Did LotusBum go back to work?

[LotusBud]

Haha. We also got that milk and cheese. They gave us big bricks of butter, too.

 

[Blazor]

What we need is free training and college within the post high school experience. We don't need huge government programs if we have a good and fair educational system.

we don't have that in this country.

To tell ya truth, they should start before college, like while in high school. To learn trades. They didnt have that when I was in school. They do have some now, but kids sometimes take it serious, sometimes dont. Like my son, he farted off in automotive class. He earned a degree, but hell I know more than he does lol.

Not everyone needs a college degree to do a job. Sometimes trade school is all thats needed. Or hell, some folks like me are smart enough, that if you show me how to do something, Im gonna learn it, and I will do my best doing it. But some companies dont wanna train, they want you to have X number years of experience or college.

College needs a total reform. I blame college and social media on the problems with our youth these days.

 

[Dove]

If I remember correctly.. It came in a cardboard box and wrapped in plastic... I was young.. but I have thought about that cheese often in my adulthood LOLOLOLOL

That's exactly right. There are "poor things" that I was embarrassed about at the time. Now I have wtf moments, like why was I embarrassed.

Like having my mom pack me bean and cheese burritos for school lunch wrapped in a piece of aluminum foil. All the other kids had sandwiches in plastic baggies. I felt like I stood out like a sore thumb.

Now tacos and burritos are one of the most commonly eaten foods in America. Go figure.

I didnt like how the other kids treated us "Free lunchers". Nor did I like the looks people would give you if you ran into the grocery store for your mom and paid with food stamp coupons. You wasnt allowed to peel them off til you used them, so folks would have to wait and watch you peel them off.

Tacos are my favorite! And I had frozen burritos the other night lol. Always liked both.

Yep. They looked down on you. Now, I don't like standing behind someone in line with WIC or whatever, not because they're poor but because the stores take forever. The government really should give them cards to swipe. No need to advertise everyone's status as poor.

There is no shame in being poor financially, poor in spirit is what is shameful.

I agree. They did finally do that with the food stamps though. Its now an EBT card. They mostly did that, cause a lot of folks were selling the stamps for cash. They still do it with the card though, just loan the card.

I think those might be people that are desperate to pay some other kind of bill, electricity, etc or maybe drugs.

Not all the time, trust me. Because a lot folks that were getting a lot of stamps, would also get electric assistance and housing assistance, etc. So a lot of times the cash was used to buy other things, like alcohol or bling bling rims and such.

Yeah, that's terrible. I hate that about the system. The problem I have with stopping social services is that you would harm a lot of innocent people for the small percentage of scammers.

Me too, believe me. You have actual people on disability and stuff, that need the help. Then you got others, that find it is easier to sit on their ass and get a check than go out and be a productive member of society. The system is so fucked up.

A lot of people are scared, others can't afford to move. It's expensive to move. There are jobs in places that can be filled if people were willing to leave "home".

I get that, where in some areas people feel "stuck". Its a vicious cycle sometimes. But there are others who deliberately milk the system. Then there are some, who need the help, but the system wont help them enough to get them on their feet, only enough to keep them trapped in the system.

Hell, I didnt want that life, I started working the summers when I was 14, and full time when I was 16. But the way the system worked, I had to quit every few months, or they would punish my mom's benefits because I was working. My mom actually wrote the senators and governor about changing the law. Mom was even on the front cover of the local newspaper over it. They shouldnt count a minor's income, nor really count it til they 21 or something, so they can get a leg up on life and get out of the system.

Yep. The people I've known who are on it out of dire need really want to be able to get off. And they find it embarrassing.

It's really stupid how if they start getting ahead at all, they end up getting their benefits cut to the point where they end completely fucked. I know a couple that got divorced so they could get help.

Like I've pointed out, if you have a single mom on welfare, getting state insurance for her child with asthma, getting a few hundred in food benefits, and then getting sec 8, and getting child care....and she gets a shitty 1 dollar raise that still wouldnt result in her covering all her expenses....that raise makes her lose most of her section 8, her child care and Medicaid. So it eats the raise and causes her to lose her job(no child care) and end up in a shelter. So now shes back on all the welfare with no place to live....so it's still costing tax payers way more than if they just adjusted her benefits to show the raise or left her benefits alone.

And yes I personally know this person and met several more during my time in the life skills program.

It's designed to trap people in poverty and suck taxes away from people. It doesnt help at all. It creates hostages really. In the program I went through they dont allow people to have welfare, but they provide everything and it runs on donations. Childcare. Food. Everything. They will help with medical costs. All kinds of shit.

And then you have the milkers.

So many reasons why if we are gonna do it, it needs to be managed much better. Completely redone and more personal...like more focused on the individual.

 

[Oerdin]

If I remember correctly.. It came in a cardboard box and wrapped in plastic... I was young.. but I have thought about that cheese often in my adulthood LOLOLOLOL

That's exactly right. There are "poor things" that I was embarrassed about at the time. Now I have wtf moments, like why was I embarrassed.

Like having my mom pack me bean and cheese burritos for school lunch wrapped in a piece of aluminum foil. All the other kids had sandwiches in plastic baggies. I felt like I stood out like a sore thumb.

Now tacos and burritos are one of the most commonly eaten foods in America. Go figure.

I didnt like how the other kids treated us "Free lunchers". Nor did I like the looks people would give you if you ran into the grocery store for your mom and paid with food stamp coupons. You wasnt allowed to peel them off til you used them, so folks would have to wait and watch you peel them off.

Tacos are my favorite! And I had frozen burritos the other night lol. Always liked both.

Yep. They looked down on you. Now, I don't like standing behind someone in line with WIC or whatever, not because they're poor but because the stores take forever. The government really should give them cards to swipe. No need to advertise everyone's status as poor.

There is no shame in being poor financially, poor in spirit is what is shameful.

I agree. They did finally do that with the food stamps though. Its now an EBT card. They mostly did that, cause a lot of folks were selling the stamps for cash. They still do it with the card though, just loan the card.

I think those might be people that are desperate to pay some other kind of bill, electricity, etc or maybe drugs.

Not all the time, trust me. Because a lot folks that were getting a lot of stamps, would also get electric assistance and housing assistance, etc. So a lot of times the cash was used to buy other things, like alcohol or bling bling rims and such.

Yeah, that's terrible. I hate that about the system. The problem I have with stopping social services is that you would harm a lot of innocent people for the small percentage of scammers.

Me too, believe me. You have actual people on disability and stuff, that need the help. Then you got others, that find it is easier to sit on their ass and get a check than go out and be a productive member of society. The system is so fucked up.

A lot of people are scared, others can't afford to move. It's expensive to move. There are jobs in places that can be filled if people were willing to leave "home".

That is true. American workers have become a heck of a lot less mobile Since the 1950's and 1960's. People just aren't as willing to move for work these days. Part of it is cost but another is because a lot of lower wage workers figure out they can do better on welfare and maybe working under the table.

 

[LotusBud]

If I remember correctly.. It came in a cardboard box and wrapped in plastic... I was young.. but I have thought about that cheese often in my adulthood LOLOLOLOL

That's exactly right. There are "poor things" that I was embarrassed about at the time. Now I have wtf moments, like why was I embarrassed.

Like having my mom pack me bean and cheese burritos for school lunch wrapped in a piece of aluminum foil. All the other kids had sandwiches in plastic baggies. I felt like I stood out like a sore thumb.

Now tacos and burritos are one of the most commonly eaten foods in America. Go figure.

I didnt like how the other kids treated us "Free lunchers". Nor did I like the looks people would give you if you ran into the grocery store for your mom and paid with food stamp coupons. You wasnt allowed to peel them off til you used them, so folks would have to wait and watch you peel them off.

Tacos are my favorite! And I had frozen burritos the other night lol. Always liked both.

Yep. They looked down on you. Now, I don't like standing behind someone in line with WIC or whatever, not because they're poor but because the stores take forever. The government really should give them cards to swipe. No need to advertise everyone's status as poor.

There is no shame in being poor financially, poor in spirit is what is shameful.

I agree. They did finally do that with the food stamps though. Its now an EBT card. They mostly did that, cause a lot of folks were selling the stamps for cash. They still do it with the card though, just loan the card.

I think those might be people that are desperate to pay some other kind of bill, electricity, etc or maybe drugs.

Not all the time, trust me. Because a lot folks that were getting a lot of stamps, would also get electric assistance and housing assistance, etc. So a lot of times the cash was used to buy other things, like alcohol or bling bling rims and such.

I'm totally FOR helping the needy. But the whole system is fucked.

We need actual counselors working with people on an individual case level where they are truly helped OUT of poverty. Not just maintained in poverty.

And they need to stop ripping people off their benefits over raises......we could let people work their way off. Rather than designing it to trap people.

You can tell people all day how this actually plays out but if it reflects poorly on democrats they wont hear it. We so need a peoples party, where if policies are harming and not going well, there are advocates to listen and ways to change it. Not this hyperpartisan bullshit where criticism of a party hits people in the feels like you are calling thier grandma a whore.

If we are gonna do it, it needs to be much better managed. In a way that works for everyone that helps people get OFF assistance.

You know the deal!!!

Its a trap!

I've said for the longest time, we need a people party/working man's party. Someone that cant be bought, but knows how the real world fucking works!

Should have voted for Bernie. He tried, but the Dems fucked him over.

 

[Blazor]

If I remember correctly.. It came in a cardboard box and wrapped in plastic... I was young.. but I have thought about that cheese often in my adulthood LOLOLOLOL

That's exactly right. There are "poor things" that I was embarrassed about at the time. Now I have wtf moments, like why was I embarrassed.

Like having my mom pack me bean and cheese burritos for school lunch wrapped in a piece of aluminum foil. All the other kids had sandwiches in plastic baggies. I felt like I stood out like a sore thumb.

Now tacos and burritos are one of the most commonly eaten foods in America. Go figure.

I didnt like how the other kids treated us "Free lunchers". Nor did I like the looks people would give you if you ran into the grocery store for your mom and paid with food stamp coupons. You wasnt allowed to peel them off til you used them, so folks would have to wait and watch you peel them off.

Tacos are my favorite! And I had frozen burritos the other night lol. Always liked both.

Yep. They looked down on you. Now, I don't like standing behind someone in line with WIC or whatever, not because they're poor but because the stores take forever. The government really should give them cards to swipe. No need to advertise everyone's status as poor.

There is no shame in being poor financially, poor in spirit is what is shameful.

I agree. They did finally do that with the food stamps though. Its now an EBT card. They mostly did that, cause a lot of folks were selling the stamps for cash. They still do it with the card though, just loan the card.

I think those might be people that are desperate to pay some other kind of bill, electricity, etc or maybe drugs.

Not all the time, trust me. Because a lot folks that were getting a lot of stamps, would also get electric assistance and housing assistance, etc. So a lot of times the cash was used to buy other things, like alcohol or bling bling rims and such.

I'm totally FOR helping the needy. But the whole system is fucked.

We need actual counselors working with people on an individual case level where they are truly helped OUT of poverty. Not just maintained in poverty.

And they need to stop ripping people off their benefits over raises......we could let people work their way off. Rather than designing it to trap people.

