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| Blogs > kzoopair > Take two- they're small |
The NPR White People's Introduction to Poverty by PD
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The NPR White People's Introduction to Poverty by PD The NPR White People's Introduction to Poverty by PD According to several recent reports on NPR, middle class white people are falling into poverty at a rate unseen since the days when still worked 18 hour days in garment factories and men wore spats. In 2016, expensive prescription opioids are being thrown over for cheap heroin faster than your grandmother can flip flap jacks; artisan meth manufacturing has become a growth industry; over half the US population takes anti-anxiety/depression meds (until they can't afford health insurance anymore); and the most suicidal group of people in the country are now middle-aged Caucasian men. If you listen to a lot of NPR (I do), then there's a real good chance you already are a white person, and you might think, wow, this is news? You might think you'd damn well know if you were falling into poverty or not, thank you very much. Falls of any kind suck and most human beings do notice them, even white human beings. But you'd be wrong. Many of the universal features of poverty are more or less unknown to middle class white people, and the few aspects of poverty we do understand tend to get chalked up to someone else's laziness or lack of character. So when these things happen to US, after we feel we've been GOOD and done everything RIGHT, it seems that we freak out comically and reach for the hypodermic or start attending Trump rallies and taking over bird sanctuaries. It's not that we are bad people. We are not bad. It's just that many of us have never been poor before. We take it personally because it's new and we don't understand what it means. We think it's about us. Isn't everything about us? We're just ignorant, that's all. But we can learn. I believe we CAN learn. I personally have been poor more than I've been anything else in my life, and I don't let it freak me out anymore. All you really have to do to stay mellow is recognize that you ARE poor and that it just is what it is. It really isn't about you. It's about other people hogging all the goddamn money--something they won't ever ever quit doing just because you don't like it. Once you realize this, once you learn to go with the flow and just lean into it you can even grab a chunk of serenity now and then during the giant lull between your shitty temp jobs, should you be so lucky to get any. So if you are white and confused, please don't jump off a bridge or start foaming at the mouth at Mexican dishwashers just because new, unpleasant things are happening to you. Instead, check out the following list, and if you recognize yourself in more than one of these normal facets of poverty, take a deep breath and adjust your expectations to zero. You'll feel a lot better, I promise. So here goes. You might actually be poor if: You've ever pilfered toilet paper from public stalls or napkins from fast food places so you can wipe your ass until your next check comes. You enjoy a filling Sunday meal composed of three different starches. (Noodles over mashed potatoes with biscuits! Beans with rice and cornbread! Boxed Mac & Cheese with white bread!) Some of your favorite sweet treats contain no actual food. You can't get a bank account and have to pay to cash your checks at storefront loan shops. You rent sleeping space in your step-uncle's trailer but some other guy is always in your bed. You shop for new furniture and household items on trash day. You are an adult person and have more than four roommates. Your TV only gets three channels and two of them are in Spanish. Your last three jobs required a hairnet, a stupid hat, or a name tag that says "I like to help!" You've ever taken expired veterinary meds instead of going to the doctor. You've had your electricity or water shut off more than once. Crack addicts won't break into your house because they are afraid you'll rob them. You buy black market laundry detergent. You sell black market laundry detergent. You have four jobs and three of them are conducted out of your garage. You dream of the day when you can move back into a luxurious manufactured home community. You think the women shopping at Walmart are hot. Your idea of a romantic evening involves a candlelight spaghetti dinner with canned Ragu sauce, Velveeta, and a fresh bottle of Wild Irish Rose. You think that someday you really might win the lottery. Your beloved is missing more than three teeth. You consider ketchup packets and soda crackers to be versatile cooking staples. I could go on, but I think you get the drift. Maybe none of this seems all that funny, or maybe you are still clinging to the delusion that "middle class" refers to any person making between $12,000 and $240,000 a year. If that's how it is, carry on, don't mind me. But if, on the other hand, you are starting to realize that the other side of 'lonely at the top' is 'crowded at the bottom', then pull up a chair, pop a malt liquor, and pass the soda crackers. Mumblety peg anyone? Become a member now and get a free tote bag. |
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America used to be a land of opportunity, since the nineties it has become a land of opportunists. Just 67 people own more wealth than 3.5 billion of the worlds poor. The Idea of American exceptionalism and Project for New American Century transformed America by trying to cause regime change in 5 middle eastern countries. plus Ukraine (google pnac for more). Asst Secretary Victoria Nuland is a neo con, the architect of Ukraine regime change and the wife of Robert Kagan who along with Bill Kristol was the authors of PNAC. One world order in which not America but American corporations and U.S dollar rules the world became Washington policy. Corporatism replaced colonialism to a great extent. White men who benefited from the colonial past especially British and french men lost out the most. White men who were the back bone of Industrial America also lost out when Industries moved to foreign shores because of trade agreements. White women and Asians are competing with them for the white collar, high paying jobs like IT and Medicine while Hispanic and blacks compete for blue collar factory and service jobs like UPS drivers and construction. With educated white women still wanting to "marry up" it is really tough for average young white men who are not highly paid. For every email I got here from a woman, my wife got over 100. With the new fetish for BBC, they can't even get laid. No wonder the suicide rate is so high with them feeling helpless and hopeless. Quickest way out of this situation is to think and act like an immigrant or to become one. Follow the money to which ever country the investments are going. "Rules for happiness: something to do, someone to love, something to hope for.”― Immanuel Kant .
