You think you deserve to earn more than $200k a year?

Originally posted by Stillalive
oh and that 225 salary is for a GRAPHIC DESIGNER!!!?
do you get? and the rent is 180,so why dont you come live here and see how nice life is

I agree I think some the guys should come and live in India were an average person lives on $ 4 a day and that's the average, think of persons living on less, the medicare which he has to spend, there is no Govt funding in many places, is $ 75 per person annually. All are welcome to here.

reply to post by eniranjanrao


Actually a lot of people do this kind of thing. My plan would have worked perfectly, had the banks not ruined everything with the real estate fiasco. I would have come to canada in 5 years with around 100 grand, I could have bought a nice house here for 50 grand, and lived a pretty easy life up here. That is retirement at 33, but that didn't work out.

i would honestly have no idea what to do with all that money.

it's the dumbest fragging thing how people who have a ton of money... make it so they don't live any easier than those who don't, by buying exorbitantly luxurious BULLSHHH just because they can. that will never, ever, ever make any sense to me. "cause i can". cars that don't run any better or last any longer than one that costs 1/5 the price of normal ones i hate it, i hate the peacocking, flaunting aspect of it, it makes me sick.

i could live forever on 200k. in fact i garuntee that i could, and i'd give 50k to my parents straight up, just cause i could and they deserve it (they deserve a lot more raising me)

but i really felt as though i "deserved" more when i was washing dishes at my last job. i got payed 8.50 an hour, and i was literally sweating 15 minutes in every day, working nonstop until i clocked out. i was taking protein shakes after work to keep up. and i'm in very good shape. in the end, i'm only washing dishes, but the company in which i worked (won't name it but they're a huge corporate chinese resturaunt) rakes in like 400k+ a month at our location and in the end, that's all they were about, doing everything they could to cut costs, despite their insane profits, and they had almost no relationships with their employees. it was a sick hive, and there is no reason to work as hard as i did. there really is "too much", and in a resturaunt, that's a very bad thing, you lose the relatability to your customer, nothing is personal or focused.

reply to post by byteshertz


We have all had hard times. I made a petty $25k a year for quite a while. Well, when you get through feeling sorry for yourself you can do what I did. Instead of doing as little as possible and spongeing off the system, go out and work 3 jobs. Do whatever you can to get a nest egg. Then come up with a plan. It is the American way. I do not believe that anyone that would say this statement ..."Dont send your kids to college...poor people know this"? WTH wake up dude, slap yourself in the face tomorrow morning and tell yourself this is the day I make a change. It wont come overnight, but if you work hard enough and believe in yourself you will make it happen. If you think like you....welll sorry dude people that think like that deserve to live as they do. I recently paid off my mortgage (best feeling ever) and have a nice little nest egg saved up. If you worked like I have to create 2 small businesses from pennies, and a little schooling, mixed with some on the job experience and worked 12-14 hours days the 1st 2 years starting those businesses. Now I am 35, and looking to invest more so I can enjoy what life (and USA) has to offer to ANYONE who puts their mind to it. All the time still stumming my guitar or talking with puff the magic dragon while working on art. The things I really enjoy doing although knowing that I am doing what I have to do , struggling in every day life in order to make a better future. Get a grip dude and look around yourself. Seriously if you think $200,000 a year is rich??? Well maybe you would be doing alright but $200k is a drop n the bucket compared to kind of people you may be thinking of. I got an idea. Go collect some aluminum cans until you save up enough to send yourself to community college (what your parents didnt do for you). Then go make something of your life. Maybe life wasnt meant to spend slaving...but it sure as hell wasnt made to sponge off the people trying to make something of themselves. BTW...I have never earned 6 figures yet, but the great thing is I know I am close and will be there soon enough. Life is a struggle, and life is grand. We are probabaly only given this one....that we can rememeber....so , my advice to you my friend...change your ideas and opinions, they seem closed, and perhaps a new world of oppertunities wll open up to you.

i couldn't even get into college, yet immigrant after immigrant comes here and automatically gets in. i know this by fact. you're almost handicapped by the fact your born in n.america when it comes to college.

so far the only way i know to get into college are:
a) have connections
b) have a sh-t load of money. nothing gets you in faster than a certified check for a years tuition.
c) be an athlete, but since they barely study and don't take up prime seats in major courses, this barely counts.
d) be an immigrant.
e) be lucky enough to be the one of the tens of thousands battling it out for the leftovers.

i should apply for guatemalan citizenship and then come back to n.america when im admitted.