You can tell people all day how this actually plays out but if it reflects poorly on democrats they wont hear it. We so need a peoples party, where if policies are harming and not going well, there are advocates to listen and ways to change it. Not this hyperpartisan bullshit where criticism of a party hits people in the feels like you are calling thier grandma a whore.

If we are gonna do it, it needs to be much better managed. In a way that works for everyone that helps people get OFF assistance.

You know the deal!!!

Its a trap!

I've said for the longest time, we need a people party/working man's party. Someone that cant be bought, but knows how the real world fucking works!

Should have voted for Bernie. He tried, but the Dems fucked him over.

The Dems fucked him for sure.

 

[Oerdin]

The Dems did fuck him over but his policies would literally be an economic catastrophe. Stagflation even worse than Biden's shit show.

 

[LotusBud]

If I remember correctly.. It came in a cardboard box and wrapped in plastic... I was young.. but I have thought about that cheese often in my adulthood LOLOLOLOL

That's exactly right. There are "poor things" that I was embarrassed about at the time. Now I have wtf moments, like why was I embarrassed.

Like having my mom pack me bean and cheese burritos for school lunch wrapped in a piece of aluminum foil. All the other kids had sandwiches in plastic baggies. I felt like I stood out like a sore thumb.

Now tacos and burritos are one of the most commonly eaten foods in America. Go figure.

I didnt like how the other kids treated us "Free lunchers". Nor did I like the looks people would give you if you ran into the grocery store for your mom and paid with food stamp coupons. You wasnt allowed to peel them off til you used them, so folks would have to wait and watch you peel them off.

Tacos are my favorite! And I had frozen burritos the other night lol. Always liked both.

Yep. They looked down on you. Now, I don't like standing behind someone in line with WIC or whatever, not because they're poor but because the stores take forever. The government really should give them cards to swipe. No need to advertise everyone's status as poor.

There is no shame in being poor financially, poor in spirit is what is shameful.

I agree. They did finally do that with the food stamps though. Its now an EBT card. They mostly did that, cause a lot of folks were selling the stamps for cash. They still do it with the card though, just loan the card.

I think those might be people that are desperate to pay some other kind of bill, electricity, etc or maybe drugs.

Not all the time, trust me. Because a lot folks that were getting a lot of stamps, would also get electric assistance and housing assistance, etc. So a lot of times the cash was used to buy other things, like alcohol or bling bling rims and such.

Yeah, that's terrible. I hate that about the system. The problem I have with stopping social services is that you would harm a lot of innocent people for the small percentage of scammers.

Me too, believe me. You have actual people on disability and stuff, that need the help. Then you got others, that find it is easier to sit on their ass and get a check than go out and be a productive member of society. The system is so fucked up.

A lot of people are scared, others can't afford to move. It's expensive to move. There are jobs in places that can be filled if people were willing to leave "home".

That is true. American workers have become a heck of a lot less mobile Since the 1950's and 1960's. People just aren't as willing to move for work these days. Part of it is cost but another is because a lot of lower wage workers figure out they can do better on welfare and maybe working under the table.

Most low, even mid-wage workers don't have the money it costs to move. You need rent deposits, first and last, and the money to move your stuff (or buy new stuff) and yourself. Back in the day, employers used to help people with moving expenses. For most people, that kind of job no longer exists. And then there's the issue of leaving your famiy and friends. That can be painful.

 

[Dove]

What we need is free training and college within the post high school experience. We don't need huge government programs if we have a good and fair educational system.

we don't have that in this country.

To tell ya truth, they should start before college, like while in high school. To learn trades. They didnt have that when I was in school. They do have some now, but kids sometimes take it serious, sometimes dont. Like my son, he farted off in automotive class. He earned a degree, but hell I know more than he does lol.

Not everyone needs a college degree to do a job. Sometimes trade school is all thats needed. Or hell, some folks like me are smart enough, that if you show me how to do something, Im gonna learn it, and I will do my best doing it. But some companies dont wanna train, they want you to have X number years of experience or college.

College needs a total reform. I blame college and social media on the problems with our youth these days.

I think it's more a problem with our culture.

Pushing kids to uni fresh out of HS is a stupid move that has more to do with tradition. It's part of what killed the American dream.

Kids should be encouraged to follow their talents instead of being consumed with how to make the most money. Not saying making money isnt important.....but it shouldnt be what your existence is rooted on.

There is more to life. Why just get into debt and have a career you dont really like just to buy shit you dont truly care about?

People shouldn't go to uni unless they know exactly what they want to accomplish there.

And trades are awesome.

It's our culture that trashes people who dont have uni degrees, they are considered "uneducated". That's everyone with trades or a community college degree.

We are kind of a classist and shallow culture.

 

[Lily]

What we need is free training and college within the post high school experience. We don't need huge government programs if we have a good and fair educational system.

we don't have that in this country.

To tell ya truth, they should start before college, like while in high school. To learn trades. They didnt have that when I was in school. They do have some now, but kids sometimes take it serious, sometimes dont. Like my son, he farted off in automotive class. He earned a degree, but hell I know more than he does lol.

Not everyone needs a college degree to do a job. Sometimes trade school is all thats needed. Or hell, some folks like me are smart enough, that if you show me how to do something, Im gonna learn it, and I will do my best doing it. But some companies dont wanna train, they want you to have X number years of experience or college.

College needs a total reform. I blame college and social media on the problems with our youth these days.

I said free training or college. I don't think everyone wants or needs to go to college.

 

[Dove]

If I remember correctly.. It came in a cardboard box and wrapped in plastic... I was young.. but I have thought about that cheese often in my adulthood LOLOLOLOL

That's exactly right. There are "poor things" that I was embarrassed about at the time. Now I have wtf moments, like why was I embarrassed.

Like having my mom pack me bean and cheese burritos for school lunch wrapped in a piece of aluminum foil. All the other kids had sandwiches in plastic baggies. I felt like I stood out like a sore thumb.

Now tacos and burritos are one of the most commonly eaten foods in America. Go figure.

I didnt like how the other kids treated us "Free lunchers". Nor did I like the looks people would give you if you ran into the grocery store for your mom and paid with food stamp coupons. You wasnt allowed to peel them off til you used them, so folks would have to wait and watch you peel them off.

Tacos are my favorite! And I had frozen burritos the other night lol. Always liked both.

Yep. They looked down on you. Now, I don't like standing behind someone in line with WIC or whatever, not because they're poor but because the stores take forever. The government really should give them cards to swipe. No need to advertise everyone's status as poor.

There is no shame in being poor financially, poor in spirit is what is shameful.

I agree. They did finally do that with the food stamps though. Its now an EBT card. They mostly did that, cause a lot of folks were selling the stamps for cash. They still do it with the card though, just loan the card.

I think those might be people that are desperate to pay some other kind of bill, electricity, etc or maybe drugs.

Not all the time, trust me. Because a lot folks that were getting a lot of stamps, would also get electric assistance and housing assistance, etc. So a lot of times the cash was used to buy other things, like alcohol or bling bling rims and such.

Yeah, that's terrible. I hate that about the system. The problem I have with stopping social services is that you would harm a lot of innocent people for the small percentage of scammers.

Me too, believe me. You have actual people on disability and stuff, that need the help. Then you got others, that find it is easier to sit on their ass and get a check than go out and be a productive member of society. The system is so fucked up.

A lot of people are scared, others can't afford to move. It's expensive to move. There are jobs in places that can be filled if people were willing to leave "home".

That is true. American workers have become a heck of a lot less mobile Since the 1950's and 1960's. People just aren't as willing to move for work these days. Part of it is cost but another is because a lot of lower wage workers figure out they can do better on welfare and maybe working under the table.

Most low, even mid-wage workers don't have the money it costs to move. You need rent deposits, first and last, and the money to move your stuff (or buy new stuff) and yourself. Back in the day, employers used to help people with moving expenses. For most people, that kind of job no longer exists. And then there's the issue of leaving your famiy and friends. That can be painful.

Oh that's not true Lotus. There is always a way to move. Always.

Yeah it can suck moving far from family and friends but trying to afford to be somewhere you cant afford is beyond miserable. It's much better to just move. And you can always move back later when you can be stable there.

I've thrown belongings in trash bags and took a train from New Orleans to Detroit. With small children.

I've temporarily lived in my car until I had move in costs(and btw....it was awesome).

There is ALWAYS a way.

 

[Blazor]

Just put me in a tiny log cabin in the woods, and feed me government cheese. I'll be okay lol.

 

[Blazor]

If I remember correctly.. It came in a cardboard box and wrapped in plastic... I was young.. but I have thought about that cheese often in my adulthood LOLOLOLOL

That's exactly right. There are "poor things" that I was embarrassed about at the time. Now I have wtf moments, like why was I embarrassed.

Like having my mom pack me bean and cheese burritos for school lunch wrapped in a piece of aluminum foil. All the other kids had sandwiches in plastic baggies. I felt like I stood out like a sore thumb.

Now tacos and burritos are one of the most commonly eaten foods in America. Go figure.

I didnt like how the other kids treated us "Free lunchers". Nor did I like the looks people would give you if you ran into the grocery store for your mom and paid with food stamp coupons. You wasnt allowed to peel them off til you used them, so folks would have to wait and watch you peel them off.

Tacos are my favorite! And I had frozen burritos the other night lol. Always liked both.

Yep. They looked down on you. Now, I don't like standing behind someone in line with WIC or whatever, not because they're poor but because the stores take forever. The government really should give them cards to swipe. No need to advertise everyone's status as poor.

There is no shame in being poor financially, poor in spirit is what is shameful.

I agree. They did finally do that with the food stamps though. Its now an EBT card. They mostly did that, cause a lot of folks were selling the stamps for cash. They still do it with the card though, just loan the card.

I think those might be people that are desperate to pay some other kind of bill, electricity, etc or maybe drugs.

Not all the time, trust me. Because a lot folks that were getting a lot of stamps, would also get electric assistance and housing assistance, etc. So a lot of times the cash was used to buy other things, like alcohol or bling bling rims and such.

Yeah, that's terrible. I hate that about the system. The problem I have with stopping social services is that you would harm a lot of innocent people for the small percentage of scammers.

Me too, believe me. You have actual people on disability and stuff, that need the help. Then you got others, that find it is easier to sit on their ass and get a check than go out and be a productive member of society. The system is so fucked up.

A lot of people are scared, others can't afford to move. It's expensive to move. There are jobs in places that can be filled if people were willing to leave "home".

That is true. American workers have become a heck of a lot less mobile Since the 1950's and 1960's. People just aren't as willing to move for work these days. Part of it is cost but another is because a lot of lower wage workers figure out they can do better on welfare and maybe working under the table.

Most low, even mid-wage workers don't have the money it costs to move. You need rent deposits, first and last, and the money to move your stuff (or buy new stuff) and yourself. Back in the day, employers used to help people with moving expenses. For most people, that kind of job no longer exists. And then there's the issue of leaving your famiy and friends. That can be painful.

Oh that's not true Lotus. There is always a way to move. Always.

Yeah it can suck moving far from family and friends but trying to afford to be somewhere you cant afford is beyond miserable. It's much better to just move.

