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What if: the 'American Dream' was achievable by all when playing by the rules? Owning a home near your job, settling down with a family, having a good life. R
by mjevans 4y ago
What if: the 'American Dream' was achievable by all when playing by the rules? Owning a home near your job, settling down with a family, having a good life.
Rather than maximum value extraction from everyone under the upper crust like we're trying to approach a dystopia.
- truthwhisperer 4y ago
- PixyMisa 4y agoThe problems really start when you try to deliberately shape society so that dreams are attainable by everyone.
- namecheapTA 4y agoI worked in car sales for a long time. Basically every above average salesperson, and every mechanic over 26, owned their own home. In California. While it's probably not possible to own your own how doing every and any job, it's not like that was possible throughout history either. But if you do something at all specialized beyond just providing the lowest of manual labor, you can usually get a home. I also know the construction industry well. You can glue tile to the floor, or screw cabinets to a wall, and own your own home pretty quickly. If mechanics and slightly skilled manual labors can own homes in California, is there really a problem?
- uoaei 4y agoYou just named two of the largest industries in the nation. Cumulatively probably something like 10% of GDP is driven by automobiles and construction. Of course there is ample opportunity. But also 10% of GDP doesn't mean 10% of citizens are employed in those industries. Likely it is less than 10% of the population. I think your anecdotes do not generalize to the population.
- throwaway23234 4y agoGlad you added more to that comment. I have a personal belief that "owner builder" is going to be something you're going to hear about more and more. People that are less fortunate are going to start getting investment together to buy raw land, build a house and sell it for upwards of the salary of an AI developer at Google. This is something people can get started on literally tomorrow.
- uoaei 4y agoThat's an interesting idea. Much like how China develops cities first, then moves people into them later, you seem to be suggesting individuals could build cheap houses on cheap land to incentivize infrastructure building toward and outward from new construction. I don't think the economics work out here for the "less fortunate" because there is a certain minimum threshold of time-plus-money necessary to start this process, and I think without detailed planning provisions it will end up as worse-than-useless sprawl, but it's something to build on, if you'll excuse the pun.
- throwaway23234 4y agoDefinitely will be worked out, and I wouldn't be surprised if a startup shows up to get people motivated (with advice, resources and planning assistance) and help them find investment.
- uoaei 4y agoThis is exactly the lack of planning I insist will cause more problems than it solves.
- LAC-Tech 4y agoCrime disproportionately affects the poor.
- deleted 4y ago[deleted]