[Dave_n_Tenn]

Originally Posted by AnsleyPark

Many people do not chose poverty - who would? Many are born into it. It is not so simple a problem to solve.

That's right 15 TRILLION $$$

[Marc Paolella]

Originally Posted by AnsleyPark

I only wish that such a simplistic view of society would solve our social ills. Marc, it all sounds easy and great. But, if it were that easy, we wouldn't be having this conversation at all.

It’s not easy. Hard, mature, rational choices need to be made by people who are not making them. And if they don’t make those hard choices, they will stay where they are forever. That part is as simple and straightforward as it gets.

[Marc Paolella]

Originally Posted by AnsleyPark

Many people do not chose poverty - who would? Many are born into it. It is not so simple a problem to solve.

It’s very simple to stay in poverty. Do nothing. You can’t give away other people’s money to erase poverty. It’s got to come from new, better decisions that are different than the old decisions that have not been working for decade after decade after decade.

[Marc Paolella]

Originally Posted by OldBankhead

Nah, no thanks. I pay taxes. I don't use my influence to squeeze out competitors. I don't have politicians in my back pocket. I don't hide money overseas. I'm not too big and too rich to keep the IRS from coming after me if I don't pay by stalling them out with lawyers.... I won't put people out of work to move a factory overseas just so I can increase my margins.

Corporations shouldn’t pay any taxes. They provide goods, services, and jobs. That’s enough of a benefit to not be oppressed by taxation. Competition is good for corporations and individuals. Squeezing out others by outperforming them is excellent! And good for the losers who need to figure out how to improve. There is no “putting people out of work”. A job is a temporary agreement to trade time and talent for money. It is not an entitlement, or a right. If a company outsources labor, it is acting in its best interest and it will be able to price its products and services more competitively. Good for consumers. Good for everyone. If you lose your job, time to trade your time and talent to a new buyer. If there are no new buyers, learn something new. It’s good to be always learning and developing. Even when you’re 60 and near retirement. The writing is ALWAYS on the wall. You should always be learning new skills. Your old skills have a shelf life, and it’s usually shorter than you think.

[OldBankhead]

I guess it's always sunny in New Jersey. All billionaires are self made. Nobody is born into generational wealth and none of them exploit the advantages they have to enrich themselves on the backs of the poor and the shrinking middle class.

But that's exactly what they do. The gap in wealth is growing amongst classes. Automation is coming. Jobs will become obsolete and go away. Nobody denies that. Some of the excess profits that will be earned as that happens are going to have to be used to help those that can not participate in this ideal world you paint that doesn't exist.

[mysticaltyger]

Originally Posted by L00k4ward

Could poverty in Alabama be a result of low IQ?
When manual jobs in agriculture, manufacturing, and services industries went away - what are people to do?
Not everyone is fit to work in automated factories even if they want to do it.
We are afraid even attempting to study these issues for fear of being called names - as it is extremely non-PC

So automate away, distribute free internet and computers for remote work, invest and build infrastructure - you just get people from other states moving in- the ones who look for opportunities, appreciate them and who could do the jobs.
Which may not be a bad idea - to mix up the population pool

I do think IQ is a huge issue. We've basically eliminated most of the jobs, especially decent paying ones, for low IQ people. Something like 15% of the population has an IQ below 83, and most of them are men. (There are more men with very high and very low IQs). But nobody wants to talk about or deal with this issue in any kind of realistic way. Like I said in a previous post in this thread, I think the powers that be want it that way.

[Marc Paolella]

Originally Posted by OldBankhead

I guess it's always sunny in New Jersey. All billionaires are self made. Nobody is born into generational wealth and none of them exploit the advantages they have to enrich themselves on the backs of the poor and the shrinking middle class.

But that's exactly what they do. The gap in wealth is growing amongst classes. Automation is coming. Jobs will become obsolete and go away. Nobody denies that. Some of the excess profits that will be earned as that happens are going to have to be used to help those that can not participate in this ideal world you paint that doesn't exist.

Concentrating on billionaires has nothing to do with the non-issue of “rural” poverty. Which, by the way, what in hell does the location of poverty matter?