I've thrown belongings in trash bags and took a train from New Orleans to Detroit. With small children.

I've temporarily lived in my car until I had move in costs(and btw....it was awesome).

There is ALWAYS a way.

My lil brother, with nothing, literally drove across the country in his shitty $500 car. Now he is a millionaire lol. But he greatly misses his family and friends here.

 

[LotusBud]

If I remember correctly.. It came in a cardboard box and wrapped in plastic... I was young.. but I have thought about that cheese often in my adulthood LOLOLOLOL

That's exactly right. There are "poor things" that I was embarrassed about at the time. Now I have wtf moments, like why was I embarrassed.

Like having my mom pack me bean and cheese burritos for school lunch wrapped in a piece of aluminum foil. All the other kids had sandwiches in plastic baggies. I felt like I stood out like a sore thumb.

Now tacos and burritos are one of the most commonly eaten foods in America. Go figure.

I didnt like how the other kids treated us "Free lunchers". Nor did I like the looks people would give you if you ran into the grocery store for your mom and paid with food stamp coupons. You wasnt allowed to peel them off til you used them, so folks would have to wait and watch you peel them off.

Tacos are my favorite! And I had frozen burritos the other night lol. Always liked both.

Yep. They looked down on you. Now, I don't like standing behind someone in line with WIC or whatever, not because they're poor but because the stores take forever. The government really should give them cards to swipe. No need to advertise everyone's status as poor.

There is no shame in being poor financially, poor in spirit is what is shameful.

I agree. They did finally do that with the food stamps though. Its now an EBT card. They mostly did that, cause a lot of folks were selling the stamps for cash. They still do it with the card though, just loan the card.

I think those might be people that are desperate to pay some other kind of bill, electricity, etc or maybe drugs.

Not all the time, trust me. Because a lot folks that were getting a lot of stamps, would also get electric assistance and housing assistance, etc. So a lot of times the cash was used to buy other things, like alcohol or bling bling rims and such.

Yeah, that's terrible. I hate that about the system. The problem I have with stopping social services is that you would harm a lot of innocent people for the small percentage of scammers.

Me too, believe me. You have actual people on disability and stuff, that need the help. Then you got others, that find it is easier to sit on their ass and get a check than go out and be a productive member of society. The system is so fucked up.

A lot of people are scared, others can't afford to move. It's expensive to move. There are jobs in places that can be filled if people were willing to leave "home".

That is true. American workers have become a heck of a lot less mobile Since the 1950's and 1960's. People just aren't as willing to move for work these days. Part of it is cost but another is because a lot of lower wage workers figure out they can do better on welfare and maybe working under the table.

Most low, even mid-wage workers don't have the money it costs to move. You need rent deposits, first and last, and the money to move your stuff (or buy new stuff) and yourself. Back in the day, employers used to help people with moving expenses. For most people, that kind of job no longer exists. And then there's the issue of leaving your famiy and friends. That can be painful.

Oh that's not true Lotus. There is always a way to move. Always.

Yeah it can suck moving far from family and friends but trying to afford to be somewhere you cant afford is beyond miserable. It's much better to just move.

I've thrown belongings in trash bags and took a train from New Orleans to Detroit. With small children.

I've temporarily lived in my car until I had move in costs(and btw....it was awesome).

There is ALWAYS a way.

My lil brother, with nothing, literally drove across the country in his shitty $500 car. Now he is a millionaire lol. But he greatly misses his family and friends here.

That's good. Congrats to him. But most people who do that just end up in another shit job. There are not enough good jobs to go around. People aren't going to move across country to work in an Amazon warehouse.

 

[Dove]

If I remember correctly.. It came in a cardboard box and wrapped in plastic... I was young.. but I have thought about that cheese often in my adulthood LOLOLOLOL

That's exactly right. There are "poor things" that I was embarrassed about at the time. Now I have wtf moments, like why was I embarrassed.

Like having my mom pack me bean and cheese burritos for school lunch wrapped in a piece of aluminum foil. All the other kids had sandwiches in plastic baggies. I felt like I stood out like a sore thumb.

Now tacos and burritos are one of the most commonly eaten foods in America. Go figure.

I didnt like how the other kids treated us "Free lunchers". Nor did I like the looks people would give you if you ran into the grocery store for your mom and paid with food stamp coupons. You wasnt allowed to peel them off til you used them, so folks would have to wait and watch you peel them off.

Tacos are my favorite! And I had frozen burritos the other night lol. Always liked both.

Yep. They looked down on you. Now, I don't like standing behind someone in line with WIC or whatever, not because they're poor but because the stores take forever. The government really should give them cards to swipe. No need to advertise everyone's status as poor.

There is no shame in being poor financially, poor in spirit is what is shameful.

I agree. They did finally do that with the food stamps though. Its now an EBT card. They mostly did that, cause a lot of folks were selling the stamps for cash. They still do it with the card though, just loan the card.

I think those might be people that are desperate to pay some other kind of bill, electricity, etc or maybe drugs.

Not all the time, trust me. Because a lot folks that were getting a lot of stamps, would also get electric assistance and housing assistance, etc. So a lot of times the cash was used to buy other things, like alcohol or bling bling rims and such.

Yeah, that's terrible. I hate that about the system. The problem I have with stopping social services is that you would harm a lot of innocent people for the small percentage of scammers.

Me too, believe me. You have actual people on disability and stuff, that need the help. Then you got others, that find it is easier to sit on their ass and get a check than go out and be a productive member of society. The system is so fucked up.

A lot of people are scared, others can't afford to move. It's expensive to move. There are jobs in places that can be filled if people were willing to leave "home".

That is true. American workers have become a heck of a lot less mobile Since the 1950's and 1960's. People just aren't as willing to move for work these days. Part of it is cost but another is because a lot of lower wage workers figure out they can do better on welfare and maybe working under the table.

Most low, even mid-wage workers don't have the money it costs to move. You need rent deposits, first and last, and the money to move your stuff (or buy new stuff) and yourself. Back in the day, employers used to help people with moving expenses. For most people, that kind of job no longer exists. And then there's the issue of leaving your famiy and friends. That can be painful.

Oh that's not true Lotus. There is always a way to move. Always.

Yeah it can suck moving far from family and friends but trying to afford to be somewhere you cant afford is beyond miserable. It's much better to just move.

I've thrown belongings in trash bags and took a train from New Orleans to Detroit. With small children.

I've temporarily lived in my car until I had move in costs(and btw....it was awesome).

There is ALWAYS a way.

My lil brother, with nothing, literally drove across the country in his shitty $500 car. Now he is a millionaire lol. But he greatly misses his family and friends here.

I wish the government would honestly stay out of things like tiny houses or camping and stuff like that. People can actually get fined or arrested for living in a tent or car.

Its fucking stupid. We need less regulations.

 

[Dove]

If I remember correctly.. It came in a cardboard box and wrapped in plastic... I was young.. but I have thought about that cheese often in my adulthood LOLOLOLOL

That's exactly right. There are "poor things" that I was embarrassed about at the time. Now I have wtf moments, like why was I embarrassed.

Like having my mom pack me bean and cheese burritos for school lunch wrapped in a piece of aluminum foil. All the other kids had sandwiches in plastic baggies. I felt like I stood out like a sore thumb.

Now tacos and burritos are one of the most commonly eaten foods in America. Go figure.

I didnt like how the other kids treated us "Free lunchers". Nor did I like the looks people would give you if you ran into the grocery store for your mom and paid with food stamp coupons. You wasnt allowed to peel them off til you used them, so folks would have to wait and watch you peel them off.

Tacos are my favorite! And I had frozen burritos the other night lol. Always liked both.

Yep. They looked down on you. Now, I don't like standing behind someone in line with WIC or whatever, not because they're poor but because the stores take forever. The government really should give them cards to swipe. No need to advertise everyone's status as poor.

There is no shame in being poor financially, poor in spirit is what is shameful.

I agree. They did finally do that with the food stamps though. Its now an EBT card. They mostly did that, cause a lot of folks were selling the stamps for cash. They still do it with the card though, just loan the card.

I think those might be people that are desperate to pay some other kind of bill, electricity, etc or maybe drugs.

Not all the time, trust me. Because a lot folks that were getting a lot of stamps, would also get electric assistance and housing assistance, etc. So a lot of times the cash was used to buy other things, like alcohol or bling bling rims and such.

Yeah, that's terrible. I hate that about the system. The problem I have with stopping social services is that you would harm a lot of innocent people for the small percentage of scammers.

Me too, believe me. You have actual people on disability and stuff, that need the help. Then you got others, that find it is easier to sit on their ass and get a check than go out and be a productive member of society. The system is so fucked up.

A lot of people are scared, others can't afford to move. It's expensive to move. There are jobs in places that can be filled if people were willing to leave "home".

That is true. American workers have become a heck of a lot less mobile Since the 1950's and 1960's. People just aren't as willing to move for work these days. Part of it is cost but another is because a lot of lower wage workers figure out they can do better on welfare and maybe working under the table.

Most low, even mid-wage workers don't have the money it costs to move. You need rent deposits, first and last, and the money to move your stuff (or buy new stuff) and yourself. Back in the day, employers used to help people with moving expenses. For most people, that kind of job no longer exists. And then there's the issue of leaving your famiy and friends. That can be painful.

Oh that's not true Lotus. There is always a way to move. Always.

Yeah it can suck moving far from family and friends but trying to afford to be somewhere you cant afford is beyond miserable. It's much better to just move.

I've thrown belongings in trash bags and took a train from New Orleans to Detroit. With small children.

I've temporarily lived in my car until I had move in costs(and btw....it was awesome).

There is ALWAYS a way.

My lil brother, with nothing, literally drove across the country in his shitty $500 car. Now he is a millionaire lol. But he greatly misses his family and friends here.

That's good. Congrats to him. But most people who do that just end up in another shit job. There are not enough good jobs to go around. People aren't going to move across country to work in an Amazon warehouse.

The solution to that is cultural. It's not letting costs of living sky rocket and taxing others too death so people can live the lifestyle we think they should be living.

 

[Blazor]

If I remember correctly.. It came in a cardboard box and wrapped in plastic... I was young.. but I have thought about that cheese often in my adulthood LOLOLOLOL

That's exactly right. There are "poor things" that I was embarrassed about at the time. Now I have wtf moments, like why was I embarrassed.

Like having my mom pack me bean and cheese burritos for school lunch wrapped in a piece of aluminum foil. All the other kids had sandwiches in plastic baggies. I felt like I stood out like a sore thumb.

Now tacos and burritos are one of the most commonly eaten foods in America. Go figure.

I didnt like how the other kids treated us "Free lunchers". Nor did I like the looks people would give you if you ran into the grocery store for your mom and paid with food stamp coupons. You wasnt allowed to peel them off til you used them, so folks would have to wait and watch you peel them off.

Tacos are my favorite! And I had frozen burritos the other night lol. Always liked both.

Yep. They looked down on you. Now, I don't like standing behind someone in line with WIC or whatever, not because they're poor but because the stores take forever. The government really should give them cards to swipe. No need to advertise everyone's status as poor.

