∞∞∞ wrote:AZGrizFan wrote:...Most of them work hard, but the consequences of their early decisions have haunted them for their entire lives. And most of them have children who have perpetuated these poor decision trees and its become somewhat of an "institutionalized poverty" scenario in a couple branches of the ol' family tree...
So they work hard yet the decisions of their youth haunt them to the point of perpetual poverty...
...that's a broken system.
No, no it's not. That is the stereotypical bleeding heart liberal's response, but it's categorically untrue. Everyone born in America, by and large, is a compilation of their life choices (yes, there are a few exceptions). That's why they call it LIFE. This isn't monopoly or a video game where you get multiple chances to get it right. But even if you work your ass off, not everyone gets the brass ring. And working hard <> working smart.
Example #1: My big brother....fairly smart dude, but dropped out of HS because it wasn't worth his time. Now at 58 years old must live with his daughter because he can't hold a job long enough to gain traction. ALWAYS thinks he's smarter than the boss and ends up getting into a pissing contest and leaving within 3-4 months (hell, sometimes weeks or days). I would venture he's had 250+ jobs in his lifetime. He has some very rare skills that allow him to continually GAIN employment, but he just can't KEEP employment. He doesn't have a pot to piss in. Can't rub two nickels together. He has a college degree (ultimately got his GED) and is currently working the swing shift at the Tesla plant in Reno. We'll see how long that lasts.
Example #2: My nephew. Born into a single parent family. No father figure his entire childhood. My brothers and I attempted to fill that void, and he was a pretty good kid. But hey, he's a white, hetero male, so he's already on 3rd base, right? The world is his oyster, yeah? Unfortunately, once he became an adult, he got mixed with the wrong crowd, became a full-fledged raging communist and now, at age 36, sits (LITERALLY) in his mother's basement all day, collecting a disability check (because, you know, he hurt his back working at the mattress store
) and writes in his manifesto about how fucked up our system is. He's also very smart. Just chooses to apply his brains in a not-so-productive direction...and now he'd rather game the system than go get a real job. OK, so maybe he's not a good example because he's NOT working hard.
But he's poor by CHOICE. He CHOOSES not to work hard. And no amount of money, training, schooling (he's attempted to start college EIGHT times) will change that. He's a fucking slug and that's that. Zero sympathy from me.
If either of these two WANTED to change their scenario, there's a multitude of options, programs and ways to do it. But they just don't want to have to work that hard, or play the game, so they tread water where they are--just like the vast majority of the working poor. Call me a cynic. Call me an unsympathetic douchebag...really don't care. If you REALLY want to stop living hand-to-mouth, it can be done. Instead, people believe they are OWED what someone else has (and has worked for), instead of WANTING it and being willing to do what's necessary to get it. THAT'S a broken system, Trip. THAT'S where it went off the rails...
But he's poor by CHOICE. He CHOOSES not to work hard. And no amount of money, training, schooling (he's attempted to start college EIGHT times) will change that. He's a fucking slug and that's that. Zero sympathy from me.
