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We're actually on the same page - I am not referring to all blue collar, or low income, or socioeconomically disadvantaged (lol) "poor" people.

I am really just referring to the very small subset of people (who actually may not even be considered "poor") who make a living out of qualifying for public assistance. These are the people who will not work a full time job, even if they have the ability to do so, because it would disqualify them from benefits. Sometimes these are 2nd generation welfare beneficiaries, who watched their parents sit around, eat their government cheese, maybe do some odd job on the side to make some extra money that wouldn't be reported anywhere, but usually just sit around and wait for the next government check.

This is a VERY small subset of people. I don't want to imagine it as any larger than that, although some may assume it is larger than I do - and it is an extreme. I have benefitted from public assistance in my past, and you could make a case that I still do, even though I have worked for my needs for 30 years.

My point is that they do not want doors open. They are not looking for opportunities to work hard and improve themselves.. They have learned their existence is subsistence at the mercy of others.

You may want to believe that all anybody needs is a chance - and you're wrong. People blow their big chance all the time, or never even take it, or see it.

This absolute bullshit about equal talent, equal opportunity, equal anything - is crap. We are not equal. Period. Some people are just built different - scrap that, all people are built different. Some will see a chance to improve, and jump on it, and use it to improve. Others will not, even when presented the same chance.

My argument about "poor" people actually extends perfectly to those who live off their trust funds and family money and never need to work at anything. In my opinion, these people are just as "poor", because they never learn to work for (or on) themselves.

People do NOT have equal talent. Some are just better at things, others are not. For some, learning comes easy. For others, it is a struggle. Some will just never learn.

I would tell you to fuck off with your opinions on what my bias may be. I have one, and I won't deny it, but telling you to fuck off isn't helpful at the moment, so I'll give you the chance to understand.

WORK. DO THE FUCKING WORK.

Get good at it. Let other people see you doing it. Maybe they will catch on that you end your day exhausted, but feeling great. Maybe they'll see that no matter how busy you are, how sweaty and hot and dirty, if they ask you for help, you will help. Not to give them anything, but because, quite selfishly, it feels GOOD to WORK to HELP someone.

This isn't something you can give someone by opening a door, or dropping some change in a cup, or even knocking the silver spoon out of their mouth. It is something learned (in my opinion) by example, and the person would likely need to WANT to change (after finding something lacking in themselves) before following the example.

Work - like Voltaire imagined it. We can always be in the best possible world, because it is the only world we will ever know, and we can always be WORKING to improve it.

So no, this wasn't me taking a shit on the poor, or on academia. This is me pitying them, and wishing they would eventually find the contentment, the inner peace, the personal pride that only comes from WORK, not from being given things.

joiestylotus 2y ago

4) I personally think every school should get EQUAL, SAME amount in funding to be fair.

The way the education system in America is set up is like if there was an Apple pie and some kid gets a much bigger portion of pie just based on how/where/who they are born to, not something the kid can control.

In my view, if kids attend a party, they should be all getting the SAME size slice of Apple pies.

If you’re American, you obvi know the 🍏🥧 is considered to be a very American thing?

Anyway, every single person in 🌎🌍🌏 has a dream. But some people are much more likely to achieve them and ditto wealth, simply based on factors that they cannot control like socioeconomic background they were born into, race/ethnicity/heritage, etc.

People aren’t born equal but some people have much more things stacked AGAINST them (Poor, POCs, not male) and the playing field is not fair nor level.

I’m about levelling the field more, so it’s more fair. ETHICAL capitalism.

Also, there is fallacy in “meritocracy” cuz again, it goes back to the level of access and opportunities available.

Look at SAT/ACT scores and its correlation to WHO get high scores — those who had access to SAT prep courses, higher income family kids,

etc., whatnot.

Anyway, enough wasting my valuable time writing response. Hope you have a nice Friday!

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Sedj 2y ago

Thanks for your response. I have read it fully, and you bring up plenty of good points.

I certainly don't hold up the American experiment as an example of how things should work. I do find it interesting that your best example is Scandinavian countries - I've thought that way at times myself, but not so much anymore.

I think my best example of how things should work are various North American native communities, in Alaska and northern Canada, especially those that are largely insulated from their governments by geography.

But that is me. I think that overall, government funded social services will always fail those they purport to serve, in the end. True community efforts will have much better success. This includes public education and health care.

I don't fall into the trap of assuming racial characteristics when it comes to any socioeconomic strata. Not sure if you picked that up from something I said, but if so, I didn't intend it.

I think the talent thing is interesting. Really, I don't look much at talent. I don't necessarily care if little Timmy is a cello maestro - because having talent doesn't necessarily mean finding success. I believe success (especially personal success) comes from work - which you could take to mean actually applying those talents.

And here is where I believe that regardless of the opportunities and access, those that work, apply themselves, teach themselves, promote themselves, and deliver something back to society - those people will always succeed. They will overcome the obstacles, find opportunities and maximize them, make their own luck. That ambition is the "talent" that matters, and it can't be suppressed easily.

What does try to suppress that ambition? Governments. Religions. Communities. Parents. Peers. Anyone that would rather see others follow and serve. Most don't even realize they are doing it. I'm sure I've done it.

Encouraging ambition, rewarding work - those are the things that will move us forward as a species.

I have more coming on this topic. Again, thanks for your detailed response.