There is no shame in being poor financially, poor in spirit is what is shameful.

I agree. They did finally do that with the food stamps though. Its now an EBT card. They mostly did that, cause a lot of folks were selling the stamps for cash. They still do it with the card though, just loan the card.

I think those might be people that are desperate to pay some other kind of bill, electricity, etc or maybe drugs.

Not all the time, trust me. Because a lot folks that were getting a lot of stamps, would also get electric assistance and housing assistance, etc. So a lot of times the cash was used to buy other things, like alcohol or bling bling rims and such.

Yeah, that's terrible. I hate that about the system. The problem I have with stopping social services is that you would harm a lot of innocent people for the small percentage of scammers.

Me too, believe me. You have actual people on disability and stuff, that need the help. Then you got others, that find it is easier to sit on their ass and get a check than go out and be a productive member of society. The system is so fucked up.

A lot of people are scared, others can't afford to move. It's expensive to move. There are jobs in places that can be filled if people were willing to leave "home".

That is true. American workers have become a heck of a lot less mobile Since the 1950's and 1960's. People just aren't as willing to move for work these days. Part of it is cost but another is because a lot of lower wage workers figure out they can do better on welfare and maybe working under the table.

Most low, even mid-wage workers don't have the money it costs to move. You need rent deposits, first and last, and the money to move your stuff (or buy new stuff) and yourself. Back in the day, employers used to help people with moving expenses. For most people, that kind of job no longer exists. And then there's the issue of leaving your famiy and friends. That can be painful.

Oh that's not true Lotus. There is always a way to move. Always.

Yeah it can suck moving far from family and friends but trying to afford to be somewhere you cant afford is beyond miserable. It's much better to just move.

I've thrown belongings in trash bags and took a train from New Orleans to Detroit. With small children.

I've temporarily lived in my car until I had move in costs(and btw....it was awesome).

There is ALWAYS a way.

My lil brother, with nothing, literally drove across the country in his shitty $500 car. Now he is a millionaire lol. But he greatly misses his family and friends here.

That's good. Congrats to him. But most people who do that just end up in another shit job. There are not enough good jobs to go around. People aren't going to move across country to work in an Amazon warehouse.

Well, he pursued his dream. He went to the university there for the past 8 years, and almost has his doctorate psychology degree. He was working McD's when he left here.

Minimum wage there is high, but so are the living expenses.

 

[Oerdin]

If I remember correctly.. It came in a cardboard box and wrapped in plastic... I was young.. but I have thought about that cheese often in my adulthood LOLOLOLOL

That's exactly right. There are "poor things" that I was embarrassed about at the time. Now I have wtf moments, like why was I embarrassed.

Like having my mom pack me bean and cheese burritos for school lunch wrapped in a piece of aluminum foil. All the other kids had sandwiches in plastic baggies. I felt like I stood out like a sore thumb.

Now tacos and burritos are one of the most commonly eaten foods in America. Go figure.

I didnt like how the other kids treated us "Free lunchers". Nor did I like the looks people would give you if you ran into the grocery store for your mom and paid with food stamp coupons. You wasnt allowed to peel them off til you used them, so folks would have to wait and watch you peel them off.

Tacos are my favorite! And I had frozen burritos the other night lol. Always liked both.

Yep. They looked down on you. Now, I don't like standing behind someone in line with WIC or whatever, not because they're poor but because the stores take forever. The government really should give them cards to swipe. No need to advertise everyone's status as poor.

There is no shame in being poor financially, poor in spirit is what is shameful.

I agree. They did finally do that with the food stamps though. Its now an EBT card. They mostly did that, cause a lot of folks were selling the stamps for cash. They still do it with the card though, just loan the card.

I think those might be people that are desperate to pay some other kind of bill, electricity, etc or maybe drugs.

Not all the time, trust me. Because a lot folks that were getting a lot of stamps, would also get electric assistance and housing assistance, etc. So a lot of times the cash was used to buy other things, like alcohol or bling bling rims and such.

Yeah, that's terrible. I hate that about the system. The problem I have with stopping social services is that you would harm a lot of innocent people for the small percentage of scammers.

Me too, believe me. You have actual people on disability and stuff, that need the help. Then you got others, that find it is easier to sit on their ass and get a check than go out and be a productive member of society. The system is so fucked up.

A lot of people are scared, others can't afford to move. It's expensive to move. There are jobs in places that can be filled if people were willing to leave "home".

That is true. American workers have become a heck of a lot less mobile Since the 1950's and 1960's. People just aren't as willing to move for work these days. Part of it is cost but another is because a lot of lower wage workers figure out they can do better on welfare and maybe working under the table.

Most low, even mid-wage workers don't have the money it costs to move. You need rent deposits, first and last, and the money to move your stuff (or buy new stuff) and yourself. Back in the day, employers used to help people with moving expenses. For most people, that kind of job no longer exists. And then there's the issue of leaving your famiy and friends. That can be painful.

Every time I moved because of work my employer paid it. You are right that most Americans do not understand or have the discipline to save even though I see poor 3rd worlders easily saving 30% or more just as a matter of routine. Americans need to get off theor asses and develop better financial skills.

 

[realgrimm]

Gypsies dont have jobs..

Not legal ones just the grift

 

[Dove]

LONG POST ALERT!!!

****This turned out to be a very long post where I'm yammering about consumerism, culture and the value of community and why i believe people are attracted to communism/socailism so consider THIS message your TL;DR***


It's our consumerism....our classist culture. It's a lot of glorifying of money and spending.

So that messes people up and they THINK they need or want all this shit. We are all about the next best thing.

There are some people who think what I'm doing is nuts because I could put a down payment on a house. First off I AM in a house. And I get to redo this whole thing and make it into whatever I want. And i dont owe fuck all to anyone. So sure i could put down my savings as a down on a house but then I'm stuck for 30 years paying for it.

Here i can spend LESS out of my savings to redo THIS house and not have ANY mortgage. That's IT. We can enjoy our income and stash more for retirement age.

See how it's a no brainer when you look at it practically? But yet there are people who think I'm nuts and people who would oppose doing this based on meeting some materialistic standard. That's all it ever comes down to. Like if it doesnt come with big price tag and mortgage debt, it's just not as good. We ONLY think like this because of marketing campaigns. My house may reflect my personality and style.....but it doesnt define my WORTH ffs. I have literally ZERO shame here. I dont not feel as if I'm not "as good" as other people. You see because human worth is not directly attached to wealth in my view. And in GODS view.

Thats just one example....there are people who view clothes the same way. Or view cars the same way. Or view even groceries the same. Or their phones. Or their anything. Often times these are people trying to live outside their means to establish their worth.

That's a problem with our whole culture. We really shouldnt foster this kind of society that tells people they are not worthy or valuable if they are not spending tons of money on everything. I'm not saying there is NO personal responsibility because there definately is. People need to make wise choices....I'm just saying at a community level the messages and attitudes we send to others matter. If we are condescending towards other human beings based on how much or how little wealth we think they have..or dont have....its not shocking at all to see poor people blowing money on items or trying to live outside their means, so they can feel accepted by the communities and worthy of respect. Its irresponsible yes. It's also very sad and its result of our consumerist culture. So then we further kinda mock people for this, for being irresponsible when the root issue is in self worth and approval.

We really do need to build some stronger communities. Get back to a place where neighbors cared about eachother and looked out for one another. Humans are tribal animals and part of why horrible fucking ideas like communism/socialism are growing in cringeworthy popularity is because of we are failing at community. Because we are materialistic, we have attached human worth to wealth(hello abortion), we have severed our community bonds and we live in our bubbles.....when we are meant to connect with other humans.

It makes communism appealing.....the thought of communal living and sharing of resources, because we need that and we dont have that like we should. Of course WE know the only real way to have that is with LESS government, but I'm just saying I CAN empathize with the appeal.

I honestly wish it COULD work. It would be ideal. That utopia we all yearn for that real human nature will never allow. It never works and it's already failing as we are more divided now than we have been since the civil war....and we havent even done it yet.

The idea of a truly communist society is beautiful and appeals to that need we all have for community and connection and the sharing. Getting rid of this empty consumerism. Healing as a collective and supporting eachother. Who wouldnt want that? But it's actually a fraud of the gospel. It's a sad and weak imitation of the kingdom of Christ. In this fake gospel, we are all in our flesh and desiring to fulfill the needs of the flesh rather than being in the spirit and harvesting fruits of the spirit.... and in the place of Christ we have the state.

So it's always a lie, it always brings mass suffering and death.

Our founding documents were made for a godly people, btw.


Poofer is a good example. He brags about buying 300 dollar t shirts and all this expensive shit for his kids because he thinks human worth is attached to wealth, and that if he can make people believe he has all this disposable income it makes him a more worthy....and even superior ....person. People like that are wasting money to try to fill a void. Other leftists are filling their void by using poor and suffering people to fill some in themselves where they want to be seen as these caring heros of the underdogs.

A void left by lack of strong connections and authentic relationships and lack of community. It really does leave cracks inside of us all when we arent getting these basic human needs met. It's like a big marketing scheme to get people consuming. If you look, studies show that conservatives tend to be healthier and happier than leftists, who tend to have more mental illness such as depression and anxiety and mood disorders. Also conservatives give more, where profs and dems want the government to redistribute, due to a poor view of themselves and other humans.

Leftists here will read this as an insult, a personal attack and as me saying conservatives are better and more worthy people. They wont read it simple information to mull over or dive deep into. Theyll see an attack on thier WORTH. That's the void. They really tend to have poor boundaries and a lot of anger. They feel a sense that grave injustices are being done and they need villains and heros. Really they are just unfulfilled and suffering people rooting their worth on the wrong things. Notice how they demand "acceptance". They want a more "tolerant" and "accepting" society. Which confuses the fuck out of us, because we are not trying to fill a void. Acceptance doesnt matter to us, because we know where we end and another person begins. You cant be objective when you dont understand boundaries.

Even some people doing what I'm doing....renovating a mobile home, or some people doing a tiny house or bus conversion, some get very extravagant. And I noticed watching this (in groups I'm in)....the ones getting like that and over spending really are just not happy with what they are "stuck" doing. They also talk about a sense of shame telling people they live in a "trailor". Because they dont know where they end, and socioeconomic status begins. So they take this lack of wealth and personalize it, as if wealth gives them worth. No wealth? No worth. So.....they fake it with pricey bullshit their broke ass cant afford. Or that their broke ass doesnt even NEED....but it's now a symbol of self worth. You matter dammit. Your grossly expensive cabinets in the mobile home you renovated to escape materialism PROVE it, by fuck. YOUR poverty baby is just as worthy as a not poverty baby.... because you spent 25 bucks on that rubber teether the baby hates....but you toss it in the car seat anyway so people see that and think you are valuable. THIS is why poor people are bad with money. It's a spiritual problem....not a "cant budget" problem. They try to "hide" their poverty because our culture says the poor are worthless. A PP in every hood tells that story.