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Well at least it's all downhill from here.
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Very thought provoking. I know fear mongering is a political game. I did not realize that fear of losing one's standing as middle class was such a mental task. I too have always been poor. I almost wrote about how being on Black Flirting is a luxury really. Most folks do not have the leisure time to focus on our "sex lives." I am glad I can discuss this with someone who understands. I think Furball, the taxi driver talks about stuff similar in scope. I have not been desperate enough to steal toilet paper in a while but I did when I was in college. LOL It is true that corporations are so screwing up this world. I am not sure if it is worse than when monarchs ruled the world. I am glad Pope Francis talks about greed a lot. I know the Catholic Church has lots of riches and artifacts. The accumulation of wealth, hoarding stuff out of greed is sickening to me. We need to reiterate what President Obama said(paraphrased)... "the financial crisis was not caused by food stamps recipients." The scape goating of the poor and less fortunate as moochers in our society fails to look at the real problem...greed and the failure of economic polices since Reagan. The US is divided for sure in folks that want to scape goat the poor and immigrants and those that want answers for a better standard of living for all. If socialism is the term for a decent standard of living then the US should have more of it, not less.
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I really to have too much of the "been there, done that" syndrome to comment further and will just admire what you wrote. 
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When someone else makes all the rules, they never change things to work in your favor, not matter what the loudest voice in the room says. Now if rules makers can only blames someone else for your problems, you'll just focus on the others for a while, while the rule are changed again so you get less. The best part is, the majority jump on the bandwagon to ride to thier own demise. There that biblical proverb... "It's easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven". I think that that holds true for a Billionaire, who promises to do anything on your behalf, other than firing your ass. Find pleasure in giving pleasure
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1/16/2016 7:02 am |
Wow.....I have experienced being poor in the past ,,,,,,,,like a roller coaster ride growing up.... didn't know I was poorer than I thought after reading "the list"....Hell I thought some of those things on the list were the norm and everyone partook in the activity/experience....Hated being poor....... but now retired and content
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I think the long standing attitude in the corporate world to fuck over your workers only got worse when all the company take overs, buy outs and consolidations got going full steam. Then it became an accepted practice to minimize pay and benefits by simply not increasing them or reducing them or shifting employee's status from full time to part time with no benefits. Not the CEO's of course they got huuuuge pay and benefit increases to fuck over the working citizens. That way the companies stock value went higher as the profit that was going to the benefit of the workers was shifted to improve the bottom line and thus the market value of the stock. Then you add to that the corporate influence in the government to get the capital gains taxes reduced and make it even more beneficial for the companies to leave the employees with the short end of the stick. But hey aren't you glad you had so much money to invest in the stock market and make such a killing on your investments. Or was it the investments that killed you. We must not forget the wall street pigs have a need to make their profits, at great expense to the investor. Vote for Bernie because the alternative could get ugly when the people finally get fed up.  Vive La Difference
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America used to be a land of opportunity, since the nineties it has become a land of opportunists. Just 67 people own more wealth than 3.5 billion of the worlds poor. The Idea of American exceptionalism and Project for New American Century transformed America by trying to cause regime change in 5 middle eastern countries. plus Ukraine (google pnac for more). Asst Secretary Victoria Nuland is a neo con, the architect of Ukraine regime change and the wife of Robert Kagan who along with Bill Kristol was the authors of PNAC. One world order in which not America but American corporations and U.S dollar rules the world became Washington policy. Corporatism replaced colonialism to a great extent. White men who benefited from the colonial past especially British and french men lost out the most. White men who were the back bone of Industrial America also lost out when Industries moved to foreign shores because of trade agreements. White women and Asians are competing with them for the white collar, high paying jobs like IT and Medicine while Hispanic and blacks compete for blue collar factory and service jobs like UPS drivers and construction. With educated white women still wanting to "marry up" it is really tough for average young white men who are not highly paid. For every email I got here from a woman, my wife got over 100. With the new fetish for BBC, they can't even get laid. No wonder the suicide rate is so high with them feeling helpless and hopeless. Quickest way out of this situation is to think and act like an immigrant or to become one. Follow the money to which ever country the investments are going. Become a member now and get a free tote bag.
