A Breath of fresh air

[Preston]

Keep in mind that there are those who will, by choice, go with food stamps because it's easier than working. There is a lot of fraud out there.

I cannot and do not blame most anyone living off of food stamps. I am very thankful for the benefits for the poor. It is pretty much make or break here (get a degree or live life in poverty). Think about it, if one was to get off of benefits for the poor and attempt to work a job, it is next to impossible. The minimum wage is next to nothing and the jobs are hell.

[Preston]

Philip, food stamps is basically money on a card to buy food at the grocery store. Yes, it is for the poor and disabled.

[Sorrano]

Philip, the problem that I see is that those who do abuse the system create the issues for those that truly need it. Too often the benefits go to those that are able to work instead of those who are unable. That's not to say that everyone that is on it is a parasite, but there are those few who are. Too often one bad apple can spoil the bushel.

[Quijote]

I agree, Sorrano, that one bad apple can spoil the barrel. The problem is that the press is so quick to pick up the "negative", and what is dangerous in my view is that the press for many people provides at times an unchallenged platform that conditions opinion and "discourse".
As you know, I am on holiday in Italy and have been unable to purchase the paper of my choice (The Guardian, the so-called left-wing rag favoured by teachers and such like...). I have, then, been obliged to spend my hard-earned euros on such titles as The Times (a Murdoch-owned rag), the Daily Mail (whose owner is an alleged pornographer) and (gasp, horrors of horrors) The Telegraph (whose former owner - Conrad Black - is now in prison for fraud).
What has "amused" me is the blatant political slant on these titles in view of the recent riots in England (not Scotland or Wales or N. Ireland). Although frayed tempers have been somewhat cooled after the events, the general "tenor" of such rags has been "string 'em up, it's the only way", and to call for strong legal reprisals.
Whilst I feel that these riotors need a good slapping (rather, a rubber bullet in the groin), I do accept that there are very probably "reasons" why such people acted in the way they did.
It is the same for the so-called benefit abusers (food stamps and so on) : a very, very small minority are used as a litmus test that "proves" these blood-suckers are draining the economies.
In actual fact, the reality of unemployment is unremitting hardship, strife and lack of self-esteem, and most unemployed people - I feel sure - dream of having the structure and value regular employment confers.

[Preston]

It is the same for the so-called benefit abusers (food stamps and so on) : a very, very small minority are used as a litmus test that "proves" these blood-suckers are draining the economies.
In actual fact, the reality of unemployment is unremitting hardship, strife and lack of self-esteem, and most unemployed people - I feel sure - dream of having the structure and value regular employment confers.

This is a problem I have. You refer to people living off of benefits as "blood-suckers", when imo, it is the greedy rich who share next to nothing for the better cause - they are the real and true blood-suckers. That is the entire problem with money and one of the key problems with this world, people have millions and even billions of dollars while people who are poor are criticized as blood-suckers. I think the term "blood-sucking" should be thought about. Who get's the blood (gold)? Again, that shows me how sick this world can actually be. Praising the rich and damning the poor.

As for work - go work at a gas station, for your life, and try to make enough to even get by, yet alone comfortably, and see where you go from there. It is a make or break world and it is all based on what I feel are somewhat ridiculous degrees - which just fuel the cycle of this wretched advancement.

This world is a cycle of corruption, slavery, and never-ending greed. It has become most screwed. And most everyone knows it. Even the planet Earth is slowly withering away along with everything and one on it. It is like Planet of the Apes, "You fools look at what you have done! Look at what you have done!"

Also, 1 in 6 people living off of food-stamps should tell everyone something! Wake-up!

[Peter]

This is a problem I have. You refer to people living off of benefits as "blood-suckers", when imo, it is the greedy rich who share next to nothing for the better cause - they are the real and true blood-suckers. That is the entire problem with money and one of the key problems with this world, people have millions and even billions of dollars while people who are poor are criticized as blood-suckers. I think the term "blood-sucking" should be thought about. Who get's the blood (gold)? Again, that shows me how sick this world can actually be. Praising the rich and damning the poor.

