Why is it?

not if your solution goes beyond him sharing to you taking......that's where you lose us....

Ah, but the problem is society is geared not to share. Remember the saying, "He who has the most toys wins."

Look at those who have more money than they'll ever use. Why do they keep trying to acquire more? If we were talking about anything else we'd conclude the individuals were sick.

Until society, as a whole, becomes more "enlightened" there are few options available.

On that note I'm off to the store. :)
 
This list took me about a minute to get. It describes to a T the profiles of many of the 'unacceptable' rich.
People know this but it is difficult to voice an opinion such as this unless you have the ear of the powerful and they only listen to themselves.
Not all the points apply to all the unacceptably rich, but if you think of people you know who exhibit some or all of these traits I think you will begin to agree.
Once again it is not the richness that people despise. Check it out, but please dont 'cherry pick' to prove a point:

What is a sociopath?

1. Glibness and Superficial Charm
2. Manipulative and Conning
They never recognize the rights of others and see their self-serving behaviors as permissible. They appear to be charming, yet are covertly hostile and domineering, seeing their victim as merely an instrument to be used. They may dominate and humiliate their victims.
3. Grandiose Sense of Self
Feels entitled to certain things as "their right."
4. Pathological Lying
Has no problem lying coolly and easily and it is almost impossible for them to be truthful on a consistent basis. Can create, and get caught up in, a complex belief about their own powers and abilities. Extremely convincing and even able to pass lie detector tests.
5. Lack of Remorse, Shame or Guilt
A deep seated rage, which is split off and repressed, is at their core. Does not see others around them as people, but only as targets and opportunities. Instead of friends, they have victims and accomplices who end up as victims. The end always justifies the means and they let nothing stand in their way.
6. Shallow Emotions
When they show what seems to be warmth, joy, love and compassion it is more feigned than experienced and serves an ulterior motive. Outraged by insignificant matters, yet remaining unmoved and cold by what would upset a normal person. Since they are not genuine, neither are their promises.
7. Incapacity for Love
8. Need for Stimulation
Living on the edge. Verbal outbursts and physical punishments are normal. Promiscuity and gambling are common.
9. Callousness/Lack of Empathy
Unable to empathize with the pain of their victims, having only contempt for others' feelings of distress and readily taking advantage of them.
10. Poor Behavioral Controls/Impulsive Nature
Rage and abuse, alternating with small expressions of love and approval produce an addictive cycle for abuser and abused, as well as creating hopelessness in the victim. Believe they are all-powerful, all-knowing, entitled to every wish, no sense of personal boundaries, no concern for their impact on others.
11. Early Behavior Problems/Juvenile Delinquency
Usually has a history of behavioral and academic difficulties, yet "gets by" by conning others. Problems in making and keeping friends; aberrant behaviors such as cruelty to people or animals, stealing, etc.
12. Irresponsibility/Unreliability
Not concerned about wrecking others' lives and dreams. Oblivious or indifferent to the devastation they cause. Does not accept blame themselves, but blames others, even for acts they obviously committed.
13. Promiscuous Sexual Behavior/Infidelity
Promiscuity, child sexual abuse, rape and sexual acting out of all sorts.
14. Lack of Realistic Life Plan/Parasitic Lifestyle
Tends to move around a lot or makes all encompassing promises for the future, poor work ethic but exploits others effectively.
15. Criminal or Entrepreneurial Versatility
Changes their image as needed to avoid prosecution. Changes life story readily.
 
