Are the poor becoming a fading breed?

Daily News ^ | 1/22/04 | Thomas Sowell

[Alberta's Child]

I have.

[joesbucks]

A social order based on envy is no better than one based on greed.

This will sound socialistic and I'm not, but to a large degree our entire economic system is based on envy, keeping up with the Jones and coveting what others have. Simply look at how things are marketed in the media and in stores. If we stopped envy in our society, our economic system would probably collapse.

[Phantom Lord]

the smiling eyes of good fortune have a lot to do with success in this world.

Luck, or good frotune is where opportunity and preparedness meet.

[Alberta's Child]

Anyone who lives as though they must "keep up with the Jones family" has no business complaining about their lot in life. Live a simple life, drive an old car (mine has 220,000 miles on it), learn to make adjustments as circumstances dictate, etc. -- and you will be much better-prepared to deal with most of the curveballs that life throws your way.

This kind of post reminds me of a thread here on FR a couple of months ago about some guy in Maryland who worked a minimum-wage job as a security guard, had no medical insurance, and yet somehow figured out a way to spend $45,000 on a brand-new SUV and add $17,000 worth of after-market bullsh!t to it, too!

As they say on Wall Street every day: Most people are born just to be customers.

[joesbucks]

I won't ever advocate doing less than an honest days work. And while I'll never be a member of the "I've Got Mine Club", yes I do recognize certain periods of good fortune coming my way.

Sadly, I've seen too many others get stuck in something deadend, while being good solid hardworking workers.

[joesbucks]

I will agree there's much displaced priority in life with many people.

But again, our system encourages that rather than encourges necessary consumption and personal financial temperance.

[Capt. Tom]

The chief cause of poverty is arithmetic.

Two poor people have 5 children equals 7 poor people.

Very few people in this country are poor because their families have lost their wealth. Most are born into poverty, or come here poor.

If your poor and you want to complain about it; blame your parents. - Tom

[gcruse]

We will always have poverty because the term is relative.
The method of keeping people from climbing out of it isn't
difficult to see.  Here 'tis.