As for work - go work at a gas station, for your life, and try to make enough to even get by, yet alone comfortably, and see where you go from there. It is a make or break world and it is all based on what I feel are somewhat ridiculous degrees - which just fuel the cycle of this wretched advancement.

This world is a cycle of corruption, slavery, and never-ending greed. It has become most screwed. And most everyone knows it. Even the planet Earth is slowly withering away along with everything and one on it. It is like Planet of the Apes, "You fools look at what you have done! Look at what you have done!"

Also, 1 in 6 people living off of food-stamps should tell everyone something! Wake-up!

The argument is too simplistic - it isn't about the 'nice poor' and the 'horrible rich'. You cannot generalise in that way - poor people are just as capable of greed as rich - you only have to watch the insane orgy of materialism at sales to buy things they don't need. Poverty is relative - to some Africans or Indians, your poorest American would seem like a millionaire.

[RobertH]

I agree - it is all too easy, and too human, to generalize.
I hear some extraordinary things from contacts in the US - people preparing to leave the cities, stocking up with food, weapons for survival, only two days food in the stores. I may well be completely wrong but my take on the so called budget deal of Obama's was that the problems in the US ( and probably by implication the rest of the world ) are now so serious and unresolvable that try as we may to pull all the levers nothing is happening, nothing can happen because the system's broken beyond all hope of repair. Also, there is a breakdown of consensus, the politicos in the US simply cannot agree on how to approach the issues in any meaningful way. Politics after all is about compromise but what happens when you can't even compromise?
Why can't the US cut its military budget, its obscene in the amounts it absorbs, when you consider these are the natural resources of the planet turned into the means of waging war ( who on?), and then you see cities like Detroit, dying on their feet and people on food stamps.
Its like some hideous parody of the natural world, the ordinary bees who only exist to keep the queen bees going, the billionaires in their own hives.

[Preston]

The argument is too simplistic - it isn't about the 'nice poor' and the 'horrible rich'.

I agree. There is good on both sides. By no means am I saying that all the poor are good. I have seen some very bad, hardened, stupid, and hateful individuals who are poor. But yes I do disagree with the accusations of "blood sucking", and I do feel that the blood-suckers are the millionaires and even billionaires. Though, perhaps I am wrong? They live with all the wealth in the world while their fellow men is suffering to the max. It is a lot to think about and a lot to write about. Though, I was not referring to the ridiculous stereotype that all rich are bad and all poor are not.

Its like some hideous parody of the natural world, the ordinary bees who only exist to keep the queen bees going, the billionaires in their own hives.

Exactly what it seems to be like Robert. Exactly. It is exactly like a parody of the natural world. Strange, so strange. A problem is we have pretty much become "accustomed" to this way of life!?

[Peter]

I agree. There is good on both sides. By no means am I saying that all the poor are good. I have seen some very bad, hardened, stupid, and hateful individuals who are poor. But yes I do disagree with the accusations of "blood sucking", and I do feel that the blood-suckers are the millionaires and even billionaires. Though, perhaps I am wrong? They live with all the wealth in the world while their fellow men is suffering to the max. It is a lot to think about and a lot to write about. Though, I was not referring to the ridiculous stereotype that all rich are bad and all poor are not.

Exactly what it seems to be like Robert. Exactly. It is exactly like a parody of the natural world. Strange, so strange. A problem is we have pretty much become "accustomed" to this way of life!?

Again you can't generalise about all billionaires - don't forget that millionaires create jobs and some billionaires are doing a lot of good, take the Bill Gates foundation for example. http://www.gatesfoundation.org/Pages/home.aspx

[Quijote]

Clearly, obscenely rich people are not devils, and some (as Peter points out) have created foundations for the needy. Others (e.g. Peggy Guggenheim, RIP) have set up funds for artists and platforms for exhibiting their works, and yet others have provided the financing of academic chairs (though we should turn a blind eye to Monsieur Gaddaffi's funding of a certain academic institution in London, shouldn't we!).
All that's lacking is a bit more "wealth distribution" in my direction, that's all.