Almost all billionaires are indeed self-made. And once one earns his money, it’s his or hers to use, abuse, or dispose of as he sees fit. Including giving it to his kids, and no one has anything to say about it. Rich people have kids, give their money to their kids, and that’s just too damned bad if you don’t like it. The fact that someone gave their kids THEIR money is THEIR business. If you don’t like it, there’s North Korea.

Yes, luck happens. And the beneficiaries of good heath, good looks, or some inherited wealth, don’t owe you or anyone else a damned thing. Your life is yours, and THAT is the raw materials YOU are in charge of developing and improving. Someone else’s good luck does not create a debt to you or anyone else.

Equality is not a goal. Equity is not a goal. We are not created equal. We are not born equal. We will never be equal. There is no implicit equality or fairness to anything in life, nor should there be. Those who leverage their talent and luck and work ethic the most get to have the best lives. If anyone else wants an amazing life? Get on the bandwagon. Make good choices. Don’t do things in the wrong order. No kids before the right time. Graduate high school. No drugs. No booze. No gambling. Rational self interest and beneficial selfishness.

Or, don’t have those values, and stay in a hell of your own desire, choice, and construction.

Bad things happen to good people, good things happen to bad people, and vice versa and every permutation in between. But in reality, good things happen most to good people who make good choices. And bad things happen most to people who ask for it with irrational decision making. Yes, I can already hear the hackneyed anecdotes about the 24 year old with 3 kids who got cancer and the house burned down. BS. Don’t bother. It doesn’t reflect the prevailing reality.

[Surge0001]

Originally Posted by Marc Paolella

Concentrating on billionaires has nothing to do with the non-issue of “rural” poverty. Which, by the way, what in hell does the location of poverty matter?

Almost all billionaires are indeed self-made. And once one earns his money, it’s his or hers to use, abuse, or dispose of as he sees fit. Including giving it to his kids, and no one has anything to say about it. Rich people have kids, give their money to their kids, and that’s just too damned bad if you don’t like it. The fact that someone gave their kids THEIR money is THEIR business. If you don’t like it, there’s North Korea.

Yes, luck happens. And the beneficiaries of good heath, good looks, or some inherited wealth, don’t owe you or anyone else a damned thing. Your life is yours, and THAT is the raw materials YOU are in charge of developing and improving. Someone else’s good luck does not create a debt to you or anyone else.

Equality is not a goal. Equity is not a goal. We are not created equal. We are not born equal. We will never be equal. There is no implicit equality or fairness to anything in life, nor should there be. Those who leverage their talent and luck and work ethic the most get to have the best lives. If anyone else wants an amazing life? Get on the bandwagon. Make good choices. Don’t do things in the wrong order. No kids before the right time. Graduate high school. No drugs. No booze. No gambling. Rational self interest and beneficial selfishness.

Or, don’t have those values, and stay in a hell of your own desire, choice, and construction.

Bad things happen to good people, good things happen to bad people, and vice versa and every permutation in between. But in reality, good things happen most to good people who make good choices. And bad things happen most to people who ask for it with irrational decision making. Yes, I can already hear the hackneyed anecdotes about the 24 year old with 3 kids who got cancer and the house burned down. BS. Don’t bother. It doesn’t reflect the prevailing reality.

Better be careful, you are backtracking, not a good sign when you are trying to “prove” your point, trust me

[Marc Paolella]

Originally Posted by Surge0001

Better be careful, you are backtracking, not a good sign when you are trying to “prove” your point, trust me

Can you stop with these low-effort zero-content one sentence posts? There’s a new thing out called paragraphs. Use them.

[Surge0001]

Originally Posted by Marc Paolella

Can you stop with these low-effort zero-content one sentence posts? There’s a new thing out called paragraphs. Use them.

Unlikely to happen, I make enough paragraphs and essays these days, I don’t need to waste 30 minute reiterating points that prove you wrong when they already exist within this thread, that’s beating a dead horse. Maybe introduce some new content and I might bring you something, other than that you are getting “Low-effort zero-content one sentence.”

Also gonna point out, what you deeming as your content can be summed as, “All hail the billionaires and poor people suck because they are too savage to help themselves”