We see gangs and gang violence, homelessness and drug addiction because people need community and If they dont have it they will seek it and many times find it in the form of gangs and drugs. And the addiction thing is really bad because people form communities on recovery....but they all know eachother from the streets or jail or rehab. So it's a revolting door and a cycle using, getting clean, relapsing and everyone all bonded in it. People on the streets dont want to leave because it's a whole lifestyle and they form communities. People really get stuck like this. It's why I do NOT have a "recovery community". I have a church community.

We are hard wired, as a species, to need community. When we lack that we turn to substitute. It's also how the masses are so vulnerable to suggestion. That's why politics have become so ruthlessly tribal and why it's so easy for people to dehumanize other people. Even if one of them doesnt really believe in the narratives they will fake it and go along as to still be accepted by the community they are in.

You know that's why Holiday and Admin come here and point to the fringes or the worst examples of people who they can display as representative of our political "community" and why they ignore these examples in thier "community". They dont want to violate their community standards lol.

A lack of healthy communities and financial struggles leave people vulnerable to joining movements like BLM, and any "revolutionary" movement that involves promises of what they perceive as fairness or justice, and the movement itself provides a sense of community and shared interests and goals. And anyone opposing this community are obviously bad guys who do not want fairness or justice.

So it's very easy to exploit human beings in a materialistic consumer culture that attaches human worth to wealth and gives them all someone to blame for their pain and a utopia to gain. Just look at how often you see the monoparty and the left categorize people into respective communities in order to exploit them for political power.

The LAST thing wanted in this country by our true enemies is unity and common ground regarding shared humanity or allowing healthy communities to thrive. People wouldnt spend nearly as much money trying to boost self worth and they wouldnt give power to those who make false promises of fairness and justice and support or safety so they can continue profiting off these abuses of humanity. Right now, they want to replace our smallest most important community....the family....with the state.

Anyway if you read all this, you are a champion and thank you! I know I took it a bit deep. Materialism, consumer culture and classist expectations and the things we root our sense of self worth in are things I've thought a lot in my recovery and rebuilding my life after heroin. And I think about it a lot while watching America die and coming to terms with the inevitable. So much of understanding ourselves has to do with understanding our basic human needs and who we are. And how we seek to meet those needs when they go unmet. It would be hard to save and make better choices if a person is survival mode driven by unmet basic needs. These people just bleed out all over until they start the work of becoming a whole person.

And we cant solve this with government. Government is a lot of how we got here. We cant solve it with money. We can only really solve this with a conscious effort to build and reside within healthy communities that have clear and respected boundaries between self(individuals) and community.

We let our culture go very badly....ironically as a result of our "live and let live" individualism where we take up residency in the self and only think about things that directly impact us.......these ideas and the radicalizing was allowed to grown into the monster we have today.

We are NOT moving forward in anyway....we are going backwards. A Christian rooted western free country is the NEWEST and youngest civilization. So people who think dragging us backwards to entitlement and hedonism are really confused(Holiday) and havent learned anything.

It's not really about financial skills or discipline totally....there is so much more going on under that. It's way more culture than anything.

 

[LotusBud]

If I remember correctly.. It came in a cardboard box and wrapped in plastic... I was young.. but I have thought about that cheese often in my adulthood LOLOLOLOL

That's exactly right. There are "poor things" that I was embarrassed about at the time. Now I have wtf moments, like why was I embarrassed.

Like having my mom pack me bean and cheese burritos for school lunch wrapped in a piece of aluminum foil. All the other kids had sandwiches in plastic baggies. I felt like I stood out like a sore thumb.

Now tacos and burritos are one of the most commonly eaten foods in America. Go figure.

I didnt like how the other kids treated us "Free lunchers". Nor did I like the looks people would give you if you ran into the grocery store for your mom and paid with food stamp coupons. You wasnt allowed to peel them off til you used them, so folks would have to wait and watch you peel them off.

Tacos are my favorite! And I had frozen burritos the other night lol. Always liked both.

Yep. They looked down on you. Now, I don't like standing behind someone in line with WIC or whatever, not because they're poor but because the stores take forever. The government really should give them cards to swipe. No need to advertise everyone's status as poor.

There is no shame in being poor financially, poor in spirit is what is shameful.

I agree. They did finally do that with the food stamps though. Its now an EBT card. They mostly did that, cause a lot of folks were selling the stamps for cash. They still do it with the card though, just loan the card.

I think those might be people that are desperate to pay some other kind of bill, electricity, etc or maybe drugs.

Not all the time, trust me. Because a lot folks that were getting a lot of stamps, would also get electric assistance and housing assistance, etc. So a lot of times the cash was used to buy other things, like alcohol or bling bling rims and such.

Yeah, that's terrible. I hate that about the system. The problem I have with stopping social services is that you would harm a lot of innocent people for the small percentage of scammers.

Me too, believe me. You have actual people on disability and stuff, that need the help. Then you got others, that find it is easier to sit on their ass and get a check than go out and be a productive member of society. The system is so fucked up.

A lot of people are scared, others can't afford to move. It's expensive to move. There are jobs in places that can be filled if people were willing to leave "home".

That is true. American workers have become a heck of a lot less mobile Since the 1950's and 1960's. People just aren't as willing to move for work these days. Part of it is cost but another is because a lot of lower wage workers figure out they can do better on welfare and maybe working under the table.

Most low, even mid-wage workers don't have the money it costs to move. You need rent deposits, first and last, and the money to move your stuff (or buy new stuff) and yourself. Back in the day, employers used to help people with moving expenses. For most people, that kind of job no longer exists. And then there's the issue of leaving your famiy and friends. That can be painful.

Every time I moved because of work my employer paid it. You are right that most Americans do not understand or have the discipline to save even though I see poor 3rd worlders easily saving 30% or more just as a matter of routine. Americans need to get off theor asses and develop better financial skills.

There you go again, Mr Born On Third Base. Lecturing poor people about how they should be more like you. I didn't say anything about saving money. It's pretty hard to save money when you're working a low-wage job. American employers need to stop being so greedy (Bezos, talking to you and your ilk) and pay peole decent wages.

 

[LotusBud]

If I remember correctly.. It came in a cardboard box and wrapped in plastic... I was young.. but I have thought about that cheese often in my adulthood LOLOLOLOL

That's exactly right. There are "poor things" that I was embarrassed about at the time. Now I have wtf moments, like why was I embarrassed.

Like having my mom pack me bean and cheese burritos for school lunch wrapped in a piece of aluminum foil. All the other kids had sandwiches in plastic baggies. I felt like I stood out like a sore thumb.

Now tacos and burritos are one of the most commonly eaten foods in America. Go figure.

I didnt like how the other kids treated us "Free lunchers". Nor did I like the looks people would give you if you ran into the grocery store for your mom and paid with food stamp coupons. You wasnt allowed to peel them off til you used them, so folks would have to wait and watch you peel them off.

Tacos are my favorite! And I had frozen burritos the other night lol. Always liked both.

Yep. They looked down on you. Now, I don't like standing behind someone in line with WIC or whatever, not because they're poor but because the stores take forever. The government really should give them cards to swipe. No need to advertise everyone's status as poor.

There is no shame in being poor financially, poor in spirit is what is shameful.

I agree. They did finally do that with the food stamps though. Its now an EBT card. They mostly did that, cause a lot of folks were selling the stamps for cash. They still do it with the card though, just loan the card.

I think those might be people that are desperate to pay some other kind of bill, electricity, etc or maybe drugs.

Not all the time, trust me. Because a lot folks that were getting a lot of stamps, would also get electric assistance and housing assistance, etc. So a lot of times the cash was used to buy other things, like alcohol or bling bling rims and such.

Yeah, that's terrible. I hate that about the system. The problem I have with stopping social services is that you would harm a lot of innocent people for the small percentage of scammers.

Me too, believe me. You have actual people on disability and stuff, that need the help. Then you got others, that find it is easier to sit on their ass and get a check than go out and be a productive member of society. The system is so fucked up.

A lot of people are scared, others can't afford to move. It's expensive to move. There are jobs in places that can be filled if people were willing to leave "home".

That is true. American workers have become a heck of a lot less mobile Since the 1950's and 1960's. People just aren't as willing to move for work these days. Part of it is cost but another is because a lot of lower wage workers figure out they can do better on welfare and maybe working under the table.

Most low, even mid-wage workers don't have the money it costs to move. You need rent deposits, first and last, and the money to move your stuff (or buy new stuff) and yourself. Back in the day, employers used to help people with moving expenses. For most people, that kind of job no longer exists. And then there's the issue of leaving your famiy and friends. That can be painful.

Oh that's not true Lotus. There is always a way to move. Always.

Yeah it can suck moving far from family and friends but trying to afford to be somewhere you cant afford is beyond miserable. It's much better to just move.

I've thrown belongings in trash bags and took a train from New Orleans to Detroit. With small children.

I've temporarily lived in my car until I had move in costs(and btw....it was awesome).

There is ALWAYS a way.

My lil brother, with nothing, literally drove across the country in his shitty $500 car. Now he is a millionaire lol. But he greatly misses his family and friends here.

That's good. Congrats to him. But most people who do that just end up in another shit job. There are not enough good jobs to go around. People aren't going to move across country to work in an Amazon warehouse.

Well, he pursued his dream. He went to the university there for the past 8 years, and almost has his doctorate psychology degree. He was working McD's when he left here.

Minimum wage there is high, but so are the living expenses.

Oh. So education helped him. Fancy that.

 

[Blazor]

If I remember correctly.. It came in a cardboard box and wrapped in plastic... I was young.. but I have thought about that cheese often in my adulthood LOLOLOLOL

That's exactly right. There are "poor things" that I was embarrassed about at the time. Now I have wtf moments, like why was I embarrassed.

Like having my mom pack me bean and cheese burritos for school lunch wrapped in a piece of aluminum foil. All the other kids had sandwiches in plastic baggies. I felt like I stood out like a sore thumb.

Now tacos and burritos are one of the most commonly eaten foods in America. Go figure.

I didnt like how the other kids treated us "Free lunchers". Nor did I like the looks people would give you if you ran into the grocery store for your mom and paid with food stamp coupons. You wasnt allowed to peel them off til you used them, so folks would have to wait and watch you peel them off.

Tacos are my favorite! And I had frozen burritos the other night lol. Always liked both.

Yep. They looked down on you. Now, I don't like standing behind someone in line with WIC or whatever, not because they're poor but because the stores take forever. The government really should give them cards to swipe. No need to advertise everyone's status as poor.

There is no shame in being poor financially, poor in spirit is what is shameful.

I agree. They did finally do that with the food stamps though. Its now an EBT card. They mostly did that, cause a lot of folks were selling the stamps for cash. They still do it with the card though, just loan the card.

I think those might be people that are desperate to pay some other kind of bill, electricity, etc or maybe drugs.

Not all the time, trust me. Because a lot folks that were getting a lot of stamps, would also get electric assistance and housing assistance, etc. So a lot of times the cash was used to buy other things, like alcohol or bling bling rims and such.

Yeah, that's terrible. I hate that about the system. The problem I have with stopping social services is that you would harm a lot of innocent people for the small percentage of scammers.

Me too, believe me. You have actual people on disability and stuff, that need the help. Then you got others, that find it is easier to sit on their ass and get a check than go out and be a productive member of society. The system is so fucked up.