Originally posted by nite owl
This would end the greedy peoples and give people a sense of self worth instead of self worth thru greed. End current system and replace it with a new one that works. Not one for SELF GREED.

This has been a most entertaining thread for a self described coldwar hardline anti-communist like myself. The Reality is peoples "greed" doesn't
just go away. Seeking advantage is hardwired. The party bosses get state dachas in thecountry. and the workers get cold concrete apartments.Then intellectuals claim oh that'snot "REAL COMMUNISM:"" "IT'S CORRUPT COMMUNISM.
Funny how they all seem to end up that way.so the workers become slaves to the party apparatchiks behind fences and dogs after all. Our bulgarian friend exists on $225x12.bulgaria was behind the iron curtain until( wiki?) So they are crawling out of the hole communism left.

Originally posted by randomname
i couldn't even get into college, yet immigrant after immigrant comes here and automatically gets in. i know this by fact. you're almost handicapped by the fact your born in n.america when it comes to college.

so far the only way i know to get into college are:
a) have connections
b) have a sh-t load of money. nothing gets you in faster than a certified check for a years tuition.
c) be an athlete, but since they barely study and don't take up prime seats in major courses, this barely counts.
d) be an immigrant.
e) be lucky enough to be the one of the tens of thousands battling it out for the leftovers.

i should apply for guatemalan citizenship and then come back to n.america when im admitted.

i dunno wtf you're talking about amigo. i dropped out and got my GED. that's all you need to go to college. you might not get accepted to an ivy league, but you can go to college if you try. enroll, take out some student loans, and do it. all those reasons you listed are total bs if you knew some of the people i do that have made it on their own.

Excellent thread, and lively debate! I have seen both sides of the paradigm from personal perspective. I have been very, very poor, and even felt a bit resentful of "rich" people. At one time my definition of "rich" was $50K (USD) a year. I thought the same way as the OP has posited. That those greedy bastages should have to give more to needy folk like myself, or how could they possibly be worth that?! Then I spent 6 years in the halls of academia, obtained a piece of paper that stated that I officially knew Jack, and was on the better side of $70K a year in a recession proof profession, but doing a service few people want, or have the skills to do. Now I was one of those bastages!!!

Was I happier with the money? For a short while, then it was just the norm again. $70K a year doesn't really put you on lifestyles of the rich, and famous anyway. It's comfortable, and you have enough to save, and give back some too. I found something interesting though about giving back. The old addage is true "No good deed goes unpunished." When you give as much as prudent, and not compromise your own security you are still viewed as a greedy bastage because others outside your realm of knowledge, and influence who have no idea what your life, and finances are like, assume you are holding out. I'm all about giving, and I don't do it for "looks" but most nuoveau riche are shocked to find out that a lot of people looking for hand outs want it ALL! They are more than willing to break you, and leave you destitute, and complain that you didn't have more to take. When I was poor I thought rich people were vicious, and malevolent, and would take candy from a baby. I have since found that rich or poor does not make a man good, or bad. There are vicious, greedy poor people a plenty. Greedy rich people tend to be better stewards of their lucre where as greedy poor people generally loose or waste it foolishly. The best place to be is the philanthropist, even though some still view him as a greedy bastage for not just bleeding to death for you. You get what money can't buy. The knowledge that you have made a positive difference. You can do that rich, or poor.
My definition of rich, and poor has also changed. If you have food, love, and health you are indeed very wealthy regardless of the numbers on a paycheck. I am currently on a plan to have what little debt I have paid off before the next 10 years(just a mortgage). At which time my children will be out of school, and me, and the misses intend to become full time drifters plying our trades when, and for whom we wish. I have very few material possessions outside of tools for work, and most will be sold before we go, and I will have almost no material possessions, but I will be the richest man in the world. Cell phone bill $0, Mortgage $0, internet/cable bill $0, utilities $0, freedom, priceless. But it was a lot of hard work, and money that made it possible to live without a constant source of money. It was adopting a non-materialistic view early, and not getting caught up in "Keeping up with the Jones'" Money may be debt in concept, but if you don't play the game it can become negative debt(Selah).

reply to post by 46ACE


Actually our Bulgarian friend might have it pretty good, in fact even better then lots of people in America, but he just might not know it. Because tv and propaganda and all that. When I was in Europe some years ago they were living pretty well, and acording to them and the tv the streets in america were made of gold.

reply to post by Binder


Good post binder star for you. You have touched on the biggest issue I left out in my thread which are those wealthy people who use their money to help others. I envy the freedom you have obtained and this is what I myself am working towards - being self sufficent and not reliant on anything but me myself and I. I see the rat race for what it is, and I will play it just long enough to get out of it.

