Poverty is a criminal offense in America.

[CapnAwesome]

I lived in a developing nation for the majority of my life. I've seen families who have to sell their children so they can keep the rest alive. My mum was almost sold when she was a child, my aunt was almost sold when she was a newborn. All the girls in that family starved for most of their childhood and worked throughout their childhood. My uncle's sister was sold as a baby. I fucking know what poor is. Try to raise a family in poverty, then tell me money is a detriment to your happiness.

I'm not sure that you are really arguing against what I'm saying. In fact the disparity between what poverty means in most of the world and what it means here is exactly what I was trying to imprint on Brian.

I mean that's my point about the third world vs. a bunch of whiney spoiled westerners in the United States. Poverty here just doesn't mean the same thing. Not to mention that the world is already environmentally incapable of supporting the number of first world citizens that we have. People in the future will be forced to live with less regardless of whether or not they think they are entitled to cars and flat screen tvs.

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First off, just to reiterate, I'd be very surprised if anyone on these boards made less money in a year than me. I'm waaaay below the poverty line. I live off of around 3000 dollars a year and have so for the last half a decade. So when you guys try to lecture me on what the poor are like, you sound like asses. Also I've noticed that there are a number of inconsistencies in the claims made about 'the poor' They are hungry because they are poor, they are overweight because they are poor, so and so can't afford his car insurance because he's poor, (really throws me for a loop that someone can own a car and be poor.) An overweight guy with a car isn't poor. By what standard is the definition even set. I think maybe before you guys launch into tirades about what the poor are, you need to get a handle on the definition.

Also if it's unfair to compare to the average person in the world, by what standard do you judge who is poor and who isn't? Also are you guys aware that it is perfectly compatible to be both poor and happy. In fact some studies have shown that indeed, money is a detriment to happiness.

3,000 a year, living where? You'd be lying your ass off if you said America, you'd have to be on disability AND food stamps and medicade and live in a family members house, and not have a car or pay rent, to make that work. Otherwise you are lying your fucking ass off.

I agree money is a detriment to happiness but it is not the poor making it the issue it is the real welfare queens Corporate America.

I don't want to be uber rich or even rich. I would like enough to pay my bills though.

I don't have a car or pay rent. I think that's exactly what traps people into wage slavery. I work around 4 weeks a year and then do whatever I feel like for the rest of the year. Mostly travel and rock climb. Why do you think a car is necessary to live? They destroy the environment, are prohibitively expensive and totally unnecessary for most people. We are just so propagandized that we need one, most people don't even consider not having one. I'll probably never own one again. I also think being left out of this discussion is the environmental impact of people who just can't live simply. In Collapse, Jared Diamond claimed that your average first world citizen has 16 times the environmental impact of a third world citizen. The world can't environmentally support the standard of living that we've convinced people that they need. People need to start living more simply. I don't feel bad for someone living in a small apartment with other people. If someone is unhappy because they are poor, they aren't going to be happy if they are rich.

Shouldn't the whole discussion be about what'll make people happy, not about money disparity.