A lot of people are scared, others can't afford to move. It's expensive to move. There are jobs in places that can be filled if people were willing to leave "home".

That is true. American workers have become a heck of a lot less mobile Since the 1950's and 1960's. People just aren't as willing to move for work these days. Part of it is cost but another is because a lot of lower wage workers figure out they can do better on welfare and maybe working under the table.

Most low, even mid-wage workers don't have the money it costs to move. You need rent deposits, first and last, and the money to move your stuff (or buy new stuff) and yourself. Back in the day, employers used to help people with moving expenses. For most people, that kind of job no longer exists. And then there's the issue of leaving your famiy and friends. That can be painful.

Oh that's not true Lotus. There is always a way to move. Always.

Yeah it can suck moving far from family and friends but trying to afford to be somewhere you cant afford is beyond miserable. It's much better to just move.

I've thrown belongings in trash bags and took a train from New Orleans to Detroit. With small children.

I've temporarily lived in my car until I had move in costs(and btw....it was awesome).

There is ALWAYS a way.

My lil brother, with nothing, literally drove across the country in his shitty $500 car. Now he is a millionaire lol. But he greatly misses his family and friends here.

That's good. Congrats to him. But most people who do that just end up in another shit job. There are not enough good jobs to go around. People aren't going to move across country to work in an Amazon warehouse.

Well, he pursued his dream. He went to the university there for the past 8 years, and almost has his doctorate psychology degree. He was working McD's when he left here.

Minimum wage there is high, but so are the living expenses.

Oh. So education helped him. Fancy that.

Depends on your version of "help".

Is he making it on his own.... no, his partner is the one with the higher paying job.

And when I said millionaire, its not from his job, its from playing the stock market. So its all tied up in stock.

He has a LOT of debt. One in which he hopes to pay off once his degree is final.

So no, it hasnt helped him.... yet.

 

[Blazor]

LONG POST ALERT!!!

****This turned out to be a very long post where I'm yammering about consumerism, culture and the value of community and why i believe people are attracted to communism/socailism so consider THIS message your TL;DR***


It's our consumerism....our classist culture. It's a lot of glorifying of money and spending.

So that messes people up and they THINK they need or want all this shit. We are all about the next best thing.

There are some people who think what I'm doing is nuts because I could put a down payment on a house. First off I AM in a house. And I get to redo this whole thing and make it into whatever I want. And i dont owe fuck all to anyone. So sure i could put down my savings as a down on a house but then I'm stuck for 30 years paying for it.

Here i can spend LESS out of my savings to redo THIS house and not have ANY mortgage. That's IT. We can enjoy our income and stash more for retirement age.

See how it's a no brainer when you look at it practically? But yet there are people who think I'm nuts and people who would oppose doing this based on meeting some materialistic standard. That's all it ever comes down to. Like if it doesnt come with big price tag and mortgage debt, it's just not as good. We ONLY think like this because of marketing campaigns. My house may reflect my personality and style.....but it doesnt define my WORTH ffs. I have literally ZERO shame here. I dont not feel as if I'm not "as good" as other people. You see because human worth is not directly attached to wealth in my view. And in GODS view.

Thats just one example....there are people who view clothes the same way. Or view cars the same way. Or view even groceries the same. Or their phones. Or their anything. Often times these are people trying to live outside their means to establish their worth.

That's a problem with our whole culture. We really shouldnt foster this kind of society that tells people they are not worthy or valuable if they are not spending tons of money on everything. I'm not saying there is NO personal responsibility because there definately is. People need to make wise choices....I'm just saying at a community level the messages and attitudes we send to others matter. If we are condescending towards other human beings based on how much or how little wealth we think they have..or dont have....its not shocking at all to see poor people blowing money on items or trying to live outside their means, so they can feel accepted by the communities and worthy of respect. Its irresponsible yes. It's also very sad and its result of our consumerist culture. So then we further kinda mock people for this, for being irresponsible when the root issue is in self worth and approval.

We really do need to build some stronger communities. Get back to a place where neighbors cared about eachother and looked out for one another. Humans are tribal animals and part of why horrible fucking ideas like communism/socialism are growing in cringeworthy popularity is because of we are failing at community. Because we are materialistic, we have attached human worth to wealth(hello abortion), we have severed our community bonds and we live in our bubbles.....when we are meant to connect with other humans.

It makes communism appealing.....the thought of communal living and sharing of resources, because we need that and we dont have that like we should. Of course WE know the only real way to have that is with LESS government, but I'm just saying I CAN empathize with the appeal.

I honestly wish it COULD work. It would be ideal. That utopia we all yearn for that real human nature will never allow. It never works and it's already failing as we are more divided now than we have been since the civil war....and we havent even done it yet.

The idea of a truly communist society is beautiful and appeals to that need we all have for community and connection and the sharing. Getting rid of this empty consumerism. Healing as a collective and supporting eachother. Who wouldnt want that? But it's actually a fraud of the gospel. It's a sad and weak imitation of the kingdom of Christ. In this fake gospel, we are all in our flesh and desiring to fulfill the needs of the flesh rather than being in the spirit and harvesting fruits of the spirit.... and in the place of Christ we have the state.

So it's always a lie, it always brings mass suffering and death.

Our founding documents were made for a godly people, btw.


Poofer is a good example. He brags about buying 300 dollar t shirts and all this expensive shit for his kids because he thinks human worth is attached to wealth, and that if he can make people believe he has all this disposable income it makes him a more worthy....and even superior ....person. People like that are wasting money to try to fill a void. Other leftists are filling their void by using poor and suffering people to fill some in themselves where they want to be seen as these caring heros of the underdogs.

A void left by lack of strong connections and authentic relationships and lack of community. It really does leave cracks inside of us all when we arent getting these basic human needs met. It's like a big marketing scheme to get people consuming. If you look, studies show that conservatives tend to be healthier and happier than leftists, who tend to have more mental illness such as depression and anxiety and mood disorders. Also conservatives give more, where profs and dems want the government to redistribute, due to a poor view of themselves and other humans.

Leftists here will read this as an insult, a personal attack and as me saying conservatives are better and more worthy people. They wont read it simple information to mull over or dive deep into. Theyll see an attack on thier WORTH. That's the void. They really tend to have poor boundaries and a lot of anger. They feel a sense that grave injustices are being done and they need villains and heros. Really they are just unfulfilled and suffering people rooting their worth on the wrong things. Notice how they demand "acceptance". They want a more "tolerant" and "accepting" society. Which confuses the fuck out of us, because we are not trying to fill a void. Acceptance doesnt matter to us, because we know where we end and another person begins. You cant be objective when you dont understand boundaries.

Even some people doing what I'm doing....renovating a mobile home, or some people doing a tiny house or bus conversion, some get very extravagant. And I noticed watching this (in groups I'm in)....the ones getting like that and over spending really are just not happy with what they are "stuck" doing. They also talk about a sense of shame telling people they live in a "trailor". Because they dont know where they end, and socioeconomic status begins. So they take this lack of wealth and personalize it, as if wealth gives them worth. No wealth? No worth. So.....they fake it with pricey bullshit their broke ass cant afford. Or that their broke ass doesnt even NEED....but it's now a symbol of self worth. You matter dammit. Your grossly expensive cabinets in the mobile home you renovated to escape materialism PROVE it, by fuck. YOUR poverty baby is just as worthy as a not poverty baby.... because you spent 25 bucks on that rubber teether the baby hates....but you toss it in the car seat anyway so people see that and think you are valuable. THIS is why poor people are bad with money. It's a spiritual problem....not a "cant budget" problem. They try to "hide" their poverty because our culture says the poor are worthless. A PP in every hood tells that story.

We see gangs and gang violence, homelessness and drug addiction because people need community and If they dont have it they will seek it and many times find it in the form of gangs and drugs. And the addiction thing is really bad because people form communities on recovery....but they all know eachother from the streets or jail or rehab. So it's a revolting door and a cycle using, getting clean, relapsing and everyone all bonded in it. People on the streets dont want to leave because it's a whole lifestyle and they form communities. People really get stuck like this. It's why I do NOT have a "recovery community". I have a church community.

We are hard wired, as a species, to need community. When we lack that we turn to substitute. It's also how the masses are so vulnerable to suggestion. That's why politics have become so ruthlessly tribal and why it's so easy for people to dehumanize other people. Even if one of them doesnt really believe in the narratives they will fake it and go along as to still be accepted by the community they are in.

You know that's why Holiday and Admin come here and point to the fringes or the worst examples of people who they can display as representative of our political "community" and why they ignore these examples in thier "community". They dont want to violate their community standards lol.

A lack of healthy communities and financial struggles leave people vulnerable to joining movements like BLM, and any "revolutionary" movement that involves promises of what they perceive as fairness or justice, and the movement itself provides a sense of community and shared interests and goals. And anyone opposing this community are obviously bad guys who do not want fairness or justice.

So it's very easy to exploit human beings in a materialistic consumer culture that attaches human worth to wealth and gives them all someone to blame for their pain and a utopia to gain. Just look at how often you see the monoparty and the left categorize people into respective communities in order to exploit them for political power.

The LAST thing wanted in this country by our true enemies is unity and common ground regarding shared humanity or allowing healthy communities to thrive. People wouldnt spend nearly as much money trying to boost self worth and they wouldnt give power to those who make false promises of fairness and justice and support or safety so they can continue profiting off these abuses of humanity. Right now, they want to replace our smallest most important community....the family....with the state.

Anyway if you read all this, you are a champion and thank you! I know I took it a bit deep. Materialism, consumer culture and classist expectations and the things we root our sense of self worth in are things I've thought a lot in my recovery and rebuilding my life after heroin. And I think about it a lot while watching America die and coming to terms with the inevitable. So much of understanding ourselves has to do with understanding our basic human needs and who we are. And how we seek to meet those needs when they go unmet. It would be hard to save and make better choices if a person is survival mode driven by unmet basic needs. These people just bleed out all over until they start the work of becoming a whole person.

And we cant solve this with government. Government is a lot of how we got here. We cant solve it with money. We can only really solve this with a conscious effort to build and reside within healthy communities that have clear and respected boundaries between self(individuals) and community.

We let our culture go very badly....ironically as a result of our "live and let live" individualism where we take up residency in the self and only think about things that directly impact us.......these ideas and the radicalizing was allowed to grown into the monster we have today.

We are NOT moving forward in anyway....we are going backwards. A Christian rooted western free country is the NEWEST and youngest civilization. So people who think dragging us backwards to entitlement and hedonism are really confused(Holiday) and havent learned anything.

It's not really about financial skills or discipline totally....there is so much more going on under that. It's way more culture than anything.

Can you sum this up for me? lol

I'll try to remember to read this tomorrow.

 

[Oerdin]

[

There you go again, Mr Born On Third Base. Lecturing poor people about how they should be more like you. I didn't say anything about saving money. It's pretty hard to save money when you're working a low-wage job. American employers need to stop being so greedy (Bezos, talking to you and your ilk) and pay peole decent wages.

