guiltySome of us already do that regularly.
Doesn't seem to make much of a difference.
Ontopic Political Poo Flinging
- Thread starter Mean Mr. Mustard
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As much as we love to hate the rich we need them to do what they do so the rest of us can make money from them so we can kick back and do a little dance now and then.
It's a yingyang thing.
It's a yingyang thing.
A lot to unpack in that post. I refuse to believe that the CEO is solely responsible, or at least the main reason why, a company makes billions of dollars. If that’s what the “market dictates”, then the way the market makes decisions needs to be revamped.
I heard that line- “What the market dictates”- from a right-leaning radio show in reference to the teachers’ strike in Oklahoma. That is sickening to me. “What the market dictates” is NOT what we should use to determine what a salary is worth.
Where is the line drawn? If a guy making $36k a year has to choose between living in his car or finding a roomie who owns their own house, or a teacher has to do the same, we need to rethink shit NOW. How long before someone earning $45k can’t get by?
What about when YOUR salary isn’t enough to pay your rent?
No it’s not, and it saddens me to think you of all people buy into that line of thinking. When I was employable, it didn’t matter to me if the guy making millions of dollars per year got a few million more. Did it really affect me in any way other than the pool being less full for the other swimmers?
Rather than delete or edit this post, I own up to it and the fact that my brain damage is far more obvious in the morning.
Jehannum
Puts the "pro" in procrastination
When cost inflation of everything else outpaces your wage growth, then you're gonna have a bad time.
The wage discrepancy between the new permanent under class and the plantation owners is concerning when the owner class has all the controls (oh, take "steak" out of the CPI, they can just eat hamburger).
I don't think that was quite my point, though I was most likely impaired.
Entrepreneurs are risk takers. It's a risk/reward deal. Very damn few businessmen are successful on their first venture. The successes we see are usually preceded by several failures we don't.
Ya, I think shit is out of balance now. But what is "in balance"? If there weren't people out there taking risks and building businesses, other people wouldn't have a place to go for their solid 40 a week or maybe a little overtime with comparatively little risk. It ain't just about salaries. Most people give up risk for security.
That said, yeah, shit is out of balance. In a country as rich as this one, with all its wealth and influence, there really is no reason somebody who gets off their butt and goes to work and puts in their 40-50 hours/5 days somewhere, contributing to society in some way, even if it is "menial" shouldn't be alright. Not "well to do", but an apartment, utilities you can afford, a used car, food in the fridge even if it ain't prime cuts, and a little something in case of an emergency ain't too much to ask.
Reduced risk means lower reward and greater stability. Greater risk means less stability, and greater reward if you get it right. It should also mean great loss if you fuck it up but that end of it has been insulated from the haves and passed on to the have nots.
Don't even get me started on governments contractors and revolving door seats on various boards of directors and lobbying groups or various other money engines masquerading as charities or "non-profits".
Valve1138
I like the AB in the GB
Jehannum
Puts the "pro" in procrastination
That’s true, but the issue is quickly reaching people it didn’t 20 years ago. I keep going back to my friend, because I can relate to him the most. He IS NOT working fast food or retail, his job is in manufacturing and IS NOT an entry level position, and he’s making a little more than he did over 10 years ago, more like 15.
Wages in those types of jobs have stagnated, while everything else has inflated. Supposedly, something like 40% of the population has less than $1000 in savings, and 30% have zero.
McDonalds has to revamp their menu because business is so poor. People buy fewer bass guitars. Why? Fewer people have disposable income to toss at basses now. McDonalds has become too expensive for a lot of people.
You people who feel secure because you make around $60k a year, better look out. You will soon be in the same class as my friend (and me). Welcome.
General cost of living, like buying or renting, utilities, food, etc. in this town doubled in about a 12-15 year period. Wages for common jobs have barely moved. Not talking flipping burgers but stuff like mechanics, lab technicians, warehouse inventory people, roofers, concrete workers, etc. The stuff in between menial service jobs and degreed professionals who stare at a computer screen all day.
The ditch diggers of the world can't really expect to be living high on the hog but there's no reason they shouldn't at least be OK. Not living hand to mouth if they're frugal about it and don't drink all the rent money.
Govt ain't the answer though. All they do is rig the system to keep the poor in a perpetual cycle of dependence at the same time they're absorbing the risk of the 1% and spreading it across what's left of the middle class.
We need a culture change.
They already are, they buy the lie that they aren't because it allows them a feeling of superiority.
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