[Preston]

"Use your feelings, there is something out of place here." - Obi-Wan to Anakin, when referring to if the Supreme Chancellor was good - who was actually a Sith Lord.

Peter and Philip, I am sorry I cannot 'wholly' agree, by any means.
Philip, I am not trying to sound rude, by any means, though just because it seems that way to you does not mean it is correct/right, etc.

Peter, you and I often see close to eye to eye. Though, on this I cannot agree with you.

I do not know how to answer these questions and I think Robert would do better than I. He has a very clear and stable mentality, it seems, towards such serious issues. Robert?

[Peter]

"Use your feelings, there is something out of place here." - Obi-Wan to Anakin, when referring to if the Supreme Chancellor was good - who was actually a Sith Lord.

Peter and Philip, I am sorry I cannot 'wholly' agree, by any means.
Philip, I am not trying to sound rude, by any means, though just because it seems that way to you does not mean it is correct/right, etc.

Peter, you and I often see close to eye to eye. Though, on this I cannot agree with you.

I do not know how to answer these questions and I think Robert would do better than I. He has a very clear and stable mentality, it seems, towards such serious issues. Robert?

I don't mind you (or anyone else!) not agreeing with me, but I do think you are way too cynical and focused on the negative aspects in life. A balance has to be struck or else I'm afraid there can be no happiness. You write about wealth and poverty but there is a wise saying "Any man, who does not think that what he has is more than ample, is an unhappy man, even if he is master of the whole world."

[RobertH]

I agree Peter. there are many who would be miserable if they had every material comfort. Music is certainly one of life's great spiritual joys, freely availble to all. That said, we concerned also with physical or external realities and its healthy i think to take an informed interest.
In the last twenty years or so there has been the growth of what commentators have called the ' plutonomies ' - these are economies like US and Europe who have within them people who consume gigantic slices of the national pie and then there are the vast majority of the non rich. This is known s the 80 - 20 rule - 20% of your customers provide 80% of your profits so why bother with the other 80%? So the super rich get the grand treatment and the rest barely any service at all. My own purely personal view is that it was a great mistake to abolish capital controls for western economies, this allowed the bankers to gamble and lose vast amounts. We are clearly headed for more modest living styles which may be no bad thing and help us to safeguard the world's precious resources. A point I think Preston rightly refers to.

[Peter]

I agree Peter. there are many who would be miserable if they had every material comfort. Music is certainly one of life's great spiritual joys, freely availble to all. That said, we concerned also with physical or external realities and its healthy i think to take an informed interest.
In the last twenty years or so there has been the growth of what commentators have called the ' plutonomies ' - these are economies like US and Europe who have within them people who consume gigantic slices of the national pie and then there are the vast majority of the non rich. This is known s the 80 - 20 rule - 20% of your customers provide 80% of your profits so why bother with the other 80%? So the super rich get the grand treatment and the rest barely any service at all. My own purely personal view is that it was a great mistake to abolish capital controls for western economies, this allowed the bankers to gamble and lose vast amounts. We are clearly headed for more modest living styles which may be no bad thing and help us to safeguard the world's precious resources. A point I think Preston rightly refers to.

Yes of course - there is no doubt that the west consumes way too much and what a terrible example we have set the rest of the world who seem keen to follow. That comes down to my over population point and what I perceive as the greatest challenge facing the human race - one that no one seems that bothered about.

However whilst recognising the great wrongs, I feel it is essential to have a sense of proportion in order to maintain a happy and healthy approach to life.
Ultimately to stress and worry about things we have no control over is fruitless - we should focus on the things in our lives we can do something about!

[Chris]

I think overpopulation, like many of the world's "problems", is and will be used by politicians and corporations as a means to sell you a solution long before it ever actually becomes a true problem (if it ever does). That is another thing to keep in mind - as long as there is someone who wants to give you a solution in exchange for your vote, your freedom, or your money, you can be pretty sure that person is exaggerating the severity of the issue in question.