Why is it that people think that the poor deserve MORE than they earn, or that the rich need to have what they have earned, either through work or investment, taken away. My father was raised by parents, neither of whom graduated HS. My grandfather punched his 9th grade english teacher and never went back to school. He started out as a station attendant for Standard Oil, and worked his way up to station manager and then right before WWII regional manager. Spent 4 years in the Asian theater and then came home. Went back to work for Standard Oil, and by the time he retired he was the plant supervisor at the Chevron refinery in El Paso Tx. My father graduated HS in 1965, went to University of New Mexico, working part time at my Uncles Gas station and my mom worked as a dental assistant and paid my dad's tuition. My dad got his Ph.D in Psychology in 1973 and started working. In the 90's he got his post doc in Neuropsychology and began working in that field, The last 5 or 6 years of my dad's practice he made in excess of 450k per year. He earned every dollar of it but lefties seem to think that he should have to sacrifice some of that money because there are people who don't have as much. He has since retired and works 3 days a week at a hospital as the prescribing Psychologist (in NM Ph.D's can prescribe if they go through a series of classes). This is how MOST people who make 250k or more per year got where they are. Though hard work and sacrifice. Why shouldn't they be allowed to keep it?

Because it isn't fair that they worked hard and made more. Plus, when you make that kind of money you are evil.
 
Ah, but the problem is society is geared not to share.

Just this morning I heard that Bill Gates had donated $750 million to create a foundation directed at helping the world's poorest people.....do you in any way think the world's poorest people would be better off if Gates' taxes had been raised by $750 million and the US government had been in charge of it's use instead?.....

if you can bring yourself to say no then you may have achieved a glimpse of what conservatives have been arguing......
 
It describes to a T the profiles of many of the 'unacceptable' rich.

do you seriously believe it describes a greater percentage of the rich than it does the poor?.....

compile a list of rich people accused of philandering....compile a list of rich people engaged in acts of philanthropy.......which list is longer......
 
There is no banana for one to get but someone has a lot of bananas. Enough to share.

Am I getting through to you?

Then share, pinhead.....share all you have with whoever you want......no one is stopping you.....its a free country,....just don't try sharing your neighbors goods......Just covet his property as you obviously do......

Thats the problem with pinheads to start with, you think wealth is finite, a zero-sum situation.......it shows your ignorance....

George Soros wealth has absolutely nothing to do with my our your lack of wealth......

Romneys or Obamas income has absolutely nothing to do with my income.....
 
Ah, but the problem is society is geared not to share. Remember the saying, "He who has the most toys wins."

Look at those who have more money than they'll ever use. Why do they keep trying to acquire more? If we were talking about anything else we'd conclude the individuals were sick.

Until society, as a whole, becomes more "enlightened" there are few options available.

On that note I'm off to the store. :)


Thats funny.....Apple takes it upon himself to help those lazy people USE that money they'll never use without his help.....
 
Again, you misunderstand. No one is saying the wealthy is undeserving. The problem does not lie with what the wealthy person has. The problem lies with what the poor person doesn't have. Do try to understand the difference.

As for the rest of your post children from wealthy families have greater access to education because they can afford it. They have a better chance of getting a job while in school (high school, college, university) because wealthy people usually know people who own businesses. The same applies to landing a job after graduation. That's where the old saying comes from, "It's who you know, not what you know."

Luck and circumstance play a big part in success.

There is our problem, you don't believe success requires hard work and perseverance, you think it mostly just requires luck and circumstance. Until you pull your head out of your ass and understand how things really are, you will never comprehend this problem or how to solve it. For instance, you have offered us no solution to the problem of "who ya know" ...No matter what you do, there will always be people who know other people. We can do my system or we can do your system, there will still be people who take advantage of who they know, there really isn't any way to prevent that. In other words, this is something that isn't a problem as much as it's just how things are in life, and we have to live with that.

children from wealthy families have greater access to education because they can afford it.

This is not true. Public education is not dependent on who can afford it, that's why it's public. It's available to everyone, even the poor. Almost every university has scholarship programs available, they aren't designated only for the wealthy, in fact, there is no income requirement when it comes to scholarships... unless it's a scholarship offered to people with low incomes, but that's not a disadvantage to poor people. Now, scholarships do require some hard work and determination, but as we are discovering, this is the case with pretty much everything worthwhile.

So you believe the majority of poor people are poor because they're lazy?

