4 ms·

I'm not sure if you are just naive or intentionally contrary. Please, explain to me how a family that can barely afford rent and meals can move 1000 miles away

by adeaver 13y ago

I'm not sure if you are just naive or intentionally contrary. Please, explain to me how a family that can barely afford rent and meals can move 1000 miles away and find work. It's not really that easy to find a new job in a town you've never been to. Or a couple in which one is handicapped or seriously ill can 'change the arrangement' You made your situation better. Congratulations. I mean that. But assuming everyone can do it because you did is borderline arrogant. There is no silver bullet solution and saying that anyone can do it if they want to bad enough is just stupid and ignorant.

ctdonath 13y ago
Intentionally contrary, as I see a glaring over-application of "poor" and "can't". This country was founded on people having very little walking very long distances to build homesteads from nothing. I'll agree there are some people who truly can't make the changes I indicated; we have a social safety net for them, and I do put in a weekly effort to help them. Most who whine "I can't" can, they just won't. Obviously there are exceptions, and a short aphorism of "you'll do it if you want it bad enough" is not expected to have encyclopedic thoroughness covering those few genuine cases who really, truly, can't; it's directed at the other 99.99% whose only real barriers to success is themselves.
- adeaver 13y ago
  My point is making declarative statements like "If you want to you can" isn't helping because it feeds into the perception that everyone is just being lazy and not trying hard enough. Because sadly, that is the thought process of a vast majority of people. That poor people are poor because they want to be.
- king_jester 13y ago
  > This country was founded on people having very little walking very long distances to build homesteads from nothing. You mean all those homesteaders that killed native people and stole their land with the backing the government? > I'll agree there are some people who truly can't make the changes I indicated; we have a social safety net for them, and I do put in a weekly effort to help them. Most who whine "I can't" can, they just won't. The social safety net is far from adequate enough to negate these problems, assuming one is even able to qualify and access those programs. > Obviously there are exceptions, and a short aphorism of "you'll do it if you want it bad enough" is not expected to have encyclopedic thoroughness covering those few genuine cases who really, truly, can't; it's directed at the other 99.99% whose only real barriers to success is themselves. Do you really believe that 99.99% of folks who have a shitty situation just can't muster the effort to change things? Do you really believe that people WANT to live that way? To constantly be uncertain if they are going to be able to work, to be able to get health care, to eat, to have a home, to not face imminent violence? Western society is not organized for the welfare of the people in it and there are social and institutional forces that actively keep people from the things we have been talking about.
webbastard 13y ago
Borrow money from a loan shark, scout a new city alone. This is an option if you're motivated enough.

by adeaver 13y ago

ctdonath 13y ago

Intentionally contrary, as I see a glaring over-application of "poor" and "can't". This country was founded on people having very little walking very long distances to build homesteads from nothing. I'll agree there are some people who truly can't make the changes I indicated; we have a social safety net for them, and I do put in a weekly effort to help them. Most who whine "I can't" can, they just won't. Obviously there are exceptions, and a short aphorism of "you'll do it if you want it bad enough" is not expected to have encyclopedic thoroughness covering those few genuine cases who really, truly, can't; it's directed at the other 99.99% whose only real barriers to success is themselves.

adeaver 13y ago
My point is making declarative statements like "If you want to you can" isn't helping because it feeds into the perception that everyone is just being lazy and not trying hard enough. Because sadly, that is the thought process of a vast majority of people. That poor people are poor because they want to be.
king_jester 13y ago
> This country was founded on people having very little walking very long distances to build homesteads from nothing. You mean all those homesteaders that killed native people and stole their land with the backing the government? > I'll agree there are some people who truly can't make the changes I indicated; we have a social safety net for them, and I do put in a weekly effort to help them. Most who whine "I can't" can, they just won't. The social safety net is far from adequate enough to negate these problems, assuming one is even able to qualify and access those programs. > Obviously there are exceptions, and a short aphorism of "you'll do it if you want it bad enough" is not expected to have encyclopedic thoroughness covering those few genuine cases who really, truly, can't; it's directed at the other 99.99% whose only real barriers to success is themselves. Do you really believe that 99.99% of folks who have a shitty situation just can't muster the effort to change things? Do you really believe that people WANT to live that way? To constantly be uncertain if they are going to be able to work, to be able to get health care, to eat, to have a home, to not face imminent violence? Western society is not organized for the welfare of the people in it and there are social and institutional forces that actively keep people from the things we have been talking about.

webbastard 13y ago

Borrow money from a loan shark, scout a new city alone. This is an option if you're motivated enough.