"you have opened yourself up to a responsibility to think critically about those whom you have dismissed" I don't think I dismissed anyone. People make bad de

"you have opened yourself up to a responsibility to think critically about those whom you have dismissed" I don't think I dismissed anyone. People make bad decisions on things they are in control of and it makes them more poor. The rich have more self control -- maybe not. Those with good self control tend to be better off -- definitely. I'm all for the argument that smoking is a rational choice for someone without a lot of money. There is also the compelling argument that poor impulse control, being poor and smoking have a strong correlation. Maybe even as a common cause for poverty and smoking. Having watched friends spend entire paychecks drinking, smoking, having unprotected sex (with the inevitable consequences), buying new camaros at blistering interest rates, fleetingly fashionable clothes -- I somehow think that my choice to eat mountains of rice and beans and live with roommates somehow had something to do with my relative success. Sure, you can tell some people it's not their fault, but absolving everyone of responsibility for their choices is not helping them at all.