It would be real easy to answer "yes" to this, but then you'd brow beat me for stereotyping poor people. The facts of life are, some people lack the motivation to succeed, and some don't. It's not so much "lazy" as it is, lack of motivation. Of course, I wish I could tell you that I have a solution to this problem, but again... not so much a "problem" as it is just the way life goes. It doesn't matter if we go with my ideas or your ideas, there will still be a motivation gap, because that is human nature, some people have it, others don't. Even if we gathered everyone's wealth together, then equally divided it between every person on the planet, so that we all had exactly the same amount of money in our pockets... some would be motivated to become successful, others would lack motivation... the problem still exists, and in a few years, everyone would be right back to where they are today. We know from observation, acquisition of wealth doesn't bring responsibility or discipline with finance, again, this is something people either have or they don't. We see lottery winners all the time, blow through their wealth and revert back to living the lifestyle of the poor and unfamous, because they made stupid choices, because they lacked financial sense, because they had poor judgement, because they are HUMAN!
 
Just this morning I heard that Bill Gates had donated $750 million to create a foundation directed at helping the world's poorest people.....do you in any way think the world's poorest people would be better off if Gates' taxes had been raised by $750 million and the US government had been in charge of it's use instead?.....

if you can bring yourself to say no then you may have achieved a glimpse of what conservatives have been arguing......

That's very generous of him. Unfortunately, people like him are few and far between.

When it comes to charity it's all well and good, however, the problem is the average person donating is only aware of the people in their community. A person donating $5,000 to a NY food bank does not know if people in Tennessee are more in need. That's why charities can not replace government programs.
 
Then share, pinhead.....share all you have with whoever you want......no one is stopping you.....its a free country,....just don't try sharing your neighbors goods......Just covet his property as you obviously do......

Thats the problem with pinheads to start with, you think wealth is finite, a zero-sum situation.......it shows your ignorance....

George Soros wealth has absolutely nothing to do with my our your lack of wealth......

Romneys or Obamas income has absolutely nothing to do with my income.....

I never said it did. What has that got to do with helping those in need?
 
That's very generous of him. Unfortunately, people like him are few and far between.

When it comes to charity it's all well and good, however, the problem is the average person donating is only aware of the people in their community. A person donating $5,000 to a NY food bank does not know if people in Tennessee are more in need. That's why charities can not replace government programs.

The stupidity of the above is astounding. If they are donating to a local food bank, the food is going to people who need it. Guess what, people in TN also donate to their local food banks. Amazing how that works.
 
Why do you think the poor are lazy? What about the people who lost their job and home? Are they lazy?

A while back, Donald Trump filed bankruptcy... he tells the story in his book, of how he was returning from the bankruptcy hearings with his attorney, and they passed a homeless man on the street... Trump said, "That man is wealthier than I am!" It was true, Trump was broke... Now... WAS TRUMP LAZY because he was poor? Not at all. Years later, when Trump had become a multi-millionaire for the second time, some reporter asked him was it easier the first time around, and Trump replied, "No, it was actually easier the second time, because I knew I could do it!"
 
There is our problem, you don't believe success requires hard work and perseverance, you think it mostly just requires luck and circumstance. Until you pull your head out of your ass and understand how things really are, you will never comprehend this problem or how to solve it. For instance, you have offered us no solution to the problem of "who ya know" ...No matter what you do, there will always be people who know other people. We can do my system or we can do your system, there will still be people who take advantage of who they know, there really isn't any way to prevent that. In other words, this is something that isn't a problem as much as it's just how things are in life, and we have to live with that.

children from wealthy families have greater access to education because they can afford it.

This is not true. Public education is not dependent on who can afford it, that's why it's public. It's available to everyone, even the poor. Almost every university has scholarship programs available, they aren't designated only for the wealthy, in fact, there is no income requirement when it comes to scholarships... unless it's a scholarship offered to people with low incomes, but that's not a disadvantage to poor people. Now, scholarships do require some hard work and determination, but as we are discovering, this is the case with pretty much everything worthwhile.

So you believe the majority of poor people are poor because they're lazy?

