7 ms·

Could it be the extreme wealth and extreme poverty that the Bay Area has? We have California’s highest levels of income inequality, not sure how we compare with

by jjj123 6y ago

Could it be the extreme wealth and extreme poverty that the Bay Area has? We have California’s highest levels of income inequality, not sure how we compare with the rest of the us [1]. 1: https://www.kqed.org/news/11799308/bay-area-has-highest-income-inequality-in-california https://www.kqed.org/news/11799308/bay-area-has-highest-inco...

fortran77 6y ago
What are you saying? These people are stealing and pointing guns at people only because they feel it's "unfair" that other people have more money than they do?
- ALittleLight 6y ago
  I think that's part of it. Imagine doing demanding or demeaning labor all day and making a tenth of what the guy spending 7-8 hours a day typing on a computer and playing Ping Pong makes. That would certainly seem unfair to me. Can't afford nice stuff, but you could take it... On top of that, SF refuses to punish crimes like theft, so...
  - ilaksh 6y ago
    I doubt that the people doing the robbery do demeaning or dema ding labor all day. They are probably career criminals or drug addicts or both. It seems that those groups flourish in such neighborhoods in SF.
    - naebother 6y ago
      And how does one become a career criminal or a drug addict? Not saying it's the only cause, but poverty and societal dysfunction definitely play a major role.
      - ilaksh 6y ago
        That's true. I totally agree. I was just thinking that most of the hard-working poor people should not get lumped in with the criminals. But I think it's important to point out the strong link between crime and poverty. And personally I think that the best ways to address crime start with addressing structural inequality. I also personally think we should have a lot more mental institutions rather than relying on prisons or just letting everyone with problems fend for themselves. As long as they don't start lobotomizing people again or something.
  - kevrc 6y ago
    I can assure you, the people who are robbing electronics stores are not the ones serving lattes or driving ubers. SF has a huge issue with career criminals. And it’s easy to be one. I have never seen such blatant drug dealing and robbery in my life, and I have lived in supposedly “dangerous” cities outside of the US.
    - ALittleLight 6y ago
      Maybe they are drug addicts and criminals because they don't want to do hard work for low pay.
      - mensetmanusman 6y ago
        Assume that is true, what do you do when they pull a gun, pay them more?
        ALittleLight 6y ago
        I think it's more productive to think about what you'd do in the typical case.
      - kevrc 6y ago
        I am sure that’s part of it. Minimum wage jobs are hard. But there are plenty of people who work hard jobs or come from hard situations without turning to crime. Sf does it’s best to make crime and drugs an appealing option when the law isn’t enforced.

by jjj123 6y ago

fortran77 6y ago

What are you saying? These people are stealing and pointing guns at people only because they feel it's "unfair" that other people have more money than they do?

ALittleLight 6y ago
I think that's part of it. Imagine doing demanding or demeaning labor all day and making a tenth of what the guy spending 7-8 hours a day typing on a computer and playing Ping Pong makes. That would certainly seem unfair to me. Can't afford nice stuff, but you could take it... On top of that, SF refuses to punish crimes like theft, so...
- ilaksh 6y ago
  I doubt that the people doing the robbery do demeaning or dema ding labor all day. They are probably career criminals or drug addicts or both. It seems that those groups flourish in such neighborhoods in SF.
  - naebother 6y ago
    And how does one become a career criminal or a drug addict? Not saying it's the only cause, but poverty and societal dysfunction definitely play a major role.
    - ilaksh 6y ago
      That's true. I totally agree. I was just thinking that most of the hard-working poor people should not get lumped in with the criminals. But I think it's important to point out the strong link between crime and poverty. And personally I think that the best ways to address crime start with addressing structural inequality. I also personally think we should have a lot more mental institutions rather than relying on prisons or just letting everyone with problems fend for themselves. As long as they don't start lobotomizing people again or something.
- kevrc 6y ago
  I can assure you, the people who are robbing electronics stores are not the ones serving lattes or driving ubers. SF has a huge issue with career criminals. And it’s easy to be one. I have never seen such blatant drug dealing and robbery in my life, and I have lived in supposedly “dangerous” cities outside of the US.
  - ALittleLight 6y ago
    Maybe they are drug addicts and criminals because they don't want to do hard work for low pay.
    - mensetmanusman 6y ago
      Assume that is true, what do you do when they pull a gun, pay them more?
      - ALittleLight 6y ago
        I think it's more productive to think about what you'd do in the typical case.
    - kevrc 6y ago
      I am sure that’s part of it. Minimum wage jobs are hard. But there are plenty of people who work hard jobs or come from hard situations without turning to crime. Sf does it’s best to make crime and drugs an appealing option when the law isn’t enforced.