dust1n
Zindīq
Nah, I think the problem is that our society has become so privatized that there isn't enough government to actual regulate our economy, and thus inequality keeps increasing.
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Life is good... if you are mega-wealthy.
- Thread starter dust1n
- Start date
Nah, I think the problem is that our society has become so privatized that there isn't enough government to actual regulate our economy, and thus inequality keeps increasing.
McBell
Admiral Obvious
No, the problem is not having what you need.
Kathryn
It was on fire when I laid down on it.
What we need and what we THINK we need are often two very different things.
One of the happiest times in my life was when I was a new wife and mother in my early twenties. I hardly even had any furniture and my husband was an E-1 in the military - which meant that we didn't qualify for on post housing or a housing allowance. We lived in an absolute DUMP and I had one dress, one pair of jeans, a couple of shirts, a pair of tennis shoes and about three pairs of socks and underwear. No tv at all - heck, I don't even think I had a radio. We had one car that was an absolute joke and was so unreliable we were afraid to drive it anywhere. I lived 800 miles from my parents and knew absolutely no one in my neighborhood.
You may find this hard to believe but I began tracking this - I went five YEARS without drinking a soft drink. A soft drink would have been a luxury that we could't afford.
Anyway back to that apartment. We bought a sofa for five dollars. Someone gave us a bed and a table. Our clothes (what few we had) were in two boxes.
I still have the three little Christmas ornaments that I bought that first Christmas at the drug store - they were three for a dollar. That's what we had on the tiny tree we got.
So - all of his paycheck went to food and rent (utilities were included). He rode his bike to work. I just...stayed home with the baby all day.
No cell phones, no internet, no tv, no radio, no meals out. We lived like that for about two years till he got enough rank on him for us to move on post into quarters.
These were some of the happiest days of my life - because of the love in my life, my beautiful baby girl who loved me unconditionally (by the way, no disposable diapers - we had to use cloth, which meant that I had to wash the poop out by hand), and the overall contentment in my heart.
We were poor, but we also knew that there was light at the end of the tunnel - we knew that hard work and temporary sacrifice would get us out of our bleak economic situation, and it did. Every day we worked toward our goals, and we reached them.
It was really, really hard - but so worth it.
One of the happiest times in my life was when I was a new wife and mother in my early twenties. I hardly even had any furniture and my husband was an E-1 in the military - which meant that we didn't qualify for on post housing or a housing allowance. We lived in an absolute DUMP and I had one dress, one pair of jeans, a couple of shirts, a pair of tennis shoes and about three pairs of socks and underwear. No tv at all - heck, I don't even think I had a radio. We had one car that was an absolute joke and was so unreliable we were afraid to drive it anywhere. I lived 800 miles from my parents and knew absolutely no one in my neighborhood.
You may find this hard to believe but I began tracking this - I went five YEARS without drinking a soft drink. A soft drink would have been a luxury that we could't afford.
Anyway back to that apartment. We bought a sofa for five dollars. Someone gave us a bed and a table. Our clothes (what few we had) were in two boxes.
I still have the three little Christmas ornaments that I bought that first Christmas at the drug store - they were three for a dollar. That's what we had on the tiny tree we got.
So - all of his paycheck went to food and rent (utilities were included). He rode his bike to work. I just...stayed home with the baby all day.
No cell phones, no internet, no tv, no radio, no meals out. We lived like that for about two years till he got enough rank on him for us to move on post into quarters.
These were some of the happiest days of my life - because of the love in my life, my beautiful baby girl who loved me unconditionally (by the way, no disposable diapers - we had to use cloth, which meant that I had to wash the poop out by hand), and the overall contentment in my heart.
We were poor, but we also knew that there was light at the end of the tunnel - we knew that hard work and temporary sacrifice would get us out of our bleak economic situation, and it did. Every day we worked toward our goals, and we reached them.
It was really, really hard - but so worth it.
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I see what you're saying Kathryn. I was in the same boat in my first marriage when my firstborn was a baby and I was pregnant with our second child.
But, here's the thing. We didn't get sick. We got very lucky.
I know a young couple who is up to their eyeballs in debt, who live in a tiny two-room apartment with their newborn baby girl, and the reason why they're in debt? The new mom had a gall-bladder attack (she's 20), and the newborn had severe jaundice and had to stay a bit before they were allowed to bring her home.