It would be real easy to answer "yes" to this, but then you'd brow beat me for stereotyping poor people. The facts of life are, some people lack the motivation to succeed, and some don't. It's not so much "lazy" as it is, lack of motivation. Of course, I wish I could tell you that I have a solution to this problem, but again... not so much a "problem" as it is just the way life goes. It doesn't matter if we go with my ideas or your ideas, there will still be a motivation gap, because that is human nature, some people have it, others don't. Even if we gathered everyone's wealth together, then equally divided it between every person on the planet, so that we all had exactly the same amount of money in our pockets... some would be motivated to become successful, others would lack motivation... the problem still exists, and in a few years, everyone would be right back to where they are today. We know from observation, acquisition of wealth doesn't bring responsibility or discipline with finance, again, this is something people either have or they don't. We see lottery winners all the time, blow through their wealth and revert back to living the lifestyle of the poor and unfamous, because they made stupid choices, because they lacked financial sense, because they had poor judgement, because they are HUMAN!

I know certain things are a fact of life. I also know people get jobs in companies through people they know.

Take two unmotivated people. One knows someone who works in a factory. They get a job. The other person is on welfare. The welfare recipient is no worse than the person who got the job. If someone offered the welfare individual a job they would most likely accept it. That's life. So, what can be done?

Well, government training programs can be offered. The government, working with companies, can get leads. The person can get counselling. The point being HELP the individual.

Telling someone they're lazy. Trying to find ways to cut their support. Refusing to let people attend classes when collecting unemployment insurance. Those things are not going to do any good.

After generations of such stupidity I think it's South Carolina that is finally allowing people to attend school while on UI. What took so long? What is taking so long to properly help people in other ways?
If they're unmotivated send them to motivation classes. If they have an illness send them to a hospital for an evaluation. If they're depressed give them the proper medicine. Are we really interested in helping or just bitching about them?

Healthy, happy people desire a decent life. While everyone's idea of "decent" may be different no one says, "I want to be poor. I want to go hungry." Industrialized nations have the resources to help. It's just common sense to help them and get them working and contributing to society but we live in a society where competition is stressed to the point where the goal is to beat everyone and help no one. The thinking is, "Why help the competition?"

Change is long overdue.

On that note it's time for my siesta. I've been on the road for 4 hours running errands and this old body needs time to rejuvenate.
 
The stupidity of the above is astounding. If they are donating to a local food bank, the food is going to people who need it. Guess what, people in TN also donate to their local food banks. Amazing how that works.

And different areas have different needs. Different areas require more donations. Talk about being stupid. I thought you could have figured that out by yourself. My mistake. :(
 
A while back, Donald Trump filed bankruptcy... he tells the story in his book, of how he was returning from the bankruptcy hearings with his attorney, and they passed a homeless man on the street... Trump said, "That man is wealthier than I am!" It was true, Trump was broke... Now... WAS TRUMP LAZY because he was poor? Not at all. Years later, when Trump had become a multi-millionaire for the second time, some reporter asked him was it easier the first time around, and Trump replied, "No, it was actually easier the second time, because I knew I could do it!"

Oh, please. Don't try and tell us he didn't have a nest egg tucked away. Don't try to let on he had no friends or backers. :facepalm:

OK, siesta time. The posters are going wacky.
 
And different areas have different needs. Different areas require more donations. Talk about being stupid. I thought you could have figured that out by yourself. My mistake. :(

Thanks for again demonstrating your stupidity. Of course different areas have different needs. That is why it should be LOCALIZED and not some Federal Government program. The locals are going to better address the problems they face in their communities. Your ignorance is in suggesting that the government can do a better job than the individuals can by donating to the charities in their areas.
 
I know certain things are a fact of life.

Well then why do you keep trying to tell us how to fix these things, when you know they can't be fixed? Why do you keep trying to solve a problem that isn't a 'problem' and can't be 'solved', because it is a fact of life?

I also know people get jobs in companies through people they know.

