Magic Man
Reaper of Conversation
What specific problems do you see the size of our country causing in this respect?
Reverend Rick said:
And you wonder why people don't take you seriously?
-
Welcome to Religious Forums, a friendly forum to discuss all religions in a friendly surrounding.
Your voice is missing! You will need to register to get access to the following site features:- Reply to discussions and create your own threads.
- Our modern chat room. No add-ons or extensions required, just login and start chatting!
- Access to private conversations with other members.
We hope to see you as a part of our community soon!
Is "hard work" a virtue?
- Thread starter Alceste
- Start date
What specific problems do you see the size of our country causing in this respect?
And you wonder why people don't take you seriously?
Ciscokid
Well-Known Member
Magic Man
Reaper of Conversation
But if the percentages are the same, then what's the problem? If you have 5 million people where 4.5 million are contributing and .5 million not, and then you have 300 million people where 270 million are contributing and 30 million not, then how would it be different?
Kilgore Trout
Misanthropic Humanist
Best post in thread.
Jackytar
Ex-member
Originally Posted by Alceste
Hi, Jacky, actually I've repeatedly mentioned the fact that Danes are the happiest people in the world, according to research. Nevertheless, thanks for bringing it up again.
Originally Posted by mball1297
I have also brought it up many times. (Not that it really matters, but I believe I brought it up in one thread here first months ago when there was a story about Denmark being the happiest country in the world.)
Not what I meant. My bad.
I was thinking about the more formal argument economists make about increased social cohesiveness with decreased economic inequality.
Jackytar
Hi, Jacky, actually I've repeatedly mentioned the fact that Danes are the happiest people in the world, according to research. Nevertheless, thanks for bringing it up again.
Originally Posted by mball1297
I have also brought it up many times. (Not that it really matters, but I believe I brought it up in one thread here first months ago when there was a story about Denmark being the happiest country in the world.)
Not what I meant. My bad.
I was thinking about the more formal argument economists make about increased social cohesiveness with decreased economic inequality.
Jackytar
Alceste
Vagabond
OOooooOOOOoOooohhhh! Is that REAL?
If I was very virtuous, and worked very very hard....
do you think I could 'build' one of those for each member of my family...
in a large field? With maybe one central one that has a kitchen?
Seperate bunny houses!
What a SPLENDID alternative to this ridiculous
"one family per house" model we live in!
Yeah, that's real. I've been speaking with that guy about helping with his next project - a permaculture eco-village in Wales with a bunch of other builders / organic farmers. He built this one living in a tent with his wife and two kids, and it cost about 4 months of labor and 3000 pounds.
Full story here
Here are a few more for kicks:
Last edited:
Alceste
Vagabond
Yep, sure does, but nothing at all like the butt-kissing, clock-watching, self-destructive, pointless, monotonous pastime that passes for "work" for most of the people in this sad and failing world.
Alceste
Vagabond
Only when I'm here.
Jackytar
Ex-member
Kilgore Trout
Misanthropic Humanist
I sense a goth just struggling to get out.
Alceste
Vagabond
Jackytar
Here at work, not "here" at RF. Jobs are boring.
Jackytar
Ex-member
twinmama
Member
I can't post attachments or links as a new poster but this is from YLE(.fi)
"A survey published by the Social Insurance Institution of Finland, shows that 80% of the Finns would be ready to pay higher taxes, if the money were to go to into healthcare services. In general, people would rather see higher taxes than a deterioration in social benefits....
Finns were found to be critical of income gaps. Most respondents would reduce income gaps by raising wages and salaries for people in jobs such as cleaners. Nearly half would back steeper progression for the income tax scale."
About the Europeans being happy...maybe true if we are talking about rich western European countries but I find it hard to believe if we start to talk about poor eastern European countries where people are working very hard to get their daily bread.
and hungry kids in USA. There are good organisations like SecondHarvest and FeedTheChildren that give info aboutt hunger situation in USA.
This is from USAToday;
One of every four children in New Mexico and Texas and one of every five in a dozen other states, live in households that struggle to provide enough food at some point during the year, a report released Thursday says.
