Life as a poor American is a life of slavery

[Jackson]

I think describing poverty as slavery is a bit extreme, however it is far more difficult for a child raised in poverty to attain anything even close to the American dream. The chance of a child raised in poverty dropping out of school is 5 times as great as a member of upper middle class. Only 1 in 17 students from poor homes with income under $35K can expect to earn a college degree. 1 out of ever 2 kids from families with incomes over $85K, graduate from college. Once in the work force the poor is likely to never make it pass the lower middle class and fall in and out of poverty throughout their lives.

The one trait that most of those living poverty share is a feeling hopelessness. Thinking of oneself as a slave to the system is pretty common.

Poor kids hear over and over in school that no matter how poor you are, you have a chance of making it but they soon they learn that chance is very small.

USATODAY.com - Reality weighs down dreams of college
11 Facts about Education and Poverty in America | Do Something

Mostly the reason why poor children grow up into poor adults is because they come from families that do not value education or achievement. That's why a child from a dirt poor immigrant family has a better chance of being successful than an American child from a poor American family.

The chance of a child raised in poverty dropping out of school is 5 times as great as a member of upper middle class.

The chance of a child raised in poverty having parents that support education is more than five times as great as a member of the upper middle class, or even a poor family who just came here from a third world shithole.

I agree with you, but the question that begs for an answer is how do you convince parents living in poverty that education can change the lives of their children and that it is worth the effort? If parents feel it's hopeless, they will teach it to their children by word and deed. Once children believe it, all the education in the world is not going to help. Education may be the long term solution for poverty, but only if the child believes it.

It's all about attitude and something similar to common sense. The parents may figure out they are experiencing poverty because of their lack of education and the drive to get it. Then the drive top work for what they get instead of waiting for miserly handouts.

 

[Katzndogz]

How can one be a "slave" and at the same time suck off the system without being a contributor to that system?

They are fed, clothed, provided amenities, for nothing. If they can feel a slave to the system they need an education into slavery. I suggest a sale to countries that still practice slavery. Put the money toward the deficit.

 

[Jackson]

There has been a lot of talk in this country for years about the erosion of the middle class, however when I look at the income distribution in this country today I see that the income of the upper 50% of citizens is 87.3% of all the money earned in the country, and the income of the lower 50% is only 12.7%. There is in fact no middle class in America today; there is only us and them.

There are those who call this country is the land of opportunity, but as I live and breathe today I know without a doubt that this is a lie, it may have been true in the year 1900, but not having lived then I cannot say if it was just as much a lie in those days. The reality is there’s a glass ceiling in this nation at the 50% mark, if one is born above that line, one can have any opportunity under the sun and go as far as ones individual capabilities allow, but if one is born below that line ones only purpose in living so far as American society is concerned, is to work. And furthermore to work always for the benefit and profit of someone born above that 50% line.

Want your kids to go to college? Better be prepared to pay. Contrary to what the upper-class would have you believe federal student aid is of little use, the maximum a person of the lower class may receive is just over 30,000. This may sound like a significant amount to some, however in reality it will not even pay for an education at a state level university, to say nothing of the ivy league. Think your kids smart enough to earn a scholarship? Keep dreaming, the vast majority of scholarships offered are given to children from families who are already above that 50% line. Said scholarships are just given out as free benefits to coax kids with “the right breeding” in, or in some cases to help schools meet their minimum standards under affirmative action. Said scholarships will never go to a child from the lower 50% simply because of the kids own intellect. And as for that federal student aid money you can get, it will just about pay for community college, a degree that will get one nothing except a low level office job at best.

So in what other ways might the lower 50% “pull themselves up by the bootstraps” as republicans like to claim they should?

Want to be a movie star? Better be prepared to pay. The only way to get ones foot “in the door” of Hollywood is to pay an agent, an incredible expense that a performer just entering the field can’t hope to pay unless they are already members of the upper class, already born to that upper 50%. Without an agent, you won’t get laughed out of every studio in town, because you’ll never set foot in one.

Want to write a great movie? Same thing, better get an agent, and don’t think you can afford one unless you make over 100 grand a year already. Without an agent you will never sell a script in Hollywood, but take it from me, if your movies good enough you will darn well get it plagiarized in Hollywood, in fact you can get that in no time flat.

Want to write the great American novel? Better pay out the nose for an agent because without one no legitimate publisher in the country will look at your manuscript, unless it’s to allow an established writer from the upper 50% plagiarize you. Think you’re going to self-publish it? Dream on. The volume of material available for sale on amazon, kindle, and similar sites and services dictates that unless you pay out the nose for advertising, you will have zero sales.

Want to start any kind of business? Go give it a shot. While we have all heard the “success stories”, the reality is that such a small percentage of such ventures succeed as to make the real number of success’s insignificant. Of course good luck getting backing from the banks. The reality is if your born to the upper 50% like that idiot James O’Keefe, the banks will extend you a 50,000 dollar line of credit at the drop of a hat no matter how stupid your business model is, just like it did for him. But if you’re born to the lower 50%, good luck with the banks, No matter how good your business model is! Unlike the studios you will get the chance to be laughed out of every bank in town.

In the end it’s all a lie. If you’re born to the lower class, your sole purpose in this society is to work your ass off for the benefit of the upper class. Frankly I’m at the point where I would love nothing more than for a REAL class war to break out, because as far as I’m concerned that upper 50% can just kiss my fucking ass.