Some people do, again, it's a fact of life. If we raise tax on wealthy people and give poor people more, it's not going to change this fact of life one bit. People will still get jobs through people they know. People will still do favors for people they know. Can you not comprehend how this is a non-starter? We can't have an intelligent debate based on a non-starter, it doesn't work.

Take two unmotivated people. One knows someone who works in a factory. They get a job. The other person is on welfare. The welfare recipient is no worse than the person who got the job. If someone offered the welfare individual a job they would most likely accept it. That's life. So, what can be done?

What? Wait a sec... this makes no sense whatsoever, even considering who it's coming from! Take two unmotivated people... they are BOTH on welfare, because they lack the motivation to get a job! If you want to say that one is motivated enough to go get a job, and the other remains on welfare, maybe I can grasp what you are saying here, but they certainly aren't equally unmotivated in your example. We've already determined the "who ya know" problem is a fact of life we can't do anything about, we have to live with facts of life. Nothing can be done.

Well, government training programs can be offered. The government, working with companies, can get leads. The person can get counselling. The point being HELP the individual.

If the person is not motivated, it doesn't matter. Training for WHAT? To do WHAT? For WHO? If the point is to help unmotivated people, the solution is simple, forget about government programs, that just adds another layer of government bureaucracy we don't need, and have no use for anyway, and it's not going to change facts of life. Before the unmotivated can be truly helped, they have to be motivated... it's a Catch 22. Therefore, we need to just write checks and pay for whatever the unmotivated person needs, wants or desires, for the rest of their life, and not require them to do anything in return. Problem solved!

I said it was simple, not doable. Of course, you can see where there might be a problem here, as word got out that unmotivated people were being given everything they need want and desire and don't have to do anything in return, more and more people would become unmotivated to work hard, or even work at all. Eventually, you would get to the point where no one wanted to work, and everyone wanted to stay home and collect checks, but there is no one to pay the checks or write the checks.... are you getting any of this? I feel like I am talking to a two-year old sometimes.

Telling someone they're lazy. Trying to find ways to cut their support. Refusing to let people attend classes when collecting unemployment insurance. Those things are not going to do any good.

Oh, but I think this might be where you are wrong. Some people respond to personal insults, it motivates them to action! You might call someone "LAZY" and it might offend them to the point of self-reflection, and they may realize they are indeed being lazy, and this might be the kick in the ass they needed to get motivated to make a change? You don't know, maybe that was all it took for them, a harsh word?

I know when I was a kid, often times I would have no money in my pocket, and I knew the way to get money was to do my chores and earn my allowance, so I was motivated to take action. If my father had just wanted to "help" me, like you want to "help" the poor and unmotivated, he could have just peeled off a $20 bill and given it to me, for the sake of benevolence, since I was poor... but he didn't do that. He also didn't just create make-work for me to do, which wasn't needed. If I wanted something more than my allowance allowed for, I had to be patient and save my money over time, or do other things for people I knew, or who knew me...etc. and this taught me certain values I have carried with me all my life.

After generations of such stupidity I think it's South Carolina that is finally allowing people to attend school while on UI. What took so long?

I don't know, maybe people thought it was best to do otherwise? Maybe times changed, and now more and more people are going back to school while working a full-time job? I have no way of telling you why South Carolina did something, or why it took so long, or even if it's the best idea or not, I don't know that it is.


What is taking so long to properly help people in other ways?

Well because we are having a distinctly difficult time at the moment, determining what is and isn't "proper" in this regard. You see, we both share different political philosophies, and you don't seem to understand they conflict with each other, and we can't resolve these differences in a civil manner anymore. You stubbornly refuse to accept the ideas of anyone else, you believe you are right and the sooner everyone else realizes it, the better off we'll all be. I diametrically disagree with you, on a host of things, from what motivates the unmotivated, to how we actually institute "HELP" for people who are in need. My idea of what "HELPS" people is not the same as yours, we disagree on what is helping and what is hurting, and you aren't interested in having an intelligent discussion about it, your mind is made up. This is why it's taking so long.

If they're unmotivated send them to motivation classes.

