Forum Post: DEBATE: Is It The Own Mistakes Of The Poor That Put Them In Their Situation, Or The Rich?
Posted 12 years ago on Jan. 9, 2012, 10:43 p.m. EST by TheGreedyCapitalist
(47)
from Long Beach, CA
This content is user submitted and not an official statement
Who is to blame for the situation of the poor? Is it the rich or themselves?
I have been reading an article on CNN about the poor in Atlanta and have seen some interesting arguments for both sides so I thought I would start a debate here.
Some that really stood out to me;
"Minimum wage was never designed to support a family; it was an introductory wage for young people without knowledge or skills. If an adult is working a minimum wage job, they have either made some very poor choices or lacked intelligence to begin with."
"I cannot sympathize with those who have lived off the sweat of others, selfishly without even a brief indication of gratitude; had children they knew they could not afford; made poor health choices knowing there would be consequences, or squandered opportunities for education or training that would better their circumstances. No one owes anyone anything. You make it or go without, and you don't breed what you cannot feed."
"I wish someone would do a better profile of 'poor' in America compared to 'poor' in Africa or Asia. Are poor are rich when you look at what they have compared to billions of people who live on less than a dollar a day."
Please debate this in a professional matter. This is not meant to favor any side, just a topic for debate.
http://www.cnn.com/2012/01/08/us/income-gap-profile/index.html
Not meant to favor any side?
You must be joking.
If you wish to compare the poor of America, with the poor of Africa, move there.
I would suggest being penniless and black, on the Niger Delta.
Just so you can get a feel, for what you are asking for.
Same with the author.
You would then know who is really living selfishly off the sweat of someone else's brow.
Who wrote this? I noticed you didn't say.
I can add the link to the CNN article if you wish.
The quoted paragraphs were comments on the discuss section.
This was not a debate to compare the poor with other countries, if you will re-read the title you might get a better understanding...
Actually, no.
It's the same lib(R)tarain crap.
It's still crap.
If I step on you, it's your own fault, because you "chose" to be under my foot.
Fascism!!!!!!.
This is a debate, if you have an oppinion explain it in a proper manner without using shout downs. If you don't wish to debate please visit another thread. Thanks.
I call it as I see it.
I call fascism!!
All of this has been hashed and rehashed, many times over.
Did you miss that?
You quoted the statement on comparing the poor of very different nations, and back away from that debate?
Then tell me to address only the title?
Looks, sounds and feels like fascism to me. 100%!
The same style of libe(R)tarian misdirection.
You made the "choice" of posting this kind of crap for the umpteenth time.
Deal with it, or let it drop.
You are poor in your soul, dude.
Sometimes I think what we really need to be working on is a drug or genetic mod we can spread in the water that makes people compassionate rather than marching in the streets. Hey ! We could put it in jet contrails, and then the conspiracy nuts would be happy too ! LOL ! I crack myself up !
You are too.
Please explain, this was not meant to be an insult of any kind.
Oh, yes it was. Don't try hiding.
I'm beginning to suspect by focusing in on who has money and who doesn't, we may be buying into the Capitalist/Consumerist agenda.
Take a look at my post about my experiences in Mexico at http://occupywallst.org/forum/observations-from-mexico/ and the post at http://occupywallst.org/forum/an-example-for-all-of-us/ . Both tell stories of people that are poor but seem happier than most.
Perhaps we're elevating wealth too high in importance.
Is it possible that we're addicted to the same drug as the 1% and simply want more ?
I will agree. Money does not buy happiness. It may help, but won't change your life. Look at the many wealthy celebrites for example. They are all very rich yet are on tons of depression medicine and drugs.
It's ok to want a better life, but to be sucked into the idea that without it your nothing is a bad idea.
Thanks for your post.
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I'm definitely in agreement on this.....but the collectivist minions will claim you are uncaring and have no compassion because you don't want to support millions of people who have made poor lifestyle choices....
Probably because most of those who disagree are the very type who make such choices, and not the ones who pay for those that do......
Just my personal observation...
First of all, not everyone has the skill set of Steven Jobs... we live in a world where people who are artists, linguists, or just less fortunate in terms of raw intelligence (who are probably better at other things) simply have no chance.
Add that to situational factors, personal misfortunes, or growing up poor... and its difficult to wind up rich. Not everyone has Money like William Henry Gates III to purchase QDOS for $50,000 or whatever it was.
Its not impossible to go from poor to rich if you have the right combination of skills, drive, intelligence, and opportunity; but in the same sense as its not impossible to get into public university in Japan, or set a world record in pole vaulting.
That's why compassion is important, and why people who make plenty of money need to quit whining so much about that proposed tax rate which might have a slight impact on their $10,000,000 salary...
I tend to lean the same way, however I do recognize that some people do have a sudden emergency/issue that leaves them in a bad spot (family member needs surgery, ect.). But I have seen people who get in that position get out quickly with a little hard work.
Thanks for your comment.
slammersworldisback = TROLL
His thinking on poverty is typical of what I have called TROLLOSOPHY.
To understand WHAT MAKES A TROLL TICK - AND have a chuckle while you're at it - go to:
http://occupywallst.org/forum/how-trolls-think-trollosophy-exposed/
that's all you got? sad and pathetic.......I am here to debate idea's....it looks like you're the troll....
Sad and pathetic? If you are "here to debate ideas" as you claim, READ the response that is offered to you and which includes a link.
Here is the part of the COMPENDIUM OF TROLLOSOPHY that has a direct bearing on your comment:
"Let the children of the poor clean the toilets in their schools" (Thank you, Newt Gingrich, you truly are the Mother Teresa of the GOP and deserve to walk around with a halo!!! - CBS, Dec 1, 2011)
"Padlock all foodbanks - Let 'em STAAARVE!"
"If You Don't Have A Job And You're Not Rich, Blame Yourself!' (Thank you, Herman Cain! Wall Street Journal, October 5)
"BLAME the poor, make'em feel ashamed - that's the American way!"
"IGNORE thy neigbor!"
"Screw all those losers who 'thirst and hunger for Justice'!"
"Social Justice is a scam and a lie that has been pushed by the left for decades." (Thank you, "The1capitalist", for this pearl of unwisdom posted on this forum November 5)
"Jesus was a no-good bleeding-heart LIBERAL! Crucify the hippie!"
(NOTE: These excerpts of a SATIRE OF TROLLTHINK can be found here: http://occupywallst.org/forum/how-trolls-think-trollosophy-exposed/
"I am for doing good to the poor, but I differ in opinion about the means. I think the best way of doing good to the poor, is not making them easy in poverty, but leading or driving them out of it... In my youth I traveled much, and I observed in different countries that the more public provisions were made for the poor, the less they provided for themselves, and of course became poorer.... On the contrary, the less was done for them, the more they did for themselves, and became richer."
~Benjamin Franklin
This was a problem-less debate until you got here. Please leave if you are going to shout down people.
You don't seem to get that those quotations are a SATIRE of typical troll thinking... :)
This is a debate, if you have an oppinion speak it in a propper manner, not with shout down insults.
Explain why you belive that.
Nobody is shouting you down or insulting you. READ the thread, please. Do you comprehend what SATIRE is???
And btw, you really need to use your spell check.