The difference is that fewer people can change their position in other markets

Jan 16, 2023
8:57:18pm

YSMACK All-American

Capitalism (and American capitalism in particularly) creates the opportunity to change your position more than any other system. People that decry capitalism are massively ignorant.

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YSMACK

Bio page: YSMACK
Joined: Oct 29, 2001
Last login: May 8, 2024
Total posts: 51,998 (3,166 FO)

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Messages

Author

Time

The rich get richer & the poor ... do too. The true story of poverty in the USA.

YSMACK

1/16/23 6:16pm

It all boils down to jealousy. Poor in the US is a moving goal post every year.

SausageKing

1/16/23 6:21pm

And... "the 1%" aren't 1 percenters for much of their life. Most 1%ers are in the 1% for one year... they sell a

HarlemCoug

1/16/23 6:24pm

What’s defined as the 1%?

kotacoug

1/16/23 6:38pm

The IRS takes all tax filers for the year and then figures out what AGI was reached by just 1% of all households.

HarlemCoug

1/16/23 7:00pm

When the poor have an obesity problem are they really poor?

kotacoug

1/16/23 6:38pm

In the US? Yes.

Eddie

1/16/23 6:45pm

Unfortunately, it's cheaper to eat unhealthy foods than healthier options.

GA_Coug

1/16/23 9:57pm

by example, when I go diving in the Philippines, I try to be genuine, but also generous. On one of our first trips, we

ChinaFan

1/16/23 6:49pm

That’s a good argument that no one is really satisfied with. For some reason humans are wired for comparisons and status

Odysseus

1/16/23 6:55pm

It's certainly relative. The biggest issue is lack purpose and with the safety

johnnybyu

1/16/23 7:34pm

Even with that warped viewpoint the poor are WAY better off.

YSMACK

1/16/23 8:48pm

Everyone looks at the world through comparison. Most of the people on this thread nodding their heads about how well off

Odysseus

1/16/23 9:01pm

The third point includes comparison.

YSMACK

1/16/23 9:21pm

I think we agree that (1) capitalism > socialism and (2) capitalism still has some problems that can be rectified via

Odysseus

1/16/23 9:46pm

Upward mobility, in particular, makes USA the best country for the poor.

YSMACK

1/16/23 9:52pm

In your last paragraph, I’d be curious to see how that data was observed. For example, I grew up in a top 20% household

Odysseus

1/16/23 9:57pm

Yes, age demographics play a big part (in all countries)

YSMACK

1/16/23 10:00pm

Also, that isn't the argument at all.

YSMACK

1/16/23 9:24pm

well, the bigger part of the problem is that a good number of those promoting this dialogue are spoiled brats who don't

ChinaFan

1/16/23 9:35pm

it's also worth pointing out that for many they aren't pour because they're oppressed... they're poor because they're

HarlemCoug

1/17/23 12:09am

Nailed it.

Mitty

1/16/23 11:53pm

When I would tel people in my mission the poor had cars, homes, free food,

Bobmarleyjr

1/16/23 7:11pm

The abundant wealth in the US may be the worst thing for the poor. People don't

johnnybyu

1/16/23 7:36pm

Some have run with the word equality to think it means we should all be equal in assets, but the phrase

BW84

1/16/23 8:54pm

The difference is that fewer people can change their position in other markets

YSMACK

1/16/23 8:57pm

It’s a cop out to compare the poor in the US with the poor in a 3d world country

demon_llama

1/16/23 9:18pm

LOL. No it isn't. You're completely missing the point.

YSMACK

1/16/23 9:29pm

Also, those stats don't show us better than just in 3rd world countries

YSMACK

1/16/23 9:38pm

My point is that arguments like this tend to shut down discussion

demon_llama

1/17/23 6:44am

The point is, there is no system that does better at helping the poor

PROBcoug

1/17/23 8:24am

Probably true. But I'm also interested in what the poor think about it.

demon_llama

1/17/23 10:59am

If they have food, home, education, what else do they need?

Bobmarleyjr

1/17/23 12:46pm

They also have 2 tvs, washer, dryer, dishwasher, oven, ref., HVAC, game console

YSMACK

1/17/23 1:10pm

Such a sad way of looking at the world

Backcountry

1/16/23 9:34pm

so, in what way is that a cop out? It's a fact, and sure, we should work to help the poor get out of poverty, no one

ChinaFan

1/16/23 9:37pm

He clearly doesn't understand the conversation.

YSMACK

1/16/23 9:43pm

The US also has tremendous resources and geography which allows our system to thrive despite its flaws

Odysseus

1/16/23 9:48pm

I don't think that is a valid explanation for the difference. Look at China

YSMACK

1/16/23 10:10pm

Small quibble, the US is not a “free market”.

sammyh72

1/16/23 9:55pm

Fair enough, but I don't think that really changes the conversation much.

YSMACK

1/16/23 9:56pm

The homeless with mental health issues are very much stuck in poverty.

VenomFarmer

1/16/23 10:00pm

I 100% agree with that, but that is a different kind of problem.

YSMACK

1/16/23 10:04pm

Fine, but saying attention to the gap is a "bad way of looking at it" is just

Mitty

1/16/23 11:53pm

John Stossel did a great report on this too. Total myth.

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