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Well at least it's all downhill from here.  Become a member now and get a free tote bag.
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Very thought provoking. I know fear mongering is a political game. I did not realize that fear of losing one's standing as middle class was such a mental task. I too have always been poor. I almost wrote about how being on Black Flirting is a luxury really. Most folks do not have the leisure time to focus on our "sex lives." I am glad I can discuss this with someone who understands. I think Furball, the taxi driver talks about stuff similar in scope. I have not been desperate enough to steal toilet paper in a while but I did when I was in college. LOL It is true that corporations are so screwing up this world. I am not sure if it is worse than when monarchs ruled the world. I am glad Pope Francis talks about greed a lot. I know the Catholic Church has lots of riches and artifacts. The accumulation of wealth, hoarding stuff out of greed is sickening to me. We need to reiterate what President Obama said(paraphrased)... "the financial crisis was not caused by food stamps recipients." The scape goating of the poor and less fortunate as moochers in our society fails to look at the real problem...greed and the failure of economic polices since Reagan. The US is divided for sure in folks that want to scape goat the poor and immigrants and those that want answers for a better standard of living for all. If socialism is the term for a decent standard of living then the US should have more of it, not less. Become a member now and get a free tote bag.
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It's not "steeling" TP! (If you use it.) Become a member now and get a free tote bag.
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I really to have too much of the "been there, done that" syndrome to comment further and will just admire what you wrote.  Become a member now and get a free tote bag.
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Thanks for commenting Sassy Gigi! Become a member now and get a free tote bag.
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Woohoo!!!!  I only got one on that list, I often have my water cut off because I wait for the cut off notice to pay. Now I'm craving Red beans and Rice!Become a member now and get a free tote bag.
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That's true dragonlady. The most I ever made in my life was 34K annually. It was just about enough for one person, but it was luxurious. Just enough for a roof, three meals, and a car. But that was over ten years ago. Don't know if would go that far today. Without Bill I'd likely be pushing a shopping cart around South Florida. Become a member now and get a free tote bag.
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When someone else makes all the rules, they never change things to work in your favor, not matter what the loudest voice in the room says. Now if rules makers can only blames someone else for your problems, you'll just focus on the others for a while, while the rule are changed again so you get less. The best part is, the majority jump on the bandwagon to ride to thier own demise. There that biblical proverb... "It's easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven". I think that that holds true for a Billionaire, who promises to do anything on your behalf, other than firing your ass. Become a member now and get a free tote bag.
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Wow.....I have experienced being poor in the past ,,,,,,,,like a roller coaster ride growing up.... didn't know I was poorer than I thought after reading "the list"....Hell I thought some of those things on the list were the norm and everyone partook in the activity/experience....Hated being poor....... but now retired and content Become a member now and get a free tote bag.
