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All Hollowed Out: The lonely poverty of America’s white working class

theatlantic.com

281–288 of 288 posts

Re: All Hollowed Out: The lonely poverty of America’s white working class

#281
post #177

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Do you remember 2004-2008? Maybe you didn't get to see it first hand, but in the US, it happened.

You really need to define "poor" here. Poor people did NOT take out million dollar mortgages even between the years of 2004 to 2008 in the US. Please stop the ridiculousness of blaming "poor" people for the recent housing collapse.

I didn't lay any blame. But people got in way way over their heads with banks happy to make giant loans with no reason to care if it could be paid back.

http://thisamericanlife.org/radio-archives/episode/355/the-g...

Re: All Hollowed Out: The lonely poverty of America’s white working class

#282

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I hope when all the software and entrepreneurial people on this forum are going through hard times instead of good as we are now we are not judged as harshly as you judge those going through harder times now While the tone is harsh - he has a point on voting against their own interests. I think a similar argument for developer is already being made on HN, concerning taking a pay cut in exchange of worthless common…

> I see no need to sugar-coat calling out poor decision making in any sphere. You can't help someone who consistently acts against their own best interests. At least, not the way you want to help them. All you can do is try to be understanding and work to keep the worst outcomes from happening. We want a policy solution? We could fund more soup kitchens. We help the poor with government programs because the poor are…

>policy solution?

You could always look to the rest of the developed world which doesn't seem to have quite the same issues

Re: All Hollowed Out: The lonely poverty of America’s white working class

#283
post #177

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Do you remember 2004-2008? Maybe you didn't get to see it first hand, but in the US, it happened.

You really need to define "poor" here. Poor people did NOT take out million dollar mortgages even between the years of 2004