quote:
It's both frustrating to read the OPs facts and to read the responses.

The bottom line is, unless you're in the top 90% of income or live in podunk middle of nowhere, you've experienced considerable shrinking of buying power due to wage stagnation, home prices, health costs, college costs, food costs, etc.

I know people who think they're doing well, or are living comfortably, don't find it easy to admit that they aren't doing near as well as they should be if we lived in under a more equitable economy. Corporations have been raping workers for damn near 40 years! Pensions gone. Lowering 401k matches. Lower quality medical insurance (I mean, who here just LOVES high deductible plans?).

Sure, our 401ks may look great due to market performance over the last 6 years but what about your take home pay? How many people saw a considerable pay increase when their employer's income taxes dropped by 150% last year? How many are getting annual COLA or merit increases?

The top is just raping the rest of us and, as long as we have a few hundred grand in our 401ks, we pretend to be satisfied. frick that. Worker productivity in this country has steadily increased while wages remain stagnant. Enough is enough.

You want to rag on people for having a $500 flat screen TV? A cellphone plan? Does anyone really think that those are the types of items that are causing people to lack savings? Most folks are spending around $500 per paycheck on health insurance that they rarely use!

Quit defending the status quo. You, in the 83rd income percentile, are just as much of a fricking peasant in this economy as the welfare queen in the 9th percentile. The difference between you and her is minuscule compared to the gap between you and the guy in the 99th percentile.

No one and I mean no one is entitled to anything. What's frustrating is that you think this mythical boogeyman is holding you down. Know your worth and your value. Whatever job and wage you take you accept it. No one forces you to take it. It is so easy to bitch and moan versus taking action. Keep playing the victim. The only thing that is stagnant is your point of view.

1 ...

Report Post

Posted by jclem11

Neoliberal Shill

Member since Nov 2011

7914 posts

Posted on 12/20/19 at 7:18 pm to GhostofLesticleMiles

quote:
No one and I mean no one is entitled to anything.

Sure. I can agree with that a a general premise.

quote:
What's frustrating is that you think this mythical boogeyman is holding you down

There is a known boogeyman which is the crony capitalist system we currently have were big business colludes with government. Bailout of 2008 ring a bell? The stock market is roaring and stock buybacks are at an all time high yet there is still a ton of suffering on Main Street and middle America.

You can beat your chest about how awesome the economy is and how high your 401K balance is but that is not the reality for lots of folks in this country. They aren’t seeing these gains. They will rise up eventually.

quote:
Know your worth and your value.

That’s a fine sentiment to have.

quote:
Whatever job and wage you take you accept it. No one forces you to take it

I agree on the face. However, you seem to be ignoring that there are other factors outside of one’a control, such as automation or offshoring, that forces them to take a lower paying job out of necessity that sets them back forever. It’s not such a simple calculus as folks on this board always assume.

Also, some folks just don’t have the intelligence or work ethic to do things such as engineering or coding. The world needs ditch diggers and fry cooks at McDonald’s too.

All I am saying is have a little bit of empathy for the folks who are struggling.

Do you honestly believe that people want and enjoy being poor? It’s not all personal choice and responsibility. There are other factors in play but it appears you don’t want to acknowledge those. Perhaps you believe all your success in life is solely because you are just a hard worker.

quote:
It is so easy to bitch and moan versus taking action. Keep playing the victim. The only thing that is stagnant is your point of view.

It’s not about being a “victim” but rather pointing out the structural issues faced by most folks. If you cannot acknowledge the well known and documented fact that wage have stagnated whole productivity has skyrocketed then you are beyond help.

Any one of us could end up broke and poor due to a series of unfortunate events. A little empathy for others is never a bad thing.

1 ...

Report Post

O-T Lounge - Replies to Post

Return To Board

Page 1

Return To Board