I saved money, you pile of dog shit, and I didn't inherit a penny until my father died in May 27 of 2020. Hell, that shit is still in probate. Are you intelligent enough and well informed enough to even know what probate is? I doubt it. Also, I joined the military to get free college plus I saved at a pretty extraordinary level, often 50%, and invested aggressively. I even drove the same old Toyota Camry for 20 years to avoid losing still more money on car payments.

The reality is virtually every American could reduce their lifestyle. They could eat out less, they could buy used clothes or discount clothes instead of high priced clothes, they could do a lot of things. They just choose to not do so, they choose to spend everything they make, they choose to not plan for the future. I can tell you personally are such a failure, that is why you become so irrationally angry at such clearly true statements, you lived your life pay check to pay check. You never delayed self gratification, you never had much to rub together much less invest, and it was all a result of your own personal decisions and failures as a person.

So I understand you misplaced anger even if it is all a direct result of your personal decisions. I just don't agree with your attempts to externalize your personal failures of character.

 

[Oerdin]

I just spoke to one old friend who acted a retard and paid $8000 over MSRP on a new car which was only $22.000 MSRP to begin with. Before he bought I to him he would have to pay 1/3rd more due to the car shortage and that he shod wait and continue driving his perfectly good current car. It is like advising idiots. The reality is the car production shortage will be sorted out in a year or two and he will be upside down in a car he over paid for and whose used car value is below what he owes because he paid way to much.

It is kind of a waste to talk economics with you though because you comprehend so little about reality. Everyone has a purpose in life and your's seems to be just the piece of shit everyone learns not to step in much less emulate. A life time of failure, bad choices, and stupidity; that is you.

 

[LotusBud]

[

There you go again, Mr Born On Third Base. Lecturing poor people about how they should be more like you. I didn't say anything about saving money. It's pretty hard to save money when you're working a low-wage job. American employers need to stop being so greedy (Bezos, talking to you and your ilk) and pay peole decent wages.

I saved money, you pile of dog shit, and I didn't inherit a penny until my father died in May 27 of 2020. Hell, that shit is still in probate. Are you intelligent enough and well informed enough to even know what probate is? I doubt it. Also, I joined the military to get free college plus I saved at a pretty extraordinary level, often 50%, and invested aggressively. I even drove the same old Toyota Camry for 20 years to avoid losing still more money on car payments.

The reality is virtually every American could reduce their lifestyle. They could eat out less, they could buy used clothes or discount clothes instead of high priced clothes, they could do a lot of things. They just choose to not do so, they choose to spend everything they make, they choose to not plan for the future. I can tell you personally are such a failure, that is why you become so irrationally angry at such clearly true statements, you lived your life pay check to pay check. You never delayed self gratification, you never had much to rub together much less invest, and it was all a result of your own personal decisions and failures as a person.

So I understand you misplaced anger even if it is all a direct result of your personal decisions. I just don't agree with your attempts to externalize your personal failures of character.

Well, that makes you good, and all the people who haven't done exactly as you did bad. You clearly know for a fact that no one who has money issues does the things you list and still has money issues because of the cost of necessities, like housing, utilities, food, and transportation, coupled with low wages and possibly a medical issue or car breakdown here and there. Nope. Everyone else is a fuck up who just didn't do it right, and you are the gold standard.

PS, check this out:

Cyber Ninjas complete Arizona POTUS election audit

Qanon is so fukin obscure, I never knew it existed until libtards started crying about it.

bastardfactory.net

If you're too lazy to click, here it is:

Oh, shut the fuck up, Murdy. We both know you inherited the money you needed to retire early so stop playing stupid and just admit it. Hell, I am not even mad at you. I inherited a couple million too but I completely detest a smuck like you pretending you earned things you didn't. Like me you I was born on 3rd base but unlike me you foolishly think you hit a triple.

So stop lying to everyone else much less your self.

Signed,
Odorous

 

[LotusBud]

LONG POST ALERT!!!

****This turned out to be a very long post where I'm yammering about consumerism, culture and the value of community and why i believe people are attracted to communism/socailism so consider THIS message your TL;DR***


It's our consumerism....our classist culture. It's a lot of glorifying of money and spending.

So that messes people up and they THINK they need or want all this shit. We are all about the next best thing.

There are some people who think what I'm doing is nuts because I could put a down payment on a house. First off I AM in a house. And I get to redo this whole thing and make it into whatever I want. And i dont owe fuck all to anyone. So sure i could put down my savings as a down on a house but then I'm stuck for 30 years paying for it.

Here i can spend LESS out of my savings to redo THIS house and not have ANY mortgage. That's IT. We can enjoy our income and stash more for retirement age.

See how it's a no brainer when you look at it practically? But yet there are people who think I'm nuts and people who would oppose doing this based on meeting some materialistic standard. That's all it ever comes down to. Like if it doesnt come with big price tag and mortgage debt, it's just not as good. We ONLY think like this because of marketing campaigns. My house may reflect my personality and style.....but it doesnt define my WORTH ffs. I have literally ZERO shame here. I dont not feel as if I'm not "as good" as other people. You see because human worth is not directly attached to wealth in my view. And in GODS view.

Thats just one example....there are people who view clothes the same way. Or view cars the same way. Or view even groceries the same. Or their phones. Or their anything. Often times these are people trying to live outside their means to establish their worth.

That's a problem with our whole culture. We really shouldnt foster this kind of society that tells people they are not worthy or valuable if they are not spending tons of money on everything. I'm not saying there is NO personal responsibility because there definately is. People need to make wise choices....I'm just saying at a community level the messages and attitudes we send to others matter. If we are condescending towards other human beings based on how much or how little wealth we think they have..or dont have....its not shocking at all to see poor people blowing money on items or trying to live outside their means, so they can feel accepted by the communities and worthy of respect. Its irresponsible yes. It's also very sad and its result of our consumerist culture. So then we further kinda mock people for this, for being irresponsible when the root issue is in self worth and approval.

We really do need to build some stronger communities. Get back to a place where neighbors cared about eachother and looked out for one another. Humans are tribal animals and part of why horrible fucking ideas like communism/socialism are growing in cringeworthy popularity is because of we are failing at community. Because we are materialistic, we have attached human worth to wealth(hello abortion), we have severed our community bonds and we live in our bubbles.....when we are meant to connect with other humans.

It makes communism appealing.....the thought of communal living and sharing of resources, because we need that and we dont have that like we should. Of course WE know the only real way to have that is with LESS government, but I'm just saying I CAN empathize with the appeal.

I honestly wish it COULD work. It would be ideal. That utopia we all yearn for that real human nature will never allow. It never works and it's already failing as we are more divided now than we have been since the civil war....and we havent even done it yet.

The idea of a truly communist society is beautiful and appeals to that need we all have for community and connection and the sharing. Getting rid of this empty consumerism. Healing as a collective and supporting eachother. Who wouldnt want that? But it's actually a fraud of the gospel. It's a sad and weak imitation of the kingdom of Christ. In this fake gospel, we are all in our flesh and desiring to fulfill the needs of the flesh rather than being in the spirit and harvesting fruits of the spirit.... and in the place of Christ we have the state.

So it's always a lie, it always brings mass suffering and death.

Our founding documents were made for a godly people, btw.


Poofer is a good example. He brags about buying 300 dollar t shirts and all this expensive shit for his kids because he thinks human worth is attached to wealth, and that if he can make people believe he has all this disposable income it makes him a more worthy....and even superior ....person. People like that are wasting money to try to fill a void. Other leftists are filling their void by using poor and suffering people to fill some in themselves where they want to be seen as these caring heros of the underdogs.

A void left by lack of strong connections and authentic relationships and lack of community. It really does leave cracks inside of us all when we arent getting these basic human needs met. It's like a big marketing scheme to get people consuming. If you look, studies show that conservatives tend to be healthier and happier than leftists, who tend to have more mental illness such as depression and anxiety and mood disorders. Also conservatives give more, where profs and dems want the government to redistribute, due to a poor view of themselves and other humans.

Leftists here will read this as an insult, a personal attack and as me saying conservatives are better and more worthy people. They wont read it simple information to mull over or dive deep into. Theyll see an attack on thier WORTH. That's the void. They really tend to have poor boundaries and a lot of anger. They feel a sense that grave injustices are being done and they need villains and heros. Really they are just unfulfilled and suffering people rooting their worth on the wrong things. Notice how they demand "acceptance". They want a more "tolerant" and "accepting" society. Which confuses the fuck out of us, because we are not trying to fill a void. Acceptance doesnt matter to us, because we know where we end and another person begins. You cant be objective when you dont understand boundaries.

Even some people doing what I'm doing....renovating a mobile home, or some people doing a tiny house or bus conversion, some get very extravagant. And I noticed watching this (in groups I'm in)....the ones getting like that and over spending really are just not happy with what they are "stuck" doing. They also talk about a sense of shame telling people they live in a "trailor". Because they dont know where they end, and socioeconomic status begins. So they take this lack of wealth and personalize it, as if wealth gives them worth. No wealth? No worth. So.....they fake it with pricey bullshit their broke ass cant afford. Or that their broke ass doesnt even NEED....but it's now a symbol of self worth. You matter dammit. Your grossly expensive cabinets in the mobile home you renovated to escape materialism PROVE it, by fuck. YOUR poverty baby is just as worthy as a not poverty baby.... because you spent 25 bucks on that rubber teether the baby hates....but you toss it in the car seat anyway so people see that and think you are valuable. THIS is why poor people are bad with money. It's a spiritual problem....not a "cant budget" problem. They try to "hide" their poverty because our culture says the poor are worthless. A PP in every hood tells that story.

We see gangs and gang violence, homelessness and drug addiction because people need community and If they dont have it they will seek it and many times find it in the form of gangs and drugs. And the addiction thing is really bad because people form communities on recovery....but they all know eachother from the streets or jail or rehab. So it's a revolting door and a cycle using, getting clean, relapsing and everyone all bonded in it. People on the streets dont want to leave because it's a whole lifestyle and they form communities. People really get stuck like this. It's why I do NOT have a "recovery community". I have a church community.

We are hard wired, as a species, to need community. When we lack that we turn to substitute. It's also how the masses are so vulnerable to suggestion. That's why politics have become so ruthlessly tribal and why it's so easy for people to dehumanize other people. Even if one of them doesnt really believe in the narratives they will fake it and go along as to still be accepted by the community they are in.

You know that's why Holiday and Admin come here and point to the fringes or the worst examples of people who they can display as representative of our political "community" and why they ignore these examples in thier "community". They dont want to violate their community standards lol.

A lack of healthy communities and financial struggles leave people vulnerable to joining movements like BLM, and any "revolutionary" movement that involves promises of what they perceive as fairness or justice, and the movement itself provides a sense of community and shared interests and goals. And anyone opposing this community are obviously bad guys who do not want fairness or justice.

So it's very easy to exploit human beings in a materialistic consumer culture that attaches human worth to wealth and gives them all someone to blame for their pain and a utopia to gain. Just look at how often you see the monoparty and the left categorize people into respective communities in order to exploit them for political power.

The LAST thing wanted in this country by our true enemies is unity and common ground regarding shared humanity or allowing healthy communities to thrive. People wouldnt spend nearly as much money trying to boost self worth and they wouldnt give power to those who make false promises of fairness and justice and support or safety so they can continue profiting off these abuses of humanity. Right now, they want to replace our smallest most important community....the family....with the state.