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I think the long standing attitude in the corporate world to fuck over your workers only got worse when all the company take overs, buy outs and consolidations got going full steam. Then it became an accepted practice to minimize pay and benefits by simply not increasing them or reducing them or shifting employee's status from full time to part time with no benefits. Not the CEO's of course they got huuuuge pay and benefit increases to fuck over the working citizens. That way the companies stock value went higher as the profit that was going to the benefit of the workers was shifted to improve the bottom line and thus the market value of the stock. Then you add to that the corporate influence in the government to get the capital gains taxes reduced and make it even more beneficial for the companies to leave the employees with the short end of the stick. But hey aren't you glad you had so much money to invest in the stock market and make such a killing on your investments. Or was it the investments that killed you. We must not forget the wall street pigs have a need to make their profits, at great expense to the investor. Vote for Bernie because the alternative could get ugly when the people finally get fed up. Become a member now and get a free tote bag.
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A brilliant post. Here in the UK two increasingly popular terms are in-work poverty (with social security benefits going to those in work) and corporate welfare (business subsidies). Both suggest that the goverment and ordinary people are subsidising business to allow a few to get richer and the many to get poorer. There used to be a nebulous and erroneous distinction between the deserving and undeserving poor. But even the elites have stopped using that distinction. You're either a deserving worker (in a hard-working family) or an undeserving, scrounging unemployment statistic. The older I've become, the more Marxist I've become! Sorry, rant over!
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I grew up in a better time too, KtMnDu. A lot of people say the US can't afford health care, social services, good paying jobs--but when I was a kid it could, and the country has even more money today. It's just about what we want to make a priority. Become a member now and get a free tote bag.
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A brilliant post. Here in the UK two increasingly popular terms are in-work poverty (with social security benefits going to those in work) and corporate welfare (business subsidies). Both suggest that the goverment and ordinary people are subsidising business to allow a few to get richer and the many to get poorer. There used to be a nebulous and erroneous distinction between the deserving and undeserving poor. But even the elites have stopped using that distinction. You're either a deserving worker (in a hard-working family) or an undeserving, scrounging unemployment statistic. The older I've become, the more Marxist I've become! Sorry, rant over! Become a member now and get a free tote bag.
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I had a husband like that too. I try not to think about it or talk about it. I feel kind of ashamed of it, like ugh, I married that leech-loser-creepo. I forgive myself--it was a low time in my life and I get why I did it and why I should not have--but wow, you can lose a lot marrying the wrong person. I was just lucky my lawyer found a way to get my out of it. Lost everything though.  Become a member now and get a free tote bag.
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Well said, yesmam. I think socialism is the only humane form of government. It can get stodgy and slow and bureaucratic, but at least it doesn't throw away children, old people, and the poor. Let me tell you what happened to children in that society that were born with Down syndrome - they were euthanized and mothers were told that children were still born. Old people? Everyone over 60 was considered old and medical treatment for old people was cut to a bare minimum - no surgeries, no expensive procedures; very limited amount of care. Poor? Most people were poor, but the poorest were those who were forced to retire because their pension couldn't pay for food, not to mention utilities, transportation, etc. Forgive me if I don't buy your idealistic notion that " ...socialism is the only humane form of government." I lived it, I watched my elderly neighbors starve, I witnessed the devastation of a friend when her child "died at birth". I'd much rather be poor in this country than in one with "only humane form of government". Visit my blog It's a Mad, Mad, Mad World of NaughtyInSO, leave a comment, become a watcher. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ LIVE AND LET LIVE Be happy! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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I'm sorry.. Did I read this correctly " ... but at least it [socialism] doesn't throw away children, old people, and the poor." ?? Let me tell you what happened to children in that society that were born with Down syndrome - they were euthanized and mothers were told that children were still born. Old people? Everyone over 60 was considered old and medical treatment for old people was cut to a bare minimum - no surgeries, no expensive procedures; very limited amount of care. Poor? Most people were poor, but the poorest were those who were forced to retire because their pension couldn't pay for food, not to mention utilities, transportation, etc. Forgive me if I don't buy your idealistic notion that " ...socialism is the only humane form of government." I lived it, I watched my elderly neighbors starve, I witnessed the devastation of a friend when her child "died at birth". I'd much rather be poor in this country than in one with "only humane form of government". Become a member now and get a free tote bag.
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We've been conned for quite a while now. I'm glad to see so many beginning to realize that., and are just beginning to get angry about it. Perhaps that anger will motivate us to make the changes necessary. Become a member now and get a free tote bag.
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