Now they're over $30,000 in debt. Why? The husband had a full-time job, and what little they could put toward their deductible when she had to be rushed to surgery ran out quickly......and then he was laid off when she was pregnant and had their baby, and so now they're getting help completely from their church. I went over to fix them dinner as well as getting them about a week's worth of meals.
Yes, they're very happy with their baby, but they're worried about what the future holds. They don't have a car, either. And since I've worked with both of them in theatre before they were married, I know they are both very hard-working people.
They are also very, very deeply committed to their Christian faith, and both lead various prayer groups and Bible studies, and so believe in the concept of God blessing them with what they need when they need it.
Sometimes, it just isn't all that simple. People can have a work ethic - which I won't deny does help - and then people are just lucky by not getting sued or not getting sick or not getting hurt in an accident. Working hard is not the "X" factor.
**** happens. From personal experience, I see that it will take more than a few years for them to crawl out of their hole, but who knows if any more setbacks will happen for them? And from personal experience with health problems myself, who knows for us, too?
But, here's the thing. We didn't get sick. We got very lucky.
I know a young couple who is up to their eyeballs in debt, who live in a tiny two-room apartment with their newborn baby girl, and the reason why they're in debt? The new mom had a gall-bladder attack (she's 20), and the newborn had severe jaundice and had to stay a bit before they were allowed to bring her home.
Now they're over $30,000 in debt. Why? The husband had a full-time job, and what little they could put toward their deductible when she had to be rushed to surgery ran out quickly......and then he was laid off when she was pregnant and had their baby, and so now they're getting help completely from their church. I went over to fix them dinner as well as getting them about a week's worth of meals.
Yes, they're very happy with their baby, but they're worried about what the future holds. They don't have a car, either. And since I've worked with both of them in theatre before they were married, I know they are both very hard-working people.
They are also very, very deeply committed to their Christian faith, and both lead various prayer groups and Bible studies, and so believe in the concept of God blessing them with what they need when they need it.
Sometimes, it just isn't all that simple. People can have a work ethic - which I won't deny does help - and then people are just lucky by not getting sued or not getting sick or not getting hurt in an accident. Working hard is not the "X" factor.
**** happens. From personal experience, I see that it will take more than a few years for them to crawl out of their hole, but who knows if any more setbacks will happen for them? And from personal experience with health problems myself, who knows for us, too?
McBell
Admiral Obvious
So sorry.
My mistake.
I thought me and my family needed food and shelter.
How thoughtless of me.
Kathryn
It was on fire when I laid down on it.
(I'm going to post this ridiculously happy post on the two threads that seem to be addressing basically the same issue.)
If you guys will excuse me, I am getting off the internet because I have a lot of WORK to do. We're moving this week into our new house - the one that we've worked hard to be able to afford - and I need to get a lot of packing done. I'm going to be packing up all the material things that I've earned all my life.
It will be hard work and won't feel like a weekend off - but it will be worth it when we get those keys to our new place later this week - and walk through that doorway and smell that new house smell!
I've come a long way from that crappy apartment I was living in back in my twenties. I made a lot of bad choices early on and have paid dearly for them over my lifetime. But I've also worked hard for thirty years and so has my husband.
God has restored to us everything we've lost over the years due to poor choices. I am incredibly grateful for everything I have - but I also know that I could lose it all and still have the two most precious things in the world - my faith, and the love of my family.
I don't care if some people have more than me - I never have. I believe that contentment is an attitude and it doesn't depend on material things. I remember that crappy apartment I lived in in my twenties, and I distinctly remember the sense of pride I had in a sparkling clean floor, or the wildflowers I picked and put in a mason jar in the middle of that table someone gave us. I thought it was beautiful.
Peace out!
If you guys will excuse me, I am getting off the internet because I have a lot of WORK to do. We're moving this week into our new house - the one that we've worked hard to be able to afford - and I need to get a lot of packing done. I'm going to be packing up all the material things that I've earned all my life.
It will be hard work and won't feel like a weekend off - but it will be worth it when we get those keys to our new place later this week - and walk through that doorway and smell that new house smell!
I've come a long way from that crappy apartment I was living in back in my twenties. I made a lot of bad choices early on and have paid dearly for them over my lifetime. But I've also worked hard for thirty years and so has my husband.
God has restored to us everything we've lost over the years due to poor choices. I am incredibly grateful for everything I have - but I also know that I could lose it all and still have the two most precious things in the world - my faith, and the love of my family.
