Poor people

[Nessa 23]

They are victims of a system rigged against them - hmmm

about that comment, when Charles read that he said that I probably vote for that, but I did not. I don't think you can blame the system for being poor. The system doesn't make you poor. My hmmm was more a hmm, are u seriously considering that as a serious answer, or is it more like a joke answer, like let's kill all rich people?

[one...two...tree 2,762]

They are victims of a system rigged against them - hmmm

about that comment, when Charles read that he said that I probably vote for that, but I did not. I don't think you can blame the system for being poor. The system doesn't make you poor. My hmmm was more a hmm, are u seriously considering that as a serious answer, or is it more like a joke answer, like let's kill all rich people?

Nessa, if you don't mind me asking...do you come from an upper class family in Brazil?

[William33 110]

Spend some time in 3rd world countries, before you speak. I have done so and can speak on this level.

The derived insight will change your perspective for sure.

Edited May 1, 2008 by William33

[mawilson 2,133]

Spend some time in 3rd world countries, before you speak. I have done so and can speak on this level.

The derived insight will change your perspective for sure.

William,

I think this thread is about the poor in America, not 3rd world countries.

[SteveLaura 0]

I'm probably the only person, with the exception of Gary that's ever been poor.......dirt fcking poor!

Dammit, man, you beat me to it!

[rebeccajo 14]

I know a fair few stupid rich people

[Nessa 23]

Nessa, if you don't mind me asking...do you come from an upper class family in Brazil?

If this was a poll about poors in Brazil, I'd definitely vote for an option that the system drags you down, because that's the reality in Brazil. But I don't think that's the reality here in the States. I believe there are exceptions, there are cases that due to certain life events, situations, they wind up being poor. But most of people can make it if they try very hard and that the system is not an issue. An example, Charles could be considered poor when he came back from Germany and his wife had screwed him over and over, and not in the good sense , and he went bankrupt. He started all over again, and now he has a pretty decent life.

Now answering your question, even though I had a pretty good life, that took my parents some serious hardwork, it wasn't something handled to them. And although it's very hard for you to make it if you start from nothing, my dad did it. He's one of those macho kind of man that has too much pride so he left his parents house to start his life with nothing just so he could make it on his own, because even though my grandparents were in a good financial situation he wanted to make it by himself. He tells me stories about going to job interviews and putting lots of sugar at his coffee when they offered that to him just so he could put something on his stomach, cuz he could barely afford food. But he made it. That allowed him to provide his family a very good life. Both my parents worked very hard to provide for their family. I can't complain. I've only studied in private schools/universities, my dad was able to pay for several extra curricular classes, like piano, gymnastics, ballet, several other dancing and martial arts classes, English, etc. We could afford a good apartment in a good neighboorhood, a car, education, vacation trips, country club membership, etc. But that was possible with hardwork in the past. That was the 70's. Nowadays things are way more complicated. I don't entirely blame the system, cuz there are too many lazy and screwed up people in Brazil, but the way things work in Brazil don't help at all. The government corruption and incompetence really makes it difficult and even impossible for many people.

I've talked too much. Now to my final words. How dare you American Citizens blame the system? This is the land of opportunity, you can make it if you really want

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

Nessa, if you don't mind me asking...do you come from an upper class family in Brazil?

If this was a poll about poors in Brazil, I'd definitely vote for an option that the system drags you down, because that's the reality in Brazil. But I don't think that's the reality here in the States. I believe there are exceptions, there are cases that due to certain life events, situations, they wind up being poor. But most of people can make it if they try very hard and that the system is not an issue. An example, Charles could be considered poor when he came back from Germany and his wife had screwed him over and over, and not in the good sense , and he went bankrupt. He started all over again, and now he has a pretty decent life.