And that is exactly what you want. No one is going to kiss your a**. You have to work to get ahead. Where is your common sense?

 

[earlycuyler]

There has been a lot of talk in this country for years about the erosion of the middle class, however when I look at the income distribution in this country today I see that the income of the upper 50% of citizens is 87.3% of all the money earned in the country, and the income of the lower 50% is only 12.7%. There is in fact no middle class in America today; there is only us and them.

There are those who call this country is the land of opportunity, but as I live and breathe today I know without a doubt that this is a lie, it may have been true in the year 1900, but not having lived then I cannot say if it was just as much a lie in those days. The reality is there’s a glass ceiling in this nation at the 50% mark, if one is born above that line, one can have any opportunity under the sun and go as far as ones individual capabilities allow, but if one is born below that line ones only purpose in living so far as American society is concerned, is to work. And furthermore to work always for the benefit and profit of someone born above that 50% line.

Want your kids to go to college? Better be prepared to pay. Contrary to what the upper-class would have you believe federal student aid is of little use, the maximum a person of the lower class may receive is just over 30,000. This may sound like a significant amount to some, however in reality it will not even pay for an education at a state level university, to say nothing of the ivy league. Think your kids smart enough to earn a scholarship? Keep dreaming, the vast majority of scholarships offered are given to children from families who are already above that 50% line. Said scholarships are just given out as free benefits to coax kids with “the right breeding” in, or in some cases to help schools meet their minimum standards under affirmative action. Said scholarships will never go to a child from the lower 50% simply because of the kids own intellect. And as for that federal student aid money you can get, it will just about pay for community college, a degree that will get one nothing except a low level office job at best.

So in what other ways might the lower 50% “pull themselves up by the bootstraps” as republicans like to claim they should?

Want to be a movie star? Better be prepared to pay. The only way to get ones foot “in the door” of Hollywood is to pay an agent, an incredible expense that a performer just entering the field can’t hope to pay unless they are already members of the upper class, already born to that upper 50%. Without an agent, you won’t get laughed out of every studio in town, because you’ll never set foot in one.

Want to write a great movie? Same thing, better get an agent, and don’t think you can afford one unless you make over 100 grand a year already. Without an agent you will never sell a script in Hollywood, but take it from me, if your movies good enough you will darn well get it plagiarized in Hollywood, in fact you can get that in no time flat.

Want to write the great American novel? Better pay out the nose for an agent because without one no legitimate publisher in the country will look at your manuscript, unless it’s to allow an established writer from the upper 50% plagiarize you. Think you’re going to self-publish it? Dream on. The volume of material available for sale on amazon, kindle, and similar sites and services dictates that unless you pay out the nose for advertising, you will have zero sales.

Want to start any kind of business? Go give it a shot. While we have all heard the “success stories”, the reality is that such a small percentage of such ventures succeed as to make the real number of success’s insignificant. Of course good luck getting backing from the banks. The reality is if your born to the upper 50% like that idiot James O’Keefe, the banks will extend you a 50,000 dollar line of credit at the drop of a hat no matter how stupid your business model is, just like it did for him. But if you’re born to the lower 50%, good luck with the banks, No matter how good your business model is! Unlike the studios you will get the chance to be laughed out of every bank in town.

In the end it’s all a lie. If you’re born to the lower class, your sole purpose in this society is to work your ass off for the benefit of the upper class. Frankly I’m at the point where I would love nothing more than for a REAL class war to break out, because as far as I’m concerned that upper 50% can just kiss my fucking ass.

So, if this is true (its not) what do you do about it ? Do you sit where you are and be pissed because some millionaire is out there doing there thing ? Things like singeing paychecks and stuff like that ? Would you throw your president in the group of slave masters ? How about your house minority leader who recently made millions by insider trading ? I dont understand how sitting around being pissed about another guys success does any good. Who gives a shit about the upper class. Live within your means, keep a good attitude and make your self worth millions, but mostly, live YOUR live as good as you can.

 

[midcan5]

"Do not waste your time on Social Questions. What is the matter with the poor is Poverty; what is the matter with the rich is Uselessness." George Bernard Shaw

Interesting discussion but useless too. One side says you are lazy, the other side claims the cards are stacked against you. But I think there is more middle ground and the middle contains large clumps, some stable, some movable. I - my family - started at the bottom, my wife near the top, today most of my family rose to the middle - we are at the top in all categories (see first link). How, shit, I don't know because money does not concern me. Never has. I was just blessed with the ability to solve most problems and enough sense to sometimes shut up. Our children are near the top already. Must be genes? Nah. But I am older and now move lots in that top category, and the OP has a point, not a point that anything is done purposelessly, just that picking well to do parents is a great way to start. I have seen the laziest well to do brats do fine. But how does a society engineer fairness or even a level playing field.

Graphic: How Class Works - New York Times

Class Matters - Social Class in the United States of America - The New York Times


"The U.S. census recently reported that the income gap between the richest and the poorest in the United States has doubled since 1968 (from a ratio of 7.69 to 1 to 14.5-to-1 in 2010), the United States is currently active in not one but three major wars, and there are more black men in American prisons today than there were slaves in 1850. You don’t need a crystal ball, or a giant granite one, to know Martin Luther King’s response to this condition." Char Roone Miller The Contemporary Condition: Great White Hope: The National Martin Luther King Memorial


15 Shocking Facts Show That the Middle Class is Being Wiped Out | Economy | AlterNet