Nationwide, the report finds that 13 million children, or 18%, were hungry or at risk of hunger. That percentage has held fairly steady in the past decade. New Hampshire had the smallest share of kids facing hunger, 7%, followed by North Dakota with 9%.
"A survey published by the Social Insurance Institution of Finland, shows that 80% of the Finns would be ready to pay higher taxes, if the money were to go to into healthcare services. In general, people would rather see higher taxes than a deterioration in social benefits....
Finns were found to be critical of income gaps. Most respondents would reduce income gaps by raising wages and salaries for people in jobs such as cleaners. Nearly half would back steeper progression for the income tax scale."
About the Europeans being happy...maybe true if we are talking about rich western European countries but I find it hard to believe if we start to talk about poor eastern European countries where people are working very hard to get their daily bread.
and hungry kids in USA. There are good organisations like SecondHarvest and FeedTheChildren that give info aboutt hunger situation in USA.
This is from USAToday;
One of every four children in New Mexico and Texas and one of every five in a dozen other states, live in households that struggle to provide enough food at some point during the year, a report released Thursday says.
Nationwide, the report finds that 13 million children, or 18%, were hungry or at risk of hunger. That percentage has held fairly steady in the past decade. New Hampshire had the smallest share of kids facing hunger, 7%, followed by North Dakota with 9%.
Ciscokid
Well-Known Member
It might be a bit more complex than that. I hardly doubt China could just copy cat Finland and years later be the happiest country on earth. There are social issues at play that may affect one country but are absent in the other.
What if Finland suddenly had Mexico below it, do you really think that wouldn't be in impact?
twinmama
Member
Check the map and see what is behind our eastern border. And regards to western Europe in general - check what continent is below us. Europe is dealing massive illegal immigration problem but is usa media covering it, I don't know.
Alceste
Vagabond
The US media rarely covers anything going on outside the US in detail. The main exception seems to be news that might contribute to the demonization of their enemies.
yossarian22
Resident Schizophrenic
Nobody is suggesting that people copy Finland's exact social services structure, but it should be abundantly clear by now that the economic liberalism started in the 1980s has done nothing but increase income disparity in the US.
Just look at median income by quartiles and GPD vs median family income. We can't copy their services, but we sure as hell can copy their tax structure (considering we had a similar one up until the 1980s).
Kathryn
It was on fire when I laid down on it.
:flirt:quite ironic considering Jesus' message is supposedly in their hearts and minds
This has got to be the MOST ridiculous of all the ridiculous posts I've read on this thread so far.
"They are poor, let them smoke, drink...their death is unimportant..." What is THAT supposed to mean? Do you honestly believe that conservatives in the US HOPE that the poor smoke and drink themselves to death? Maybe conservatives actually secretly funnel alcohol and cigarettes to them...give me a break!
Your post strongly implies many erroneous ideas -I'll just point out a few of the most glaring though:
1. If you're poor, you aren't a right wing conservative. False - just drive through any small southern town in the US and you will find plenty of poor, hard working conservatives.
2. Rich people don't care if the poor die. False - first of all, last time I checked, the death rate for all people stood at 100% - so guess what - the poor are going to die and so are the rich. Secondly - the wealthy in the US contribute the lion's share of our society's contributions to charitable organizations.
3. This is my favorite - "Let them smoke, drink...their death is unimportant..." Personally, I don't care who smokes and drinks, as long as they're not a minor. Heck, I'll sit down next to them and smoke and drink with them - oh, wait, can't do that anymore because of all the anti smoking regs now...but it was fun while it lasted...
Anyway, here's my question - how can you possibly imagine that "the rich" "allow" the poor to smoke and drink themselves to death? What ever happened to personal responsibility?
That's the crux of the issue here. You are implying that right wing conservatives are harsh and uncaring toward "the poor" and are willing to step over their bodies in their own pursuit of wealth.
Buddy, you've got it all wrong. Right wing conservatives support taking responsibility for one's own actions.