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My perspective on this changed after I had a daughter. I used to think, “we have to look out for everyone”. But now, my mindspace is occupied with my kid’s safe

by spaceman_2020 3y ago

My perspective on this changed after I had a daughter. I used to think, “we have to look out for everyone”. But now, my mindspace is occupied with my kid’s safety and wellbeing. Sure, we should look out for everyone, but my kid comes way ahead. If I had $100 and I had to spent $1 to increase her safety profile, I’ll happily do it.

bamboozled 3y ago
That very mindset is what will put your children in the most danger. You do not live in a vacuum.
- jstarfish 3y ago
  That's what I tell everyone who advocates for defunding food stamps. The bread we throw to the poor is the only thing that keeps their knives away from your throat. Americans think gun ownership is some sort of compensating factor...as though sieges in America have ever ended well for the defending team.
  - aydyn 3y ago
    The problem with food stamps is program abuse: about 25% is spent on junk food. And then there's outright fraud, which as a percentage is small but still a lot of money. Who knows how much is spent on uber eats/doordash. I'm fine with tax spending to feed the poor, but I don't agree with spending on luxury foods and luxury food services that I wouldn't even spend on myself.
    - rockemsockem 3y ago
      That thinking is the problem. Every government program will see fraud and I don't even see how junk food is a real problem? The point is calories. Sure, healthier food would be better, but there are other efforts to get people of all income brackets to eat healthier. The government should not limit what people are permitted to eat just because they're poor enough to qualify.
      - aydyn 3y ago
        How is "that thinking" the problem? A problem for what exactly? Junk food is a problem because it's vastly overpriced relative to the amount of nutritional value. In terms of material cost, the dollar amount actually necessary to feed poor people is a tiny insignificant fraction of what is being spent now. That's inefficient. Not to even mention how junk food contributes to obesity and other health problems, effectively creating a second-order tax unto the health care system.
    - jarjar2_ 3y ago
      The max benefit for EBT in ND is $250-ish for a single person essentially making nothing. The whole point of EBT is to keep people fed. If they are eating junk food and not maximizing their nutritional value to your satisfaction that’s fine because they’re still eating. All prepared food is banned in ND for EBT. Meaning you can’t order Taco Bell through door dash. If you’re really worried about your tax expenditures look at defense contracting and spending. EBT fraud is a rounding error for some of those program overruns. Also at tax policy when it comes to revenue offshoring, inheritance and millionaires to billionaire tax evasion. The poors aren’t the ones screwing you.
      - aydyn 3y ago
        > The whole point of EBT is to keep people fed. If they are eating junk food and not maximizing their nutritional value to your satisfaction that’s fine because they’re still eating. They could eat for much less than that. Again, why should the taxpayer be subsidizing luxury spending? Junk food is a luxury. > If you’re really worried about your tax expenditures look at defense contracting and spending. EBT fraud is a rounding error for some of those program overruns. Also at tax policy when it comes to revenue offshoring, inheritance and millionaires to billionaire tax evasion. Whataboutism. Two things can be true at once.
        jarjar2_ 3y ago
        I would continue discussing this with you, but if you object to people buying a bag of chips, I can draw a relatively easy conclusion to your overall opinion on the social safety net and probably tax policy. It's not worth my time.
        aydyn 3y ago
        That would be your assumption due to your own political bias. That reflects on you, not me. Like I legitimately just want the system to be more efficient lol. It must be hard for you to talk to people?
        3y ago
  - mydogcanpurr 3y ago
    > The bread we throw to the poor is the only thing that keeps their knives away from your throat. Yeah this wouldn't go how you think it would.
brnt 3y ago
Anyone with kids knows the gut instincts that suddenly pop up, but unless you can insulate them for a billions worth, your best bet is still to make sure things are evenly spread enough so there's nobody who thinks they need to topple whatever status quo you've got going. The instinct was not told about how were pretty much shoulder to shoulder on Earth now.
JohnFen 3y ago
Having children just underscored the importance of looking out for everyone to me. The better everyone is doing, the safer the world is for my kids.
- bamboozled 3y ago
  Same sentiment for me too. I became super vulnerable at first ,but that vulnerability was a healthy thing. I realized how precious my children and their life and future are, and that has inspired me to try raise the bar for everyone around me where possible. Not just my own child.
- spaceman_2020 3y ago
  Sure, but the sentiment changed from "we can all fight this together" to "we can all fight this together AFTER I've secured my child".
  - JohnFen 3y ago
    Not for me. For me "fighting this together" is securing my children.
  - red-iron-pine 3y ago
    ITT: we enact the tragedy of the commons, but justify it because of "muh baby"
satvikpendem 3y ago
You should watch Sam Esmail's latest work, Leave The World Behind.

