I would help you or your children out if I could and give whenever I can even though I live paycheck to paycheck, but I seriously think you

be more careful with what you say.

This probable came out all wrong and sound unintelligent, but I had to say something for my own peace , you just about made me cry and

made me feel like a piece of sh#t just because I didnt have kids. Hope you are so proud of all your profound hurtful words.

You maam make me very sad. Good luck with all your pent up anger and hate.

edit on 28-3-2014 by savagediver because: (no reason given)

I am, right now, standing up and applauding you.
I don't know you.
But i love you right now, truly.
Beautiful person, that you are. Totally, honestly and truly so.

reply to post by MasterOfTheDamned

Actually it's still that way now. I have seen it several times in the last 10 years, and you are making this an F VS M thing with every post i've read from you.

why are you butting in on a comment NOT even remotely directed to you or because of you? Couldn't find anyone else you thought stupid enough to pick on or for all your bssssss?


Just calling you out on a lie, obviously you can't handle being told the truth though. Your ignorance truly has astounded me.

!. Over this? lol! I am really sorry that you have too poor an education to understand the difference between censored & uncensored cross sectional wide ranged general consensus statistics.
2. And Dude! THAT has NOTHING to do with YOU being male or female, parent or non parent, married or unmarried, race, age, wealthy or poor.
3. It MAY be YOU reading the very beginning, flitting briefly through pages, reading the middle, flitting briefly through pages. reading the very end, setting the book away potentially as long as you exist because just from that ALONE, maybe selective biased hearing of news, THINKING you either know it all from that, thinking you have a good enough handle to get by, OR not really caring on the topic at hand, just being a troll.
Metaphorically speaking of course......which ever one it is....hey! Have your fun & run with it as long as you can, but please.....stop blaming others, especially those with experience & a better understanding & or education than yourself, and please, please stop with the name calling already, it's hurtful to be called;
!. Just calling you out on a lie which = You are a liar = Liar
2. obviously you can't handle being told the truth though which = You're too weak minded to listen to ME = Retarded
3. Your ignorance truly has astounded me. which = You are so dumb I just can't believe it = Dummy

Now just relax & enjoy the rest of the thread. It's ok. We all understand that at some point in our live we've been burnt by SOMEONE over or for SOMETHING. We won't take your insults as insults given your frame of mind at this difficult period in you life okay. Now give us a smile,

, c'mon, you can do it, like this,

, or this,

, or even this,

, oh, oh, almost....ah, there we go! You managed this one!

! Good for you! Half a smile! Wow! It's better than this,

. Agreed?

GOP States Are The Most Dependent On Government If we learned nothing else during the 2012 election, it is that some of us are makers, hard-working folk solely responsible for America's prosperity, and others are takers, who want the federal government to pay for luxuries like food and health care. What may come as some surprise is where these two warring tribes tend to live. The states with elected officials most likely to espouse anti-taker sentiments -- i.e., Republican-dominated states -- are the most dependent on federal spending, while returning the least to Washington in the way of tax dollars. That's according to the consumer finance site Wallet Hub, which crunched federal tax and spending data and then ranked states from most to least dependent on Uncle Sam. In the map below, green states are the least dependent, while red states -- appropriately -- are the most dependent.

www.huffingtonpost.com...

andy1972
While your so concentrated on blaming the world for where you are in life, your not concentrating on making your own world better.

The 0,01% (whoever they are) don't need to keep you down, your doing a fine job of keeping yourself where you are with your attitude of "oh, im soooo oppressed, i'll never be anything or go anywhere in life. I'll just blame someone else and stay where i am".

Your "argument" is called an ad hominem or personal attack. It is irrelevant to the topic, and inaccurate to boot.

mmathers
reply to post by soficrow

 

I cant stand your liberal victim mentality

....

Another ad hominem or personal attack - irrelevant to the topic, and inaccurate.

If we turn on each other we forget the rich are very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very stinking RICH.

After reading the thread for quite a few pages, reading the arguments about people's different views of who the good guys are and who the bad guys are, I really feel something needs to be pointed out which may have some effect on what is being discussed here.

People don't really change all that much over time, it seems we are kind of stuck, failing to do anything resembling evolving.

Technology evolves at an insanely fast pace, a lot of that technology replaces jobs which in turn deprive those that did those jobs of an income to participate in the economy.

The current business model and the industries that make up the majority of the economy are the problem, you cannot reduce your workforce to cut costs without considering the fact that those who are fired/laid off/replaced with robots or whatever other kind of mechanization are no longer in a position to participate in the economy.

This issue has not reached a super-critical stage as of yet, or maybe it has and the majority of people just choose not to notice.

This whole works is headed backwards at full steam whether anyone likes it or not, and if no adjustments are made, and they won't be, we will revert to something like 250 years ago.....

This discussion of mythical BS blanket statements about the poor is actually as nonsensical as most discussions I hear out and about here regarding immigration....

The real issue is being neglected by the discussion of a mere symptom of the real problem.

Pay more attention to the toxin causing the illness, remove it and provide some support for the patient's recovery.

This whole mess isn't the fault of those most believe it to be, quite the opposite in fact.

reply to post by MyHappyDogShiner


How can you blame someone who has nothing FOR having nothing?