Now answering your question, even though I had a pretty good life, that took my parents some serious hardwork, it wasn't something handled to them. And although it's very hard for you to make it if you start from nothing, my dad did it. He's one of those macho kind of man that has too much pride so he left his parents house to start his life with nothing just so he could make it on his own, because even though my grandparents were in a good financial situation he wanted to make it by himself. He tells me stories about going to job interviews and putting lots of sugar at his coffee when they offered that to him just so he could put something on his stomach, cuz he could barely afford food. But he made it. That allowed him to provide his family a very good life. Both my parents worked very hard to provide for their family. I can't complain. I've only studied in private schools/universities, my dad was able to pay for several extra curricular classes, like piano, gymnastics, ballet, several other dancing and martial arts classes, English, etc. We could afford a good apartment in a good neighboorhood, a car, education, vacation trips, country club membership, etc. But that was possible with hardwork in the past. That was the 70's. Nowadays things are way more complicated. I don't entirely blame the system, cuz there are too many lazy and screwed up people in Brazil, but the way things work in Brazil don't help at all. The government corruption and incompetence really makes it difficult and even impossible for many people.

I've talked too much. Now to my final words. How dare you American Citizens blame the system? This is the land of opportunity, you can make it if you really want

Nessa, you should post like this more often

My dad always tells me how he came to JFK with 7 (or was it 8?) USD in his pocket in the early 70s. That was all the money he had and he had one friend in this country who was working as a security guard. He gets pissed when Americans whine about how hard it is too. He agrees it is hard but if him and all his friends made it, when they could barely speak English (and even today, it is very heavily accented), what's wrong with the American poor? This is a 'sensitive' issue at my parents home, they have no patience for bleeding hearts on this issue, even though they can be quite liberal on other issues

[chri'stina 190]

Nessa, if you don't mind me asking...do you come from an upper class family in Brazil?

If this was a poll about poors in Brazil, I'd definitely vote for an option that the system drags you down, because that's the reality in Brazil. But I don't think that's the reality here in the States. I believe there are exceptions, there are cases that due to certain life events, situations, they wind up being poor. But most of people can make it if they try very hard and that the system is not an issue. An example, Charles could be considered poor when he came back from Germany and his wife had screwed him over and over, and not in the good sense , and he went bankrupt. He started all over again, and now he has a pretty decent life.

Now answering your question, even though I had a pretty good life, that took my parents some serious hardwork, it wasn't something handled to them. And although it's very hard for you to make it if you start from nothing, my dad did it. He's one of those macho kind of man that has too much pride so he left his parents house to start his life with nothing just so he could make it on his own, because even though my grandparents were in a good financial situation he wanted to make it by himself. He tells me stories about going to job interviews and putting lots of sugar at his coffee when they offered that to him just so he could put something on his stomach, cuz he could barely afford food. But he made it. That allowed him to provide his family a very good life. Both my parents worked very hard to provide for their family. I can't complain. I've only studied in private schools/universities, my dad was able to pay for several extra curricular classes, like piano, gymnastics, ballet, several other dancing and martial arts classes, English, etc. We could afford a good apartment in a good neighboorhood, a car, education, vacation trips, country club membership, etc. But that was possible with hardwork in the past. That was the 70's. Nowadays things are way more complicated. I don't entirely blame the system, cuz there are too many lazy and screwed up people in Brazil, but the way things work in Brazil don't help at all. The government corruption and incompetence really makes it difficult and even impossible for many people.

I've talked too much. Now to my final words. How dare you American Citizens blame the system? This is the land of opportunity, you can make it if you really want

Nessa, if you don't mind me asking...do you come from an upper class family in Brazil?

If this was a poll about poors in Brazil, I'd definitely vote for an option that the system drags you down, because that's the reality in Brazil. But I don't think that's the reality here in the States. I believe there are exceptions, there are cases that due to certain life events, situations, they wind up being poor. But most of people can make it if they try very hard and that the system is not an issue. An example, Charles could be considered poor when he came back from Germany and his wife had screwed him over and over, and not in the good sense , and he went bankrupt. He started all over again, and now he has a pretty decent life.

