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> But for most of us the things are not this bad. I am a professor If you are a professor, you are not one of the 'most of us'. For most, things are really tha

> But for most of us the things are not this bad. I am a professor If you are a professor, you are not one of the 'most of us'. For most, things are really that bad. https://www.cnbc.com/2016/12/13/americas-dirty-little-secret-42-million-are-suffering-from-hunger.html https://www.cnbc.com/2016/12/13/americas-dirty-little-secret... There are millions of working families where both parents and even children work and yet they still suffer hunger.

malshe 4y ago
My comment unintentionally sounded like I was talking about all the other Americans. I meant to say most of us in the middle class. I am acutely aware that poverty in the US is real. When I talk to my academic friends in Europe and we compare salaries (it's quite common to do that because in the US our salaries are public if we work in state universities), we usually come out with the conclusion that in the US we have a lot more liquidity after accounting for pension, medical, housing, and other expenses.
- unity1001 4y ago
  > I meant to say most of us in the middle class I know that you Americans use the word 'middle class' in place of 'working class'. No, a professor would not be 'working class'. Its lower upper class at the least. Both in Europe and the US. Even for the public university case, the Europeans have benefits that you likely don't calculate. From getting state-subsidies per child to rent control to many different things. You shouldnt calculate the difference just over pension, medical and housing.
- dekleinewolf 4y ago
  But isn't that a completely unfair comparison? "Yeah, if you disregard all the poor people that struggle to stay alive, us rich people are generally much richer". I think your exact statement is probably true. Because most European countries tries to distribute wealth in such a way that everyone gets to live, with food, healthcare, education and housing. And naturally that means that the 50% wealthiest in Europe are less wealthy than the 50% wealthiest in the US. But the 50% poorest in Europe are much wealthier than the 50% poorest in the US.

malshe 4y ago

My comment unintentionally sounded like I was talking about all the other Americans. I meant to say most of us in the middle class. I am acutely aware that poverty in the US is real. When I talk to my academic friends in Europe and we compare salaries (it's quite common to do that because in the US our salaries are public if we work in state universities), we usually come out with the conclusion that in the US we have a lot more liquidity after accounting for pension, medical, housing, and other expenses.

unity1001 4y ago
> I meant to say most of us in the middle class I know that you Americans use the word 'middle class' in place of 'working class'. No, a professor would not be 'working class'. Its lower upper class at the least. Both in Europe and the US. Even for the public university case, the Europeans have benefits that you likely don't calculate. From getting state-subsidies per child to rent control to many different things. You shouldnt calculate the difference just over pension, medical and housing.
dekleinewolf 4y ago
But isn't that a completely unfair comparison? "Yeah, if you disregard all the poor people that struggle to stay alive, us rich people are generally much richer". I think your exact statement is probably true. Because most European countries tries to distribute wealth in such a way that everyone gets to live, with food, healthcare, education and housing. And naturally that means that the 50% wealthiest in Europe are less wealthy than the 50% wealthiest in the US. But the 50% poorest in Europe are much wealthier than the 50% poorest in the US.