Originally posted by byteshertz
reply to post by galadofwarthethird

 

Sorry mate, that was a reply to someone else which I thought may answer your post which I interpreted as wanting a solution.

I see......Solution? That implies a finite... such a thing does not exist, its always an overlaying and underlaying problem and in most cases a struggle in the classes by way of the minds of the people or even on an individual level, by it's very nature it can be nothing else, but it can be more or less a structure of scope and balance. By defining a problem you have already set in motion it's change or solution, which will in time lead to another problem, ad infinitum.

There was always a war between the rich and poor by many degrees, there can be no up without down, and there can be no rich without poor, can anybody even conceive of a word that would define a system were people exist and live, were there is no such thing as rich or poor or even social classes, democracy, capitalism, communism, socialism, name anything or invent any word you want, its just putting a symbol or idol on what is just a bunch of people always being people, collectively known as "humanity" but what does it mean to be human? .... Everybody plots and joins groups for the benefit of themselves, and there group. There always trying to one up the other, it's to be expected it's normal, in fact it's so normal most people do it, and do not notice what there doing, or even think of why or how they are doing what they are doing, like a machine set in a program and let to run it's course. Best to let it run it's course, for good or bad, I see nor reason why things should change, or at least no big reason why. But it's getting annoying and boring, so I guess it will have to change.

reply to post by galadofwarthethird


Hey again Im WAY too tired, i got confused between posters a couple of posts back and responded to you with someone elses questions answer. I will have another look tomorrow and hopefully be able to spit out somthing coherant ;-) thanks for the discussions and debates all, ill leave you to it.

4$ a day? daaamn thats harsh,my was 16$ or something. but did i mentioned all our prices are the same as europe and america,EVEN HIGHER.

Originally posted by byteshertzAgain it is all a pyramid scheme - someone always has to be on the bottom, and the richer the rich get and the more new toys they want to buy the more people need to be on the bottom to keep their fat ass up the top. To think those on the bottom are just lazy or down there because they are the weakest link is a delusion and are lie spread by the rich to help them sleep at night.

i couldn't said it better

s&f

reply to post by BigTimeCheater


and where in life are you since you call "bottom feeders" lazy, you a rich douche or what?

I have a operational theroy that works well for me.

Lead, Follow or get out of the way.

Sometimes I lead sometimes I follow but you never have to worry about me being in the way.

And as far as for someone to go up someone has to go down well thats one of the laws of nature and you can't mess with mother nature I learned that long ago.

reply to post by byteshertz


We are all born with the same potential in life. Yes, some have an advantage over others, but that is not an excuse. There are plenty of people who were born with nothing, grew up poor, and died with wealth.

Its a combination of many attributes, of course hard work being one of them, but intelligence, ambition, and the ability to think ahead, and also to make important decisions on the fly play into it.

I'm sorry to say it, but OP you sound like someone who is experiencing discontent with your current situation. If you want to make hundreds of thousands a year, (which by the way is barely getting by here in Los Angeles) you need to stop this bitter, negative attitude , and find a way to make yourself valuable. Or start your own business if you have a vision and a game plan. But beware, you will eventually realize what sets apart the men from the boys. Its great to have work ethic, but are you content with just showing up doing a piss poor job and then going home ithout any concerns? Or do you want to immerse yourself in the financial aspect of a business where a bad decision will cost millions, and when you go home the weight of the business still lingers over your head?

Either way, spending time complaining on ATS will never help you retire at 40.

I grew up in a working class family. My mom worked part time and raised her kids with what was left. My dad worked two part time jobs. We were rarely able to make ends meet, because of the huge debt my parents contracted during the recession in the 80's, when they were both unemployed, and simply COULD NOT find a job.

I watched my parents break themselves in two because they believed that it was their duty to raise their standard of living. I hardly ever saw my dad, and my mum was generally tense and depressed because of the dire economic situation we lived in. My dad once attempted suicide. Just so you know where I'm coming from.

Back to me now. I became an author in 2007 just after obtaining my masters degree. I am 26, two books published, a third one on the way. It doesn't pay well, writing books, in fact, it pay's next to nothing. I could find a well paid job if I wanted, but I prefer writing because it's something I enjoy.

