[Grammy]

I lived in Argentina for a year and saw people who were REALLY poor. They had cardboard houses next to the freeway and naked children because they had NO clothes, and no food, running water or sewage treatment or ANYTHING.

I do some work with a food bank now, and you would be amazed at how much most of these people have. Many of them just do the circuit, getting the free goodies from several charities, and sit on their butts and relax. Never have their cable TV (color tv of course) turned off.

The difference between now and depression era is that back then it was shameful to take charity. Now it is quite acceptable, so there are a lot more doing it "just because it's there".

[fight_truth_decay]

The Lost Boys walking 1000 miles across Africa after their parents were butchered by Islamic Fundamentalists, eating mud. Then before 9/11 coming to this country and being asked how many hours they wanted to work a day..the answer: 16 "so I can save to go to school". They knew education was the key to success.

After 9/11 they proudly raised between themselves (4-5) $400 to give to the victim's families of 9/11. That was unbelieveable to them to be able to help financially on such a grand scale in their eyes.

[lds23]

Now it is quite acceptable, so there are a lot more doing it "just because it's there".

It's more than acceptable. It's celebrated as "getting over" on the system.

[MattAMiller]

Never have their cable TV (color tv of course) turned off.

When i was in Highschool I had to go on a police ride along and write up a report on it. One of the calls we went to was to assit paramedics who were tending to an overdose. The house didn't have a scrap of furntiture. There were no beds, no refridgerator, nothing except for a pillowcase someone had nailed to the wall and a TV with a cable-box.

[LaineyDee]

The difference between now and depression era is that back then it was shameful to take charity.

I have to agree. My Mom said her Father washed windows for 50 cents a day during the depression. That was the only work available for him...and there were 8 kids at home. Each child over the age of 8 was sent out to do "something" to help put food on the table......whether it be selling papers, cleaning yards, whatever. The whole family pitched in. Can you imagine that now? Most parents can't get their kids to be responsible enough to clean their rooms.....and then they want to be paid for it.