Now answering your question, even though I had a pretty good life, that took my parents some serious hardwork, it wasn't something handled to them. And although it's very hard for you to make it if you start from nothing, my dad did it. He's one of those macho kind of man that has too much pride so he left his parents house to start his life with nothing just so he could make it on his own, because even though my grandparents were in a good financial situation he wanted to make it by himself. He tells me stories about going to job interviews and putting lots of sugar at his coffee when they offered that to him just so he could put something on his stomach, cuz he could barely afford food. But he made it. That allowed him to provide his family a very good life. Both my parents worked very hard to provide for their family. I can't complain. I've only studied in private schools/universities, my dad was able to pay for several extra curricular classes, like piano, gymnastics, ballet, several other dancing and martial arts classes, English, etc. We could afford a good apartment in a good neighboorhood, a car, education, vacation trips, country club membership, etc. But that was possible with hardwork in the past. That was the 70's. Nowadays things are way more complicated. I don't entirely blame the system, cuz there are too many lazy and screwed up people in Brazil, but the way things work in Brazil don't help at all. The government corruption and incompetence really makes it difficult and even impossible for many people.

I've talked too much. Now to my final words. How dare you American Citizens blame the system? This is the land of opportunity, you can make it if you really want

Nessa, you should post like this more often

My dad always tells me how he came to JFK with 7 (or was it 8?) USD in his pocket in the early 70s. That was all the money he had and he had one friend in this country who was working as a security guard. He gets pissed when Americans whine about how hard it is too. He agrees it is hard but if him and all his friends made it, when they could barely speak English (and even today, it is very heavily accented), what's wrong with the American poor? This is a 'sensitive' issue at my parents home, they have no patience for bleeding hearts on this issue, even though they can be quite liberal on other issues

Sujeet kind of feels the same. He doesn't understand why people from other countries can come with nothing and succeed while some ppl born here can't. It's a sensitive issue for him too.

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

Sujeet kind of feels the same. He doesn't understand why people from other countries can come with nothing and succeed while some ppl born here can't. It's a sensitive issue for him too.

Well, it takes a certain amount of drive to actually uproot one's life from one country to another in the search of economic opportunity. It's not that unexpected that they will do better than people with less drive. A fairer comparison would be between the poor in India (who stay there) and the poor here.

[Peikko 1,575]

These stories of rags to riches are always wonderful and I am sure everyone is happy to see that sometimes luck, hard work and resourcefulness pay off. Sadly though, for every story like this, and they are inspiring, you will have a 1000 more stories where the person works exceptionally hard and doesn't make it or at least doesn't make it out of being poor. You don't hear about them because who wants to read about the Joe Blogs who works 16 hour days and remains piss poor all their life?

Edited May 1, 2008 by Purple_Hibiscus

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

Rags to riches stories are very common here in our immigrant communities, PH. I'm sorry if that shatters your worldview.

[tom&tata 2]

A fairer comparison would be between the poor in India (who stay there) and the poor here.

There is no comparison between poor in Indonesia & poor in US. I cannot compare India as I have been only to Mumbai once, but comparing poor in US & in Indonesia, you could not even compare.

That's why everytime I hear somebody in my husband family complaining her food stamp money does not cover a lot, I just shut up. I have different definition of poor.

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

A fairer comparison would be between the poor in India (who stay there) and the poor here.

There is no comparison between poor in Indonesia & poor in US. I cannot compare India as I have been only to Mumbai once, but comparing poor in US & in Indonesia, you could not even compare.

That's why everytime I hear somebody in my husband family complaining her food stamp money does not cover a lot, I just shut up. I have different definition of poor.

The poverty in India is heart wrenching. I've seen what passes for 'poor' in America, it is a joke. They're not poor.

[rebeccajo 14]

Nessa -

I agree with AJ. That was a great post and I enjoyed reading your thoughts.

AJ and others -

I remember having several conversations with Wes before he came here about what it takes to make it in the US. As you know he's from the UK, and conversely to Brazil and India, the 'social infrastructure' in the UK is probably better than in the US. You can draw unemployment over there with no time limits; receive job seekers allowance; the governement will assist in rent and mortgage payments if you are out of work; nationalized medicine; etc. In other words, the only way you can end up homeless in the UK is if you choose to be.

You don't get things handed to you in the US. You do have to work for it. I believe the 'poor' can break the cycle of poverty but it takes a particular kind of drive. The handouts we do have available sometimes make it too easy to stay within the system - the handouts in the UK make it downright dumb to get out of the system.

I don't think the streets are paved with gold over here. But I do think you can rise above whatever hand the fates have dealt you. But it's not handed to you.