Does that make any sense?

reply to post by lynxpilot


because i am on the computer at work, I dont have internet service, cable or cell either.

StormyStars
reply to post by MasterOfTheDamned

!. Over this? lol! I am really sorry that you have too poor an education to understand the difference between censored & uncensored cross sectional wide ranged general consensus statistics.
2. And Dude! THAT has NOTHING to do with YOU being male or female, parent or non parent, married or unmarried, race, age, wealthy or poor.
3. It MAY be YOU reading the very beginning, flitting briefly through pages, reading the middle, flitting briefly through pages. reading the very end, setting the book away potentially as long as you exist because just from that ALONE, maybe selective biased hearing of news, THINKING you either know it all from that, thinking you have a good enough handle to get by, OR not really caring on the topic at hand, just being a troll.
Metaphorically speaking of course......which ever one it is....hey! Have your fun & run with it as long as you can, but please.....stop blaming others, especially those with experience & a better understanding & or education than yourself, and please, please stop with the name calling already, it's hurtful to be called;
!. Just calling you out on a lie which = You are a liar = Liar
2. obviously you can't handle being told the truth though which = You're too weak minded to listen to ME = Retarded
3. Your ignorance truly has astounded me. which = You are so dumb I just can't believe it = Dummy

Now just relax & enjoy the rest of the thread. It's ok. We all understand that at some point in our live we've been burnt by SOMEONE over or for SOMETHING. We won't take your insults as insults given your frame of mind at this difficult period in you life okay. Now give us a smile,

, c'mon, you can do it, like this,

, or this,

, or even this,

, oh, oh, almost....ah, there we go! You managed this one!

! Good for you! Half a smile! Wow! It's better than this,

. Agreed?

edit on st312014Mon, 31 Mar 2014 03:30:27 -05000314st31amMon, 31 Mar 2014 03:30:27 -0500 by StormyStars because: a sentence was repeated twice?

your first 3 points don't even apply to the context, i'm not sure if you're even talking about my posts there.

Saying that the father gets preference for custody of children in a divorce case is a lie, the only exception is when custody is bought. The court systems still do prefer to give custody to the mother unless she can be shown to be a bad mother or unable to provide for the children.

You don't have to listen to ME at all, talk to people you know with children who have gone through a less than pleasant divorce, if both party's couldn't agree then you will see the courts position.

If you believe that being ignorant is the same as being dumb then I guess it only proves my statement there,

Ignorance is a state of being uninformed (lack of knowledge).[1] The word ignorant is an adjective describing a person in the state of being unaware and is often used as an insult to describe individuals who deliberately ignore or disregard important information or facts.

I'll give you this one though,
That's it for me, no more, my posts are too off topic here

reply to post by MyHappyDogShiner

.....The current business model and the industries that make up the majority of the economy are the problem, you cannot reduce your workforce to cut costs without considering the fact that those who are fired/laid off/replaced with robots or whatever other kind of mechanization are no longer in a position to participate in the economy.

Hear, hear!

This whole works is headed backwards at full steam whether anyone likes it or not, and if no adjustments are made, and they won't be, we will revert to something like 250 years ago.....

We're already there - indentured to corporations instead of Lords. But still indentured.

soficrow
Thanks to everyone for all your thoughtful, pointed and other responses.

I do think the info is valid. It highlights the disparities between the 0.01% and the rest of us by focusing on the most poor - and the attitudes that help keep ALL the 99.98% down. It's a distraction strategy - if we turn on each other we forget the rich are very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very stinking RICH.

May I ask you a simple question? Why do you spend so much time on the corporate internet? The corporate internet CEOs are very wealthy, from all the advertising that rolls in while you sit here and complain about the very rich. You make them even more wealthy every time you get onto the internet.

If you have a problem, I suggest you do something more productive with your time instead of wasting it complaining about it.
Otherwise, I really don't see that you do have a problem other than jealousy of those with wealth.

Be productive, trolling forums all day is not productive. Playing Xbox or Playstation or blah, blah, blah is also not productive. Get out there and mow yards, pull weeds, do something productive. Unless you are disabled and can't do that, then I understand, but there is something productive you can do besides physical labor.

Take classes on Coursera, they are free and you get a certificate that could help you with a job. IT'S FREAKIN' FREE education.

How about write a novel, anything. Write poetry, write music, do something productive. This endless complaining just means your momma should have kicked you out of the house on those warm days instead of letting you sit all day watching Spongebob Squarepants.

LucidLucinda
reply to post by lynxpilot

 

because i am on the computer at work, I dont have internet service, cable or cell either.

See, soficrow, an actual productive person.

LucidLucinda, thank you for your contribution to society. That is a genuine compliment, no snark or sarcasm in any way. I wish more people would say that "I am on the computer AT WORK".

reply to post by soficrow


it is what our debt system is: the modern fiefdom. We are indentured to our creditors, and we work to pay them off.

just like the tyrannical Lords of old....they just got wise. you're still a slave. just one on the free range, able to have some modicum of freedom of mobility. But as a human, you are required to be accounted for by your government.

ETA my favorite part is, when our Lords wish to communicate with us, we pay for the communication. Either by purchasing radio, cable, internet, printed material. Whatever it is your Lords wish to tell you, you pay for the privilege of hearing.