5 ms·

So that's the spending requirement for a reasonably comfortable life. Good to know

wernercd 9y ago
getting your nails did and lift kit on your truck isn't needed for a "reasonably comfortable life". My general point is people waste a LOT of money on things they don't "need" that don't really add to "comfort". I grew up dirt poor and we stayed within our means. I was comfortable with 3 squares and a roof over my head.
- hfourm 9y ago
  Yea I think this is borderline offensive. But your point is true, one of the bigger problems is people try to live way outside their means. This is also a cultural problem even outside of the lower class, with middle class individuals living paycheck to paycheck -- or in a lot of bad debt.
- CameronBanga 9y ago
  As a general FYI, it's possible to make the point you just did without using a derogatory and arguably racist sentence as an example.
  - wernercd 9y ago
    Should I mention lift kits and skoal to balance it out? People waste money on stuff that isn't relevant to comfort... If the truth is offensive, the so be it. I've been surrounded by people of all walks of life wasting money... I chose one example and I'm not worried if someone gets offended. We spend to much time dancing around PC goals of never offending anyone anytime about anything... But I digress...
    - aaronbrethorst 9y ago
      > PC goals Not using racist stereotypes is a "PC goal?"
      - wernercd 9y ago
        Being offended by every little perceived slight is a PC goal.
    - ch4s3 9y ago
      >getting your nails did The problem with that phrase is that it's a lazy shortcut that doesn't offer any insight, is racialized in a suspect manor, and ignores interesting reasons why people might in your opinion "waste" their money. Economically if someone is purchasing a nail job, which in many areas is dirt cheap, they may be receiving utility that you are not taking into consideration. A nice nail job may confer social status/capital which can ben spent in place of cash. It may be useful in attracting a more fit mate who can split costs of housing. It may be useful in maintaining your appearance for a customer service job. Surely, to your point some people do "waste" their money, but it's not necessarily cut and dry what that means. Short sighted expenditures may confer short term value and alleviate short term problems where the capital requirement for a lasting solution may be too high for an individual to afford on minimum wage. This is part of the reason that poverty is a trap.
    - gerbilly 9y ago
      I had a friend who made it a point to be non PC and who constantly needled people with pointed and offensive questions.[1] Eventually I came to see this behaviour for what it was, as a type of submissiveness test. The point of those questions wasn't to obtain information, but to find out if the other person would allow him to dominate the other. Now whenever a person rails against the need to avoid giving offence, I am reminded of him. [1] He is not my friend anymore
    - dispo001 9y ago
      The charts show the way things are. One could certainly see things wrong with them. I believe the issue you see is that people spend more than their income? As 90% is going into the rent a cheaper lifestyle wouldn't change much. Teaching 40% of the population to spend only 1/3 on other things besides rent is not a reasonable goal but even if it was it wouldn't necessarily change anything. To state the obvious: It would be much easier to just lower the rent by 2/9. More interesting: The way rent works a reduction of 2/3 spending on other things would allow rent to grow to 110%. I would change the game like this: 1) Remove interest from mortgage (with a maximum of 1 house per family) 2) Remove the obligation to pay that part of the debt backed by the house and make insurance mandatory. 3) Turn rent contracts into lease buy contracts retroactively. 4) Cut salaries by 70%. For the US this would mean: The minimum wage drops from 7.25 to 2.175 per hour. Benefits drop from 1300 to 390. Pensions drop from 2600 to 780. And in stead of droves of people endlessly searching for a job that doesn't exist there would be countless jobs to chose from. Personally I don't mind doing the same repetitive factory work for 3 months. If I can go do something else at any time it wouldn't bother me at all. Hell, flipping burgers for a few months might even be considered fun. If you have people put a widget in a box for 50 years you shouldn't be surprised their mind draws a blank. Their entire education would amount to nothing more than a lack of boxed widgets. Years of missed widget boxing potential.
- Mikeb85 9y ago
  > I grew up dirt poor and we stayed within our means. And the cost of living relative to the income of the bottom 20% is much higher today. Even 'poor' working class people a generation ago could afford a house, car and family on a single income working a single job. That's not the case any more.
- voodoomagicman 9y ago
  This implies race by referencing stereotypes in a way that I find objectionable - noticed you getting downvotes and figured its worth giving some constructive feedback.
- DougWebb 9y ago
  Trying to decide which of your multiple cars you feel like driving today also isn't needed for a "reasonably comfortable life".
- nkrisc 9y ago
  Ambiguous enough that you can reasonably deny using specific racial stereotypes, but specific enough that we all know what you're really saying.
sol_remmy 9y ago
Or it proves the law that some people will spend every cent they receive, whether through income or welfare
- ch4s3 9y ago
  As a grad student, I spent every dollar I earned and took on loans. I'd hardly call my lifestyle at the time irresponsible or extravagant.
- ceejayoz 9y ago
  I'd probably have to spend every penny I got if I was making minimum wage, too.
  - pitaj 9y ago
    Depends where you live.
    - ch4s3 9y ago
      Where in the US can you work 40hr/wk on the minimum wage and not spend basically all of your income staying afloat? And in those places if they exist, what does the employment situation actually look like? Can you find a job? Can you piece together 40 hours?
- aaronbrethorst 9y ago
  What I infer from your comment is you are saying that poor people are poor because they lack the discipline to stop being poor. Is that an accurate representation? If not, I'd love to know how I misinterpreted your words.
- formula1 9y ago
  I don't think an underclass living on ramen noodles is very humane
  - sokoloff 9y ago

getting your nails did and lift kit on your truck isn't needed for a "reasonably comfortable life". My general point is people waste a LOT of money on things they don't "need" that don't really add to "comfort". I grew up dirt poor and we stayed within our means. I was comfortable with 3 squares and a roof over my head.

