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Is America Really That Bad?
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this post was submitted on 18 Aug 2023
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No. it's not that bad.
I grew up poor, without many opportunities. No free ride, college etc. I grew up in a small town, without much going on.
I was able to work hard, put myself through college, buy a house, and raise a family on my single income, and live comfortably. I have medical coverage, we have new-ish vehicles.
That being said, the opportunity is there. But, it is NOT given to you. You do have to work for it.
But, again, nothing has been "given" to me. I didn't have the advantage of having rich parents, or large inheritances (or- well, ANY inheritances). I didn't have a family member give me a 4,000sq-ft house they purchased in 1952, for 1,200$.
Every single thing I own, I have worked for.
Now, there are a few sides to this argument-
There are a lot of people who don't want to work. They see someone who is doing financially well, and believe they have some claim to someone else's fortune. I do not agree with this.
On the other side, we don't have universal healthcare. This is a touchy subject.
I do believe we need it, but, HOW we get that, is a different story.
Our government has proven time and time again, if you give them a simple task, they will fuck it up, royally, and hemorrhage money. Our medical system as a whole, is completely fucked. It's not the doctors getting rich. Its the damn insurance companies, and all of the bureaucracy and bullshit involved. Granted, doctors aren't living on sticks. But, do remember- they literally spent OVER two decades of their life in school, to learn how to be a doctor. Its expected they should have a salary greater then someone who works at your local fast food place.
I realize, lots of people will disagree with my post. And- for that, I don't give a shit. If you don't want to be poor, then take control over your life. Identify an in-demand profession, which has good compensation, and work for it. Quit blaming everyone else due to you working at McDonalds because your liberal arts degree, isn't marketable.
Also- OP- lots of the people you talk to on social media, are statistically younger, in the 20s, and still trying to figure out how to live life.
Edit- Also, one more thing. Drama sells news. News outlets are only going to show news, which people want to watch. People don't tune into the news to watch good things happening. They want to see the bad. As such, news and social media can give inaccurate vision of how things actually are. (Unless you live in Chicago or NYC. Then- it's actually even worse than the news shows)
You sound like an American boomer.
Well healthcare for everyone would be nice (I have it) but How??
I worked hard, didn't study, have a house and family. Everyone not having house and family are lazy.
I mean there are other things but dude you are the American stereotype!
Yup.
Suppose I am the youngest boomer ever.
Nearly a half of a century off too.
But, in either case, everyone has the opportunity to apply themselves, and seek out a better life. Can blame others, or bash on me for being a "boomer". But, in the end, the only one who can improve you, is you.
If, universal basic income became a thing, poor people are still going to be poor. The price of milk is just going to go up to compensate for inflation, and you wouldn't be much better off.
Still very out of touch. I personally am doing okay, however anything I have is due to the sheer luck of knowing some one who knows someone. That is more or less the way of life is it not?
One thing your generation does not understand, is the sheer crushing depression that everyone I know has been dealing with. Yes every generation has had to face doomsayers, death, wars, things that can create just as much depression. However, at the end of the day, all they needed to do was work to get ahead. Now imagine all of that, continuing to work, and then listening to how their peers handled all the same issues but yet... my generation still cant own a single thing? Some of us are LUCKY to be afforded that oppurtunity, where a majority of us are just fucked.
I agree with you though, I dropped out of Highschool, had a kid at 17, got into a trade and I'm doing okay. Even then, I'm not alright. I am just being anecdotal of course, and comparing myself to others is not fair, and I wouldnt say America is absolute shit, but then again it really is. Hard to say otherwise when half the country is doing their absolute hardest to remove human rights, opportunities, and being so incredibly distant and toxic to anyone with a different mindset.
I'm under 40.
I was in school when 9/11 happened.
I was a grunt in the military during the iraq war.
I was around when the market collapsed in 2008-ish.
I lived on a diet of Ramen noodles and crackers for years, in the early 20-teens.
My "college degree" is actually worth less then nothing now. I paid one hundred thousand dollars, to a fucking school, which was not accredited, and no longer exists. There were no bailouts for me. And, every so often, I get reminded of it, when I see another lawsuit ad against them on the news.....
For literally a decade, I also fought through those issues. Doctors will just give you lovely trazodones, and other drugs, to "make you happy". The worst part, is they make sure you know, it's YOUR fault.
I lived through the fun of trying to decide if I wanted to pay the bills, or get something to eat.
I recall, all of the wonderful.. insomnia which results from depression.
And, best of yet, the feeling of having all sorts of fun bills arrive.
It never really ends either. It just gets funner... and the risks get higher, especially when you have kids involved.
That being said- I might be doing OK now, but, life has not been rainbows and daisy's for me. Thanks... to a short stay in the armed forces, I am quite certain my emotions are beyond repair, and well. I can't hear worth a damn.
But, I did learn a few useful things in the military.
Edit, matter of fact, I still have issues with depression. Knock on wood though, my kids are fantastic at making me forget about it. But, life still has its ups and downs. Although, I generally do a pretty good job of hiding it. Although, it still takes a significant effort to want to "do things"
Another veteran under 40 here, also with depression. BSCS. I suffered a violent career upset / ending and lived in my car for a few months. Two years later I own my own house and have paid off the loan on said car making two thirds of what I used to.
You're going to work your testes off but it can be done. Writing this from aforementioned car on a security guard shift as my second job.
Hope all is well. Also- How are you?
Sorry for the delay. Suffered another job loss a few months ago and had to work my second job like crazy. A couple accounts are in collections. I flew to see family in Japan, got another job and am looking at ways to boost my income and get ahead. No one's going to do it for you.
Nope, not at all.
Behind every successful story, is a lot of failures. (or- really rich parents).
If you work hard then everything is going to be okay / if it is not okay then you haven't worked hard enough is some American evangelist boomer crap.
Sure, you worked hard and it turned out well, but you seems to be blind to the fate of all other people working hard and not making it.
You worked hard, like we all do, and you got lucky but don't want to acknowledge it.
Guess it's an attitude, not an age range.
Your in France. Why are you commenting on how the US is?
Oh god forbid right.
Your take and my take are not mutually exclusive. I want to work at a worthwhile career, but I also want to work hard at activism and unionizing so that one day we can achieve better.
I can accept that. I am by no means at all, saying things are ideal. There is VAST rooms for improvement in nearly every aspect of everything.
This is accurate, I've had a similar experience through my life in the USA. Working for what you need in life is somehow an unpopular opinion now?
Well, at least we tried to teach them.
Yup. And it only seems to keep getting worse and worse.. Sadly.
THIS.
Seriously. Turn off corporate media and throw it in the garbage.