Anyway if you read all this, you are a champion and thank you! I know I took it a bit deep. Materialism, consumer culture and classist expectations and the things we root our sense of self worth in are things I've thought a lot in my recovery and rebuilding my life after heroin. And I think about it a lot while watching America die and coming to terms with the inevitable. So much of understanding ourselves has to do with understanding our basic human needs and who we are. And how we seek to meet those needs when they go unmet. It would be hard to save and make better choices if a person is survival mode driven by unmet basic needs. These people just bleed out all over until they start the work of becoming a whole person.

And we cant solve this with government. Government is a lot of how we got here. We cant solve it with money. We can only really solve this with a conscious effort to build and reside within healthy communities that have clear and respected boundaries between self(individuals) and community.

We let our culture go very badly....ironically as a result of our "live and let live" individualism where we take up residency in the self and only think about things that directly impact us.......these ideas and the radicalizing was allowed to grown into the monster we have today.

We are NOT moving forward in anyway....we are going backwards. A Christian rooted western free country is the NEWEST and youngest civilization. So people who think dragging us backwards to entitlement and hedonism are really confused(Holiday) and havent learned anything.

It's not really about financial skills or discipline totally....there is so much more going on under that. It's way more culture than anything.

Can you sum this up for me? lol

I'll try to remember to read this tomorrow.

LONG POST ALERT!!!

****This turned out to be a very long post where I'm yammering about consumerism, culture and the value of community and why i believe people are attracted to communism/socailism so consider THIS message your TL;DR***


It's our consumerism....our classist culture. It's a lot of glorifying of money and spending.

So that messes people up and they THINK they need or want all this shit. We are all about the next best thing.

There are some people who think what I'm doing is nuts because I could put a down payment on a house. First off I AM in a house. And I get to redo this whole thing and make it into whatever I want. And i dont owe fuck all to anyone. So sure i could put down my savings as a down on a house but then I'm stuck for 30 years paying for it.

Here i can spend LESS out of my savings to redo THIS house and not have ANY mortgage. That's IT. We can enjoy our income and stash more for retirement age.

See how it's a no brainer when you look at it practically? But yet there are people who think I'm nuts and people who would oppose doing this based on meeting some materialistic standard. That's all it ever comes down to. Like if it doesnt come with big price tag and mortgage debt, it's just not as good. We ONLY think like this because of marketing campaigns. My house may reflect my personality and style.....but it doesnt define my WORTH ffs. I have literally ZERO shame here. I dont not feel as if I'm not "as good" as other people. You see because human worth is not directly attached to wealth in my view. And in GODS view.

Thats just one example....there are people who view clothes the same way. Or view cars the same way. Or view even groceries the same. Or their phones. Or their anything. Often times these are people trying to live outside their means to establish their worth.

That's a problem with our whole culture. We really shouldnt foster this kind of society that tells people they are not worthy or valuable if they are not spending tons of money on everything. I'm not saying there is NO personal responsibility because there definately is. People need to make wise choices....I'm just saying at a community level the messages and attitudes we send to others matter. If we are condescending towards other human beings based on how much or how little wealth we think they have..or dont have....its not shocking at all to see poor people blowing money on items or trying to live outside their means, so they can feel accepted by the communities and worthy of respect. Its irresponsible yes. It's also very sad and its result of our consumerist culture. So then we further kinda mock people for this, for being irresponsible when the root issue is in self worth and approval.

We really do need to build some stronger communities. Get back to a place where neighbors cared about eachother and looked out for one another. Humans are tribal animals and part of why horrible fucking ideas like communism/socialism are growing in cringeworthy popularity is because of we are failing at community. Because we are materialistic, we have attached human worth to wealth(hello abortion), we have severed our community bonds and we live in our bubbles.....when we are meant to connect with other humans.

It makes communism appealing.....the thought of communal living and sharing of resources, because we need that and we dont have that like we should. Of course WE know the only real way to have that is with LESS government, but I'm just saying I CAN empathize with the appeal.

I honestly wish it COULD work. It would be ideal. That utopia we all yearn for that real human nature will never allow. It never works and it's already failing as we are more divided now than we have been since the civil war....and we havent even done it yet.

The idea of a truly communist society is beautiful and appeals to that need we all have for community and connection and the sharing. Getting rid of this empty consumerism. Healing as a collective and supporting eachother. Who wouldnt want that? But it's actually a fraud of the gospel. It's a sad and weak imitation of the kingdom of Christ. In this fake gospel, we are all in our flesh and desiring to fulfill the needs of the flesh rather than being in the spirit and harvesting fruits of the spirit.... and in the place of Christ we have the state.

So it's always a lie, it always brings mass suffering and death.

Our founding documents were made for a godly people, btw.


Poofer is a good example. He brags about buying 300 dollar t shirts and all this expensive shit for his kids because he thinks human worth is attached to wealth, and that if he can make people believe he has all this disposable income it makes him a more worthy....and even superior ....person. People like that are wasting money to try to fill a void. Other leftists are filling their void by using poor and suffering people to fill some in themselves where they want to be seen as these caring heros of the underdogs.

A void left by lack of strong connections and authentic relationships and lack of community. It really does leave cracks inside of us all when we arent getting these basic human needs met. It's like a big marketing scheme to get people consuming. If you look, studies show that conservatives tend to be healthier and happier than leftists, who tend to have more mental illness such as depression and anxiety and mood disorders. Also conservatives give more, where profs and dems want the government to redistribute, due to a poor view of themselves and other humans.

Leftists here will read this as an insult, a personal attack and as me saying conservatives are better and more worthy people. They wont read it simple information to mull over or dive deep into. Theyll see an attack on thier WORTH. That's the void. They really tend to have poor boundaries and a lot of anger. They feel a sense that grave injustices are being done and they need villains and heros. Really they are just unfulfilled and suffering people rooting their worth on the wrong things. Notice how they demand "acceptance". They want a more "tolerant" and "accepting" society. Which confuses the fuck out of us, because we are not trying to fill a void. Acceptance doesnt matter to us, because we know where we end and another person begins. You cant be objective when you dont understand boundaries.

Even some people doing what I'm doing....renovating a mobile home, or some people doing a tiny house or bus conversion, some get very extravagant. And I noticed watching this (in groups I'm in)....the ones getting like that and over spending really are just not happy with what they are "stuck" doing. They also talk about a sense of shame telling people they live in a "trailor". Because they dont know where they end, and socioeconomic status begins. So they take this lack of wealth and personalize it, as if wealth gives them worth. No wealth? No worth. So.....they fake it with pricey bullshit their broke ass cant afford. Or that their broke ass doesnt even NEED....but it's now a symbol of self worth. You matter dammit. Your grossly expensive cabinets in the mobile home you renovated to escape materialism PROVE it, by fuck. YOUR poverty baby is just as worthy as a not poverty baby.... because you spent 25 bucks on that rubber teether the baby hates....but you toss it in the car seat anyway so people see that and think you are valuable. THIS is why poor people are bad with money. It's a spiritual problem....not a "cant budget" problem. They try to "hide" their poverty because our culture says the poor are worthless. A PP in every hood tells that story.

We see gangs and gang violence, homelessness and drug addiction because people need community and If they dont have it they will seek it and many times find it in the form of gangs and drugs. And the addiction thing is really bad because people form communities on recovery....but they all know eachother from the streets or jail or rehab. So it's a revolting door and a cycle using, getting clean, relapsing and everyone all bonded in it. People on the streets dont want to leave because it's a whole lifestyle and they form communities. People really get stuck like this. It's why I do NOT have a "recovery community". I have a church community.

We are hard wired, as a species, to need community. When we lack that we turn to substitute. It's also how the masses are so vulnerable to suggestion. That's why politics have become so ruthlessly tribal and why it's so easy for people to dehumanize other people. Even if one of them doesnt really believe in the narratives they will fake it and go along as to still be accepted by the community they are in.

You know that's why Holiday and Admin come here and point to the fringes or the worst examples of people who they can display as representative of our political "community" and why they ignore these examples in thier "community". They dont want to violate their community standards lol.

A lack of healthy communities and financial struggles leave people vulnerable to joining movements like BLM, and any "revolutionary" movement that involves promises of what they perceive as fairness or justice, and the movement itself provides a sense of community and shared interests and goals. And anyone opposing this community are obviously bad guys who do not want fairness or justice.

So it's very easy to exploit human beings in a materialistic consumer culture that attaches human worth to wealth and gives them all someone to blame for their pain and a utopia to gain. Just look at how often you see the monoparty and the left categorize people into respective communities in order to exploit them for political power.

The LAST thing wanted in this country by our true enemies is unity and common ground regarding shared humanity or allowing healthy communities to thrive. People wouldnt spend nearly as much money trying to boost self worth and they wouldnt give power to those who make false promises of fairness and justice and support or safety so they can continue profiting off these abuses of humanity. Right now, they want to replace our smallest most important community....the family....with the state.

Anyway if you read all this, you are a champion and thank you! I know I took it a bit deep. Materialism, consumer culture and classist expectations and the things we root our sense of self worth in are things I've thought a lot in my recovery and rebuilding my life after heroin. And I think about it a lot while watching America die and coming to terms with the inevitable. So much of understanding ourselves has to do with understanding our basic human needs and who we are. And how we seek to meet those needs when they go unmet. It would be hard to save and make better choices if a person is survival mode driven by unmet basic needs. These people just bleed out all over until they start the work of becoming a whole person.

And we cant solve this with government. Government is a lot of how we got here. We cant solve it with money. We can only really solve this with a conscious effort to build and reside within healthy communities that have clear and respected boundaries between self(individuals) and community.

We let our culture go very badly....ironically as a result of our "live and let live" individualism where we take up residency in the self and only think about things that directly impact us.......these ideas and the radicalizing was allowed to grown into the monster we have today.

We are NOT moving forward in anyway....we are going backwards. A Christian rooted western free country is the NEWEST and youngest civilization. So people who think dragging us backwards to entitlement and hedonism are really confused(Holiday) and havent learned anything.

It's not really about financial skills or discipline totally....there is so much more going on under that. It's way more culture than anything.

Your novella starts out okay, but then of course it turns into a screed against the left. What about righties who make their possessions what they value? You lambaste Martini but ignore Mr McMansion Strapon, who can't talk about anything except his house and his cars and his tax bracket. You give him a pass because he's a rightie. There are millions of empty-souled righties like Strapon who would look down on you for your choice, but you blame everything on the "left" rather than on a failed culture. Yes, capitalist culture is a failure, and IT needs redoing, from the right and from the left.

 

[Adam Hitler]

Government cheese, da fuq? I assumed it was a slang term for welfare monies like Poarka gets.

 

[Adam Hitler]

Lily laughs at that as if there are no people out there who make too much to get help from the socail programs they pay for, but who also struggle more than nessesary because the government takes too much out of their income.

Taxation is theft. Period.

I laugh because you can't keep a job. What taxes do leeches pay?

Errrrm, you're too fat to work, remember?