So you think we should do this forcibly, like maybe with the National Guard?

If they have an illness send them to a hospital for an evaluation.

What if they suffer from fear of hospitals and don't want to go? ...National Guard too?

If they're depressed give them the proper medicine.

Or let them read this thread!


Are we really interested in helping or just bitching about them?

Looks like 'just bitching about them' to me. You don't seem interested in having the debate over what constitutes "helping" and how we can motivate the unmotivated. You are determined to stick to your guns come hell or high water, and refuse to see any other point being made, while continuing to harp, moan, groan, writhe, and spew socialist Marxist rhetoric for days and weeks on end. You seem pretty content with that.

Healthy, happy people desire a decent life. While everyone's idea of "decent" may be different no one says, "I want to be poor. I want to go hungry." Industrialized nations have the resources to help. It's just common sense to help them and get them working and contributing to society but we live in a society where competition is stressed to the point where the goal is to beat everyone and help no one. The thinking is, "Why help the competition?"

Change is long overdue.

On that note it's time for my siesta. I've been on the road for 4 hours running errands and this old body needs time to rejuvenate.

Really? Damn... and here I thought poor hungry people were that way because they wanted to be... silly me, glad you straightened me out on that one, Apple!

Yes, it is just common sense that we have to motivate the poor people to become more successful. This brings us back to how we motivate the unmotivated. Industrialized nations do have the resources to help, and ours is no exception, we've shelled out over $70 trillion in entitlements through the past 80 years, and are currently on the hook for $100 trillion more in the future, as it stands. So I don't think you can actually argue that we aren't doing our part to help those in need, Apple. Sorry, it just doesn't wash.

As for your views on society: ...where competition is stressed to the point where the goal is to beat everyone and help no one... This is a somewhat frightening subject to delve into with you, because I fear what you might have in mind to alleviate this "problem." Do you not comprehend that capitalism is freedom? That competition drives innovation? These are very important aspects to a free society, and if you start tinkering with them, the entire experiment can collapse. But again, you are coming up with things that are merely "facts of life" and there isn't really a "solution" to them, because they aren't problems.

Your sentiments are revealing here... the goal is to beat everyone else and help no one? Really? Who's goal is that? Bill Gates made the news recently with a BILLION dollar donation to charity... clearly, here is a man who has "beaten everyone else" in his field, yet he seems fairly willing to help others. You see, the thing is, you don't yet comprehend what "HELP" means, or how to "HELP" others, you are still stuck in some Utopian dream world, where things aren't realistic, and we can't solve the 'problems' you encounter, unless we steal rich people's fortunes and turn society into a Marxist failure. You still can't see where your "solutions" are not solutions, they are enabling the unmotivated to remain unmotivated, and aren't "HELPING" anything. 80 years, $70 trillion... STILL we have a problem? Get real!

YOU are the problem!
 
The person with no bananas has no bananas because he sat on the ground and played with the butterflies while the second guys figured out that if you get a stick you can knock bundles down, now Playing With the Butterflies wants some bananas and Has a Stick wants to keep what he earned.

Yeah, that's ONE reason...of course it is ONLY ONE REASON and for MILLIONS of Americans and BILLIONS around the globe it may NOT be the reason...but please, keep on overly simplifying things so we can all continue to berate the poor for their laziness.
 
That's very generous of him. Unfortunately, people like him are few and far between.

When it comes to charity it's all well and good, however, the problem is the average person donating is only aware of the people in their community. A person donating $5,000 to a NY food bank does not know if people in Tennessee are more in need. That's why charities can not replace government programs.

true, people with $750 million are few and far between, but people who contribute huge sums aren't.....go to any city in the country, any college campus......look at the names on the hospitals and schools and libraries......there are major donors in every city and town in this country.....

That's why charities can not replace government programs.
[/quote]

but that's the exact opposite of the question I asked you.......I asked if you thought the poor would be better off if the government took his $750 million and THEY decided how it would be spent......that isn't charity replacing government programs....that's government programs replacing charity......
 
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