I don't care if some people have more than me - I never have. I believe that contentment is an attitude and it doesn't depend on material things. I remember that crappy apartment I lived in in my twenties, and I distinctly remember the sense of pride I had in a sparkling clean floor, or the wildflowers I picked and put in a mason jar in the middle of that table someone gave us. I thought it was beautiful.
Peace out!
McBell
Admiral Obvious
I will drop the drama when you drop the condescendingness.
deal?
Kathryn
It was on fire when I laid down on it.
I see what you're saying Kathryn. I was in the same boat in my first marriage when my firstborn was a baby and I was pregnant with our second child.
But, here's the thing. We didn't get sick. We got very lucky.
I know a young couple who is up to their eyeballs in debt, who live in a tiny two-room apartment with their newborn baby girl, and the reason why they're in debt? The new mom had a gall-bladder attack (she's 20), and the newborn had severe jaundice and had to stay a bit before they were allowed to bring her home.
Now they're over $30,000 in debt. Why? The husband had a full-time job, and what little they could put toward their deductible when she had to be rushed to surgery ran out quickly......and then he was laid off when she was pregnant and had their baby, and so now they're getting help completely from their church. I went over to fix them dinner as well as getting them about a week's worth of meals.
Yes, they're very happy with their baby, but they're worried about what the future holds. They don't have a car, either. And since I've worked with both of them in theatre before they were married, I know they are both very hard-working people.
They are also very, very deeply committed to their Christian faith, and both lead various prayer groups and Bible studies, and so believe in the concept of God blessing them with what they need when they need it.
Sometimes, it just isn't all that simple. People can have a work ethic - which I won't deny does help - and then people are just lucky by not getting sued or not getting sick or not getting hurt in an accident. Working hard is not the "X" factor.
**** happens. From personal experience, I see that it will take more than a few years for them to crawl out of their hole, but who knows if any more setbacks will happen for them? And from personal experience with health problems myself, who knows for us, too?
Mystic, I see what you're saying as well, and my heart goes out to that family. THIS is exactly the sort of situation that I believe that valid, well run government assistance programs should be used for.
You said that they have a newborn baby and the mom had a serious health problem very recently. So all this tragedy has happened apparently in just the past several months.
Most of their hospital bills will probably be written off by the hospital and doctors. Hopefully they are working closely with a social worker from the hospital.
As for the car - my daughter was in a similar situation several years ago and someone actually GAVE her a car - someone she didn't even know, from their church. My youngest son is now driving that car five years later.
I am glad they have the church to help them thru this temporary situation. I'm sure the husband is drawing unemployment - if not, he should be. They also qualify for WIC for both the baby and mom, if mom is breastfeeding. If mom's not breastfeeding, 100% of the baby's nutritional needs will be met by WIC. WIC gives you so much food you can't even eat it all!
My point is that if they are both as hardworking as you say (and I don't doubt they are) and they have the support of their church and friends, and if they take full advantage of unemployment and state and federal programs, they are exactly the type of family that good programs are most effective with.
I wish them luck and I have absolutely no doubt that they will be able to recover from this financial blow within a couple of years.
Kathryn
It was on fire when I laid down on it.
Nope. I just call it like I see it. I believe you and your family have food and shelter and you certainly have internet access. Don't act like I'm implying that food and shelter are not necessary or are a luxury, because it should be obvious that I'm NOT.
However, internet, cell phones, satellite TV, new furniture, tattoos, body piercings, cigarettes, alcohol, weed, meals out, entertainment, new tennis shoes, two living areas, a separate bedroom for each family member, two or more bathrooms, etc - those ARE luxuries, not necessities - and certainly not RIGHTS.
Thanks, Kathryn. I'll be sure to offer your words of support to them the next time I talk with them. Because they're so young, they're awfully scared.
McBell
Admiral Obvious
Who said anything about "rights"?
I mean, other than you, just now.
And please be so kind as to point out that one has the RIGHT to eat, the RIGHT to shelter.
For some people those are also luxuries.
I have no idea why you make the assumption I am talking about me.
Perhaps that is just to easy a strawman?
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Kathryn
It was on fire when I laid down on it.
They really need the advice of older, wiser people and they also need to get some professional advice from social services as to what their options are. Do they know where the local food closets are and what their unemployment, WIC, and other assistance programs are?
I genuinely believe that they will find that there are many public and private programs that can help them through this initial period of shock and dismay.
It's a setback but they've got youth and energy on their side.