111–120 of 143 posts
I think you can replace "In America" by "On Earth" and that'll still be accurate. Just being born in America is a pretty big win compared to being born, say, in Rwanda.
I'm not sure if the lack upward mobility in the South is a result of our economic landscape. It plausible that it's due to the lingering effects of segregation and the fact that the vast majority of our bottom 20% are African Americans while the majority of the top 20% are Caucasian. This map and a map of the distribution of the African American population in the South correspond so well it's a little disheartening.…
In the white trash southern town where I grew up being a teacher at $35k/yr is considered one of the better jobs available. Military service is the best option for young men who want to provide a living wage to their families, especially since no education is required. A few dozen doctors and dentists and veterinarians make bank and live like kings (not really joking... think giant sailboats docked at their beach man…
In a "white trash southern town" isn't $35,000 a year likely to be solidly middle class? Just because there aren't a lot of $60-90,000 jobs doesn't mean that there is no middle class in a given area. I'm sure it broke a lot of teachers' hearts to see intelligent, gifted pupils throw away a better life to stay in a small town and get by on a HS diploma.
I remember in high school my peers would lament about getting out of here as soon as possible, but I never had the same affliction. I always felt I could bring the perks of the world to me, and feel like for the most part I have succeeded with that. I've maintained "big city" programming jobs for more than a decade now, and I get to do a little farming on the side for the enjoyment of it, which brings in it's own not-insignificant income.
I feel like I might lose a little bit on the entertainment side of life, especially as I get older, but frequent trips to the city does mitigate that problem somewhat. On the flip side, if anything, access to technology might be better here. For instance, the farm has a fibre optic connection to the internet and top notch cell service. I don't even find that when I visit the neighbouring cities. I think that is pretty important for someone with an interest in technology, like myself.
I guess I just don't see why teachers hearts would be broken. The rural life is pretty great, and really not all that limiting, in my opinion. Maybe once upon a time, but technology has bridged most of those gaps.
I was born and grew up in WV. As many of you know, it is a poor state. We grew up on powdered milk. Most of my ancestors either went into chemical production (a local term from where I grew up is the "Chemical Valley", although most of that production and associated jobs are gone now) or slipped into the mines to work black gold [1]. We didn't have a lot, and there was no way that we could afford a computer. However,…
I was born and grew up in WV. As many of you know, it is a poor state. We grew up on powdered milk. Most of my ancestors either went into chemical production (a local term from where I grew up is the "Chemical Valley", although most of that production and associated jobs are gone now) or slipped into the mines to work black gold [1]. We didn't have a lot, and there was no way that we could afford a computer. However,…
What you've personally found is that your life is what you make it, despite where you came from and your background. To generalize from you onto everyone else is, as I'm sure you know, faulty thinking.
Especially so when every statistic on social mobility flies in the face of the conclusion you've drawn from your anecdote.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
$35k individual income is solidly middle class. If your wife works and makes $20k, you're at the median household income.
For some weird definition of "middle", I guess. "Middle class" is a designation without meaning, the kind of label that nearly everyone is eager to claim for themselves. Hardly anybody but the most indigent will admit they are poor, because in the US it's like admitting a moral failure. Otherwise you'd be middle class, just like everyone else. To me, referring to a "middle" when the distribution looks like this is no…
Earlier quoted context omitted.
> Uuuggghh... "follow God"... uggh. Makes me want to puke. I've come to the conclusion that Christianity is just a cult, no better than any of the others, just bigger. And due to its prevalence and ubiquity, more damaging. Those kinds of comments belong on /r/athiesm not here. It's one thing to disagree with the choice of the person, the teachings of a particular branch, or even the idea of a God. But statements like…
While generally I agree with you, in this particular thread people are sharing personal, impressionistic origin stories. He's providing colorful detail, a small part of a larger story, and offering a bit of emotional support for the earlier commenter's attitude. (He's not proselytizing, or inviting anti-/pro-religion as a main topic, though there's always a risk someone else will take it that way.) I would suggest th…
I don't hate Christians, and - being from the "Bible Belt" - many of my family and friends are Christians. But I still consider it (and most - if not all - other religions) to be a scourge on society.
I was born and grew up in WV. As many of you know, it is a poor state. We grew up on powdered milk. Most of my ancestors either went into chemical production (a local term from where I grew up is the "Chemical Valley", although most of that production and associated jobs are gone now) or slipped into the mines to work black gold [1]. We didn't have a lot, and there was no way that we could afford a computer. However,…
No, it really isn't. Statistics show this very clearly, and this shouldn't require statistics for us to know it.
"Many of us have been extraordinarily lucky—and we did not earn it. Many good people have been extraordinarily unlucky—and they did not deserve it. And yet I get the distinct sense that if I asked some of my readers why they weren’t born with club feet, or orphaned before the age of five, they would not hesitate to take credit for these accomplishments. There is a stunning lack of insight into the unfolding of human events that passes for moral and economic wisdom in some circles. And it is pernicious." http://www.samharris.org/blog/item/how-to-lose-readers-witho...
I was born and grew up in WV. As many of you know, it is a poor state. We grew up on powdered milk. Most of my ancestors either went into chemical production (a local term from where I grew up is the "Chemical Valley", although most of that production and associated jobs are gone now) or slipped into the mines to work black gold [1]. We didn't have a lot, and there was no way that we could afford a computer. However,…
I want this to be true, I really do; however, the article you're commenting on is telling us exactly the opposite. You're very likely to be here posting this comment I would say because on average people on Hacker News are more driven than an average person. I really think the success stories are exceptions that prove the rule.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
This sound very similar to where I grew up. I'm also from a "white trash" rural Southern area. And I grew up near the beach, so you saw huge contrast between the million dollar+ beach houses at the private end of the beach, and the rest of my county which was mostly rural, tobacco farms, timber logging for the paper companies, and Green Swamp[1]. I knew people who turned down full tuition scholarships to the flagship…
> Uuuggghh... "follow God"... uggh. Makes me want to puke. I've come to the conclusion that Christianity is just a cult, no better than any of the others, just bigger. And due to its prevalence and ubiquity, more damaging. Those kinds of comments belong on /r/athiesm not here. It's one thing to disagree with the choice of the person, the teachings of a particular branch, or even the idea of a God. But statements like…
Hate doesn't enter into it, unless you take a pretty damn expansive view of what "hate" means. I think Christianity is damaging to society, but I don't hate anybody.
that lead to emotional responses instead of intellectual discussions.
So? Not every discussion is some deep intellectual debate which needs to be held to rigorous academic standards. Sometimes people are just talking and sharing observations.
But statements like yours are equivalent to Christians walking around claiming that all gays are evil and will burn in hell.
Not really.