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I live on well under $1400/month now. For a while I was living in a 400rs/night hostel and spending about 600-700rs/day. Billions of my fellow human beings live

I live on well under $1400/month now. For a while I was living in a 400rs/night hostel and spending about 600-700rs/day. Billions of my fellow human beings live on considerably less than that. If you want to argue that wages are not high enough to sustain the moving goalposts of US middle class life, do it. But do it honestly and acknowledge that the main problem is that the definition of "middle class" (or whatever term you want to use) has risen more rapidly than low skill wages. Using phrases like "possible to live off" is simply a lie. If it were true then I should be surrounded by over a billion dying people and I should be dead myself. Check your privilege, dude.

ThomPete 13y ago
Oh please. Billions of your fellow human beings do not live in New York or SF or in the US for that matter. Comparing with other countries is so misinformed it's not even worth taking serious. If you want to play with rethorics be my guest. You very well know what I mean and is just trying to dodge the real issue here. Most people once they move out of their early twenties have obligations bigger than themselves. Sure some people can choose to live for 1400/month but most people can't and therefore the government is stepping in to help. Maybe you don't have a problem with that. I do.
- yummyfajitas 13y ago
  Billions of your fellow human beings do not live in New York or SF or in the US for that matter If only I were smart enough to have thought of that. Then I might have cited PPP-adjusted numbers rather than nominal ones. I'd have said this: "GDP/capita (adjusted for purchasing power) in Bulgaria is $14,100...here in India it's $3800" If I were really smart, I might also have anticipated your dishonest response and said this: "These numbers are adjusted for purchasing power, so don't argue that it's cheaper to live over here." [edit: It's amusing that in your response you bring up food. Fun fact: poor people over here aren't fat. You really need to leave the US at some point in your life. Canada and the UK don't count.]
  - ThomPete 13y ago
    Did you adjust by state? Did you look at what kind of food you can get when you have what ever is left after rent etc for 1400 per month. So yeah if only you where so smart to have done that then you might have a point. But you didn't so you don't.
- edanm 13y ago
  Let me step in right here. I'm not quite sure I get your reasoning or your disagreement. As I understand it, yummyfajitas is saying [roughly] "here's how much money people make around the world, adjusted for purchasing power which means that it does make sense to compare. It's less than most people in the US. Obviously, they also live in much worse conditions, but that isn't the same as to literally be dying." What yummyfajitas concludes from the above is that having less money won't lead to people literally being "unable to live", but rather "unable to live with the lifestyle they are currently accustomed to". This is his position as I understand it. Which part of that are you disagreeing with?
  - ThomPete 13y ago
    Can you please point to a place where I said someone would be dying? But I see strawmen works.
    - edanm 13y ago
      Sure. From yummyfajitas' post: <start of quote> "...forcing salaries down way below what is possible to live off." This is an exaggeration. It may be forcing salaries below the level necessary to support US middle class consumption levels, but there is a huge gap between that and "possible to live off". </end of quote> This was in response to your post: <start of quote> The problem is that the jobs that are left for those without a tech degree of some sort aren't appreciated by the market and is forcing salaries down way below what is possible to live off. </end of quote> Maybe you meant "possible to live off" as being different from "dying", and if so I apologise for paraphrasing poorly. But yummfajitas is essentially saying that it is possible to live off of that money, because people do it, and you're saying that it's not possible. Note: I happen to agree with you that there is a problem and that most people don't recognise it. But I still think you and yummyfajitas are arguing past each other. NOTE: I accidentally posted this comment to the wrong parent earlier. reposting.
      - ThomPete 13y ago
        You do realize "to live of" does not mean you will die from right? As I have said the problem is that it's not enough and so they need to get help from the government which many of them get. It's bordering an absurd rethorical nitpicking if you really aren't able to discuss this in a normal manner with a fairly normal understand of the US system.

ThomPete 13y ago

Oh please. Billions of your fellow human beings do not live in New York or SF or in the US for that matter. Comparing with other countries is so misinformed it's not even worth taking serious. If you want to play with rethorics be my guest. You very well know what I mean and is just trying to dodge the real issue here. Most people once they move out of their early twenties have obligations bigger than themselves. Sure some people can choose to live for 1400/month but most people can't and therefore the government is stepping in to help. Maybe you don't have a problem with that. I do.

yummyfajitas 13y ago
Billions of your fellow human beings do not live in New York or SF or in the US for that matter If only I were smart enough to have thought of that. Then I might have cited PPP-adjusted numbers rather than nominal ones. I'd have said this: "GDP/capita (adjusted for purchasing power) in Bulgaria is $14,100...here in India it's $3800" If I were really smart, I might also have anticipated your dishonest response and said this: "These numbers are adjusted for purchasing power, so don't argue that it's cheaper to live over here." [edit: It's amusing that in your response you bring up food. Fun fact: poor people over here aren't fat. You really need to leave the US at some point in your life. Canada and the UK don't count.]
- ThomPete 13y ago
  Did you adjust by state? Did you look at what kind of food you can get when you have what ever is left after rent etc for 1400 per month. So yeah if only you where so smart to have done that then you might have a point. But you didn't so you don't.
edanm 13y ago
Let me step in right here. I'm not quite sure I get your reasoning or your disagreement. As I understand it, yummyfajitas is saying [roughly] "here's how much money people make around the world, adjusted for purchasing power which means that it does make sense to compare. It's less than most people in the US. Obviously, they also live in much worse conditions, but that isn't the same as to literally be dying." What yummyfajitas concludes from the above is that having less money won't lead to people literally being "unable to live", but rather "unable to live with the lifestyle they are currently accustomed to". This is his position as I understand it. Which part of that are you disagreeing with?
- ThomPete 13y ago
  Can you please point to a place where I said someone would be dying? But I see strawmen works.
  - edanm 13y ago
    Sure. From yummyfajitas' post: <start of quote> "...forcing salaries down way below what is possible to live off." This is an exaggeration. It may be forcing salaries below the level necessary to support US middle class consumption levels, but there is a huge gap between that and "possible to live off". </end of quote> This was in response to your post: <start of quote> The problem is that the jobs that are left for those without a tech degree of some sort aren't appreciated by the market and is forcing salaries down way below what is possible to live off. </end of quote> Maybe you meant "possible to live off" as being different from "dying", and if so I apologise for paraphrasing poorly. But yummfajitas is essentially saying that it is possible to live off of that money, because people do it, and you're saying that it's not possible. Note: I happen to agree with you that there is a problem and that most people don't recognise it. But I still think you and yummyfajitas are arguing past each other. NOTE: I accidentally posted this comment to the wrong parent earlier. reposting.
    - ThomPete 13y ago
      You do realize "to live of" does not mean you will die from right? As I have said the problem is that it's not enough and so they need to get help from the government which many of them get. It's bordering an absurd rethorical nitpicking if you really aren't able to discuss this in a normal manner with a fairly normal understand of the US system.