Sure the poor may have been dealt a bad hand to begin with (relative to American standards), but that is no excuse to continue the cycle. ---------------------- Continue the cycle. One foot of the fly caught in the web, that is the young person growing up in the hood (not just necessarily in the hood but any lower economic class). Little by little, they never see it coming, till they are trapped and can't get out.
The essence of your post is true. But there are somethings where people aspire to more than "earning a living" (certain careers, be they in art, the sicnences, big busines) etc., where the fact-of-the-matter is that you may very well have to work at least twice as hard (if not more) to accept half as much (if that). Note: I'm not making accusations here, I'm just stating the facts.
Every society in history has had its underclass and dirt poor. So IMO a lot of it is just inherent in certain aspects of human nature. If you are mentally ill, a drug addict, have a lengthy criminal record, severe disabilities etc, no education or job skills, it's pretty hard not to be poor. Then there are people who are just lazy. However, different societies have vastly different proportions of poor people. Switzerland has relatively few. Cuba has almost everyone. There are probably some lessons in there somewhere. My suspicion is that rule of law, political stability, education, and removal of obstacles to capital formation will do a lot to reduce the amount of poverty.
As always, an extremely learned post from you Cutten. But you are leaving out the role that luck (or fate/karma) plays in one's success in life. And it plays a very big role, whether we know it, or admit it, in this culture and society. It's true that it is "better to be lucky than smart", but at some point, intelligence will have to "kick-in". And my suspicion is that, on a macro level, there is the perception of lack in this society. What that means is that "for me to win, you must lose", life is a zero sum game, and so long as "I get mine" that is all that matters. At least, that's been my experience with people.
Soon all those POOR in the US will have to pay higher prices for Fast Food, Beer, Soda, Etc. UNCLE OBAMA is gona make sure his "People" are not able to enjoy 'Sin" with the Sin Tax. The middle class will get hammered as well, but with Tax on Big Ticket Items...cars, Plasma, ENERGY (once Cap and Trade is passed), ...those that are just on the edge of the middle class will be pushed into the lower ranks of "THE COLLECTIVE". Meanwhile, the Rich, will buy their Piper Turbo Props, their 90ft boats, their Cars, and houses...land more Guns and afford to live well. Obama will not effect those who make 250k or more with 39% ordinary tax. S corps, C corps....will be the norm for most Private Individuals....those who work for someone making that much money, who are not "1040" will find ways to lower their "Report'd" income below the threshold.
Mandel touched on a good point. The #1 problem of anyone with shit for a life is their internal mind chatter. What they tell themselves all day. "The rich get richer and the poor stay poor." "I was born poor and I"ll die poor." I"m (pick one) so I'll always have it tough." etc etc. As for race, if "Da Gubmint", the biggest Racist Collective on the planet, would drop the "Check the box that applies-White. Black. Native American. Indonesian Gay Transvestite.", from all of it's paperwork, we'd all be a lot better off.
Yep typical thread on this site. It is the poor people fault. People on this site have no clue what goes on in the real world. You guys are always hunting for instances of perceived "reverse discrimination". Step out of the upper middle class Fox news world and you will see it quite differently.
Being poor is a culture and mindset that spans all races in some shape or form. I'm a white male (basically the most discriminated against type of person in the US thanks to our lovely government). I have lived in poverty in the ghetto with a family. I have been the "working poor" that article refers to. $15 would have been a hell of a raise for me when I first entered the work force with a college degree in a hard science back in 2001. I lived with the poor (black) culture and mentality for 6 years before I was able to escape. I and do say escape because it was miserable for both me and my family. I do empathize with the poor but do not have much sympathy since I have been there and got out of it. Granted my cultural values and mind set was vastly different than my fellow neighbors. The disappointing thing is that most do not want to change their cultural values or their mindset even though when talking to them they acknowledge that they want more but when it comes down to it they are not willing to put in the work to attain more. I have traveled over seas and have worked with many internationals. Nearly all agree that the US is the best place for opportunity to improve ones lot in life. Much better that their home country. But that gets back to culture and mindset. If the poor are not willing to change their culture and mindset they will continue to be poor. No amount of welfare, money, handouts, etc will change that. There are a few who want out and are willing to make the changes necessary and those are worth investing in. However helping the majority is throwing good money after bad.
Remember how a couple of years ago, Walmart tried to build super-centers (the giant supermarket that sell super-cheap groceries) in various big city inner-city neighborhoods....and how Democratic and Union activists blocked this from happening? Crap like that is a big part of why the poor have to pay 4 bucks or whatever for a gallon of milk at a convenience store instead of being able to shop at big box supermarkets where the stuff is cheaper.