bamboozled 3y ago

That very mindset is what will put your children in the most danger. You do not live in a vacuum.

jstarfish 3y ago
That's what I tell everyone who advocates for defunding food stamps. The bread we throw to the poor is the only thing that keeps their knives away from your throat. Americans think gun ownership is some sort of compensating factor...as though sieges in America have ever ended well for the defending team.
- aydyn 3y ago
  The problem with food stamps is program abuse: about 25% is spent on junk food. And then there's outright fraud, which as a percentage is small but still a lot of money. Who knows how much is spent on uber eats/doordash. I'm fine with tax spending to feed the poor, but I don't agree with spending on luxury foods and luxury food services that I wouldn't even spend on myself.
  - rockemsockem 3y ago
    That thinking is the problem. Every government program will see fraud and I don't even see how junk food is a real problem? The point is calories. Sure, healthier food would be better, but there are other efforts to get people of all income brackets to eat healthier. The government should not limit what people are permitted to eat just because they're poor enough to qualify.
    - aydyn 3y ago
      How is "that thinking" the problem? A problem for what exactly? Junk food is a problem because it's vastly overpriced relative to the amount of nutritional value. In terms of material cost, the dollar amount actually necessary to feed poor people is a tiny insignificant fraction of what is being spent now. That's inefficient. Not to even mention how junk food contributes to obesity and other health problems, effectively creating a second-order tax unto the health care system.
  - jarjar2_ 3y ago
    The max benefit for EBT in ND is $250-ish for a single person essentially making nothing. The whole point of EBT is to keep people fed. If they are eating junk food and not maximizing their nutritional value to your satisfaction that’s fine because they’re still eating. All prepared food is banned in ND for EBT. Meaning you can’t order Taco Bell through door dash. If you’re really worried about your tax expenditures look at defense contracting and spending. EBT fraud is a rounding error for some of those program overruns. Also at tax policy when it comes to revenue offshoring, inheritance and millionaires to billionaire tax evasion. The poors aren’t the ones screwing you.
    - aydyn 3y ago
      > The whole point of EBT is to keep people fed. If they are eating junk food and not maximizing their nutritional value to your satisfaction that’s fine because they’re still eating. They could eat for much less than that. Again, why should the taxpayer be subsidizing luxury spending? Junk food is a luxury. > If you’re really worried about your tax expenditures look at defense contracting and spending. EBT fraud is a rounding error for some of those program overruns. Also at tax policy when it comes to revenue offshoring, inheritance and millionaires to billionaire tax evasion. Whataboutism. Two things can be true at once.
      - jarjar2_ 3y ago
        I would continue discussing this with you, but if you object to people buying a bag of chips, I can draw a relatively easy conclusion to your overall opinion on the social safety net and probably tax policy. It's not worth my time.
        aydyn 3y ago
        That would be your assumption due to your own political bias. That reflects on you, not me. Like I legitimately just want the system to be more efficient lol. It must be hard for you to talk to people?
        3y ago
- mydogcanpurr 3y ago
  > The bread we throw to the poor is the only thing that keeps their knives away from your throat. Yeah this wouldn't go how you think it would.

brnt 3y ago

Anyone with kids knows the gut instincts that suddenly pop up, but unless you can insulate them for a billions worth, your best bet is still to make sure things are evenly spread enough so there's nobody who thinks they need to topple whatever status quo you've got going. The instinct was not told about how were pretty much shoulder to shoulder on Earth now.

JohnFen 3y ago

Having children just underscored the importance of looking out for everyone to me. The better everyone is doing, the safer the world is for my kids.

bamboozled 3y ago
Same sentiment for me too. I became super vulnerable at first ,but that vulnerability was a healthy thing. I realized how precious my children and their life and future are, and that has inspired me to try raise the bar for everyone around me where possible. Not just my own child.
spaceman_2020 3y ago
Sure, but the sentiment changed from "we can all fight this together" to "we can all fight this together AFTER I've secured my child".
- JohnFen 3y ago
  Not for me. For me "fighting this together" is securing my children.
- red-iron-pine 3y ago
  ITT: we enact the tragedy of the commons, but justify it because of "muh baby"

satvikpendem 3y ago

You should watch Sam Esmail's latest work, Leave The World Behind.