A challenge. Can you read this without trying to find a solution, a negative comment, a but..., an if they just, a judgement? http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2013-11-23/what-its-be-poor-and-make-terrible-decisions
2-3 generations ago we used to be able to support a family of 5-6 on 1 income. A can of coke 2-3 generations ago was substantially cheaper than it is today. Now ask your self with robotic automated factories, massive food processing plants, modern day ingenuity in fabrication. Should a can of coke cost more or less now? Based on the progressive ingenuity of modern day technology we should theoretically have no more poor. Leave it to you to fill in the gaps
No, it's an article full of excuses. And probably full of shit, she can afford an internet connection at least . http://killer-martinis.squarespace.com/
Just throwing this out there as a "maybe because"; We do have economies of scale for consumer goods... but there's so much more to spend today that there wasn't 2-3 generations ago. Regarding 'housing' for instance, unlike then, we now have houses wired for telecoms, reverse cycle airconditioning, solar hotwater, multiple flatscreen TV's and games systems, plus the 2 cars in the double garage that are consisdered "necessary"..it's all so much more expensive than in the past. Our expectations of what it is to be middleclass is being more and more tightly constrained and redefined...
When you look at raw materials there is very little substance in any of todays products compared to generations ago. My house I live in now is over 100 years old and the building inspector that last looked at it said it would out last the brand new housing developments up the road from me. No one builds houses with thick hardwood anymore no one builds cars out of thick steel no one builds electronics to last more than 3 years. We live in the cheap and nasty throw away economy so saying we now have 2 cars and a flat screen doesn't really make up for the lack of equal distribution of manufactured automation. The poor should all have flat screens and two cars and the middle class should only work 1 day a week given the amount of product we can pump out of factories. Truth is someone is sucking the wealth out of society like a leach.
I am not asking for sympathy. I am just trying to explain, on a human level, how it is that people make what look from the outside like awful decisions. This is what our lives are like, and here are our defense mechanisms, and here is why we think differently. It's certainly self-defeating, but it's safer. That's all. I hope it helps make sense of it. When a person matures...they make a life standard that suits them and...not others. "Being poor" If you have food, water, a safe dry place to sleep at night...friendship and aren't bored...you aren't poor....you are a sparkling gem! Many people think a "name" or so called "status" makes them important or something like middle class or rich...but take those people out of their local environment and they have a poor skill set to survive. "Real Men" can provide for their family regardless of the situation because they have the life skills to produce "life" outcomes and they are rich even though they may appear to others as poor. A Man's perception of being poor or not, is commensurate with his life experience. When a man thinks!!!! and makes his own standards!!! that's when he is not poor! There will always be a person with a better job, a better house...a faster car but only when you say...F..k-it....that's good enough...will you be happy. The modern world of consumerism is BS. Live simply, have friends, dance, sing, scale down on the junk you collect and...be happy and...never worry what the other dickhead has! H Edit PS Most wankers who seem to be rich owe the bank heaps of dollars for many years. They aren't rich...they are broke!
I have been poor & didnt like it .No money in your pocket is not a good feeling when others are having fun . I agree with holfasts post above when u get a bit older that post rings true but when your young no mun no fun ....sucks like a hoover
As stated it is about perception, I have done VERY well for myself and have a parasite of an ex wife who has never had anything and is lazy, and takes a huge amount. Now I can work my arse off and try and claw my way back but why? Now I feel I would be happy living in a camper van travelling the Coast doing a lot of fishing and seeing some amazing places. I have no doubt people would look at me as some poor bum living in a van and homeless. If I have food, can sleep in the van, meet some nice people and do what I loved doing when I was 15 just fishing and enjoying life would I be as happy as having rental income, well paying job and a big house, ex always telling me what I should be doing and why she needs more money. I think people are trapped in a cycle of always wanting more and always feeling on edge. A comfortable bed, a nice meal and a few other basics and I think I would be happy.
I started a casual job last week...Was told it would be ongoing with possible overtime....Got to friday knock off and asked about this week.......'No sorry its gone quiet'......Back to square one. At the job agency today for bi weekly appointment asking why employers do this and what the hell is going on.....Response was....'Lots of employess only doing casual now' .....'Very lucky to get full time employment'.....'Its happening in the U.S alot also".... Rang two places back to get a reply on wether they're going to employ or not....."Nah mate the boss has still got to look at it all, we'll get back to you soon"... So for those of you calling the poor a bunch of losers........Go out and try and find a job somewhere and let me know how you go? Oh and try paying for food, internet, house phone, mobile phone, fuel for car and electricty bill on $450 a week!
through my early and mid twenties I would work my arse off for 9 months then take 3 or more off, By the end of it I was terribly poor, but so healthy, when all you can do is surf, not drink to much or eat to much crap I kind of find it refreshing, Now I have a business and don't really go without and it's feels stale.. George Orwell did well out of being middle class experiencing poverty..
Your not a looser - get back to basics, get rid of the mobile, do some voluntary work ( someone will notice you ) get off the internet - just change that mind set, many on this forum have seen difficulty, just do something , this forum isn't going to pay living expenses.
Some of you people don't seem to realise how the system works.......You NEED internet to look for jobs these days and apply online....And you NEED a mobile so people can contact you like possible employers.....I had two phone calls about work while at work last week.....Told them i was o.k for work then find out friday i'm actually not... And you also NEED a house phone to make enquiry calls and re calls to find out what thye bloody hell is going on! Fair enough Centrelink and The gov. want you to be employed, but they bloody dont pay enough to cover the costs of looking for work, travelling to interveiws and bi weekly appointments....... This is what many of you just dont seem to understand? Latest Teltra Bundle house phone deal (STD calls ffs!) and MINIMUM 50GB internet, last bill $148 for the month.......Vodaphone mobile $60-70 per month.
Sorry TheEnd but you have got to be joking! my mobile on telstra prepaid costs me $15 per month max - often less
Well I just had a big session with Vodaphone this morning.....Where I live the service rarely works and i've complained afew times and they've told me they're upgrading the system.......This morning I missed a phone call that was work related because it dropped out when i answered.....I was fuming. Now they're telling me the payout figure $750 ffs! And Telstra's cheapest deal is $60 per month but at least the service always works. My missus is on Telstra too and we think we will cancel hers now?