hfourm 9y ago
Yea I think this is borderline offensive. But your point is true, one of the bigger problems is people try to live way outside their means. This is also a cultural problem even outside of the lower class, with middle class individuals living paycheck to paycheck -- or in a lot of bad debt.
CameronBanga 9y ago
As a general FYI, it's possible to make the point you just did without using a derogatory and arguably racist sentence as an example.
- wernercd 9y ago
  Should I mention lift kits and skoal to balance it out? People waste money on stuff that isn't relevant to comfort... If the truth is offensive, the so be it. I've been surrounded by people of all walks of life wasting money... I chose one example and I'm not worried if someone gets offended. We spend to much time dancing around PC goals of never offending anyone anytime about anything... But I digress...
  - aaronbrethorst 9y ago
    > PC goals Not using racist stereotypes is a "PC goal?"
    - wernercd 9y ago
      Being offended by every little perceived slight is a PC goal.
  - ch4s3 9y ago
    >getting your nails did The problem with that phrase is that it's a lazy shortcut that doesn't offer any insight, is racialized in a suspect manor, and ignores interesting reasons why people might in your opinion "waste" their money. Economically if someone is purchasing a nail job, which in many areas is dirt cheap, they may be receiving utility that you are not taking into consideration. A nice nail job may confer social status/capital which can ben spent in place of cash. It may be useful in attracting a more fit mate who can split costs of housing. It may be useful in maintaining your appearance for a customer service job. Surely, to your point some people do "waste" their money, but it's not necessarily cut and dry what that means. Short sighted expenditures may confer short term value and alleviate short term problems where the capital requirement for a lasting solution may be too high for an individual to afford on minimum wage. This is part of the reason that poverty is a trap.
  - gerbilly 9y ago
    I had a friend who made it a point to be non PC and who constantly needled people with pointed and offensive questions.[1] Eventually I came to see this behaviour for what it was, as a type of submissiveness test. The point of those questions wasn't to obtain information, but to find out if the other person would allow him to dominate the other. Now whenever a person rails against the need to avoid giving offence, I am reminded of him. [1] He is not my friend anymore
  - dispo001 9y ago
    The charts show the way things are. One could certainly see things wrong with them. I believe the issue you see is that people spend more than their income? As 90% is going into the rent a cheaper lifestyle wouldn't change much. Teaching 40% of the population to spend only 1/3 on other things besides rent is not a reasonable goal but even if it was it wouldn't necessarily change anything. To state the obvious: It would be much easier to just lower the rent by 2/9. More interesting: The way rent works a reduction of 2/3 spending on other things would allow rent to grow to 110%. I would change the game like this: 1) Remove interest from mortgage (with a maximum of 1 house per family) 2) Remove the obligation to pay that part of the debt backed by the house and make insurance mandatory. 3) Turn rent contracts into lease buy contracts retroactively. 4) Cut salaries by 70%. For the US this would mean: The minimum wage drops from 7.25 to 2.175 per hour. Benefits drop from 1300 to 390. Pensions drop from 2600 to 780. And in stead of droves of people endlessly searching for a job that doesn't exist there would be countless jobs to chose from. Personally I don't mind doing the same repetitive factory work for 3 months. If I can go do something else at any time it wouldn't bother me at all. Hell, flipping burgers for a few months might even be considered fun. If you have people put a widget in a box for 50 years you shouldn't be surprised their mind draws a blank. Their entire education would amount to nothing more than a lack of boxed widgets. Years of missed widget boxing potential.
Mikeb85 9y ago
> I grew up dirt poor and we stayed within our means. And the cost of living relative to the income of the bottom 20% is much higher today. Even 'poor' working class people a generation ago could afford a house, car and family on a single income working a single job. That's not the case any more.
voodoomagicman 9y ago
This implies race by referencing stereotypes in a way that I find objectionable - noticed you getting downvotes and figured its worth giving some constructive feedback.
DougWebb 9y ago
Trying to decide which of your multiple cars you feel like driving today also isn't needed for a "reasonably comfortable life".
nkrisc 9y ago
Ambiguous enough that you can reasonably deny using specific racial stereotypes, but specific enough that we all know what you're really saying.

sol_remmy 9y ago

Or it proves the law that some people will spend every cent they receive, whether through income or welfare

ch4s3 9y ago
As a grad student, I spent every dollar I earned and took on loans. I'd hardly call my lifestyle at the time irresponsible or extravagant.
ceejayoz 9y ago
I'd probably have to spend every penny I got if I was making minimum wage, too.
- pitaj 9y ago
  Depends where you live.
  - ch4s3 9y ago
    Where in the US can you work 40hr/wk on the minimum wage and not spend basically all of your income staying afloat? And in those places if they exist, what does the employment situation actually look like? Can you find a job? Can you piece together 40 hours?
aaronbrethorst 9y ago
What I infer from your comment is you are saying that poor people are poor because they lack the discipline to stop being poor. Is that an accurate representation? If not, I'd love to know how I misinterpreted your words.
formula1 9y ago
I don't think an underclass living on ramen noodles is very humane
- sokoloff 9y ago