I live in small house that I rent, in the country side. My typical "work" day :

7 am : get up, get the fire going (don't use gas, can't afford it)
7. 30 am : feed my chickens & ducks, check on the sheep to see if they are all OK
8 am : bring in some wood
8. 30 am : breakfast
9. am to 12 am : writing
12. am : make lunch and eat (food grown in the garden, nothing is bought)
13 pm to 15 pm : go out collect eggs/chainsaw some wood/ dig ditches/ general maintenance of the land I rent/ check on the garden/plant some stuff if the time is right or harvest/
15 pm- 18 pm : write some more if I have the time, else this part of the day is spent doing more of the above
19-20 pm : make and eat dinner
21-22 pm : herd up the animals and put them to bed then educate myself on internet
23 pm : bed time

That's my schedule. I don't have weekends off, or holidays because I live off what my hands scrape out of the mud. I could find a well paid job if I wanted to, and frankly it would be easier than my current lifestyle. But you see, people who earn 200K+ per year, I don't want to.

Because I couldn't do that, and be off the grid.

Because I couldn't wake up in the morning, look at myself in the mirror, and see a person who contributes to the mechanisms of this f******ked up society in which few own everything, and the majority, (not the lucky ones like me who have a computer and broadband internet, I mean the majority, the real majority who live in goddamn awfull conditions in a third world that exists because people like you take more than they need), die around the age of 40 because of the slave labor and inhumane working conditions that provide the few with meaningless luxuries that they will throw away in a few months.

Because I don't want to be part of the problem. The problem is that every three seconds, somewhere on earth, a child dies of a preventable disease. You go take your arrogant statements about lazyness and meaningless cr$p like " the work skills" you are so good at" you go take those and the misery that your repugnant competitive way of thinking inflicts upon others, to a living hellhole in Africa, and tell the parent of one of those children that "if he'd just tried harder, his child might have lived". You go there and tell those people, who break their backs in the lithium mines of Congo for your new I-Phone, on a wage of 3 dollars per 14 hour day, you go tell them that they need to "brush up on their skills".

People like you are the problem. So convinced that your confortable little sacrifices entitle you to impose misery and death upon other human beings because you can't see them suffering so that you buy a new car or a flat screen TV.

I don't care what you give away through charity, charity is like putting a winnie the pooh plaster on a ruptured artery. You people, your simplistic predator-like vision of the world, your money that banks speculate with, your way of life aimed at maintaining the status quo, you contributed to rupturing that artery ! And you feel good and righteous about yourselves for putting that little plaster on the wound ! You have got to be kidding me ! Even if you gave away everything you have and spent the rest off your lives begging for forgivness it would'nt even start compensating all the deaths and wars and famine that have been provoked so as that you can maintain your confortable little life style and your narrow minded way of thinking.

Officially, I'm unemployed. And I'm proud of it. No money in the bank, hell, no money at all. I'm on the dole. And proud of it. Because I want to suck every tiny little thing I can from out of this system that exists only to support huge inequalities and the suffering of the many for the benefit of the few. I want this system to crumble and fail, and when it does, I want to be able to say : "never did I work for a system that killed so many of my human brothers and sisters every day, on the contrary, I fought it with all I could, even if it cost me some of the personal comfort I could of had".

I do not accept your vision of the world. You are the accomplices of mass genocide in the name of profit. I will not be a part of that. You "deserve" all that money, because you fought your way to the top of an unjust social pyramid, and you accepted that structure without question. You accepted the suffering it brought upon others, even if you did't feel concerned, because it wasn't "you", it's just the way things are, dog eat dog, right ? Wrong.
You are responsible for the way things are.

You probably don't care about what I'm writing here. Too bad. You will one day. Lying on your deathbeds, you will reflect, maybe, upon what you have accomplished in your lives. The answer is Nothing. Selfish profit for you and your own. And you maintained/aggravated inequalities between fellow men. Kudos to you. When I die, I'll have nothing. But at least i'll know I had the BALLS to say NO to an injust and corrupt system, instead of being a worthless pawn to global monetarism.

Originally posted by MrAnnunaki
reply to post by BigTimeCheater

 

and where in life are you since you call "bottom feeders" lazy, you a rich douche or what?

Not rich, nor a douche. I do ok in life.

Stop being envious of those with more than you, and start working on improving your own pathetic life.

You cant change the rules of their game, so dont play their game.
The one thing that I found out that benefitted my life the most, was to have control of my labor and my time.
I've accomplished so much more by living closer to the earth and natural reality than I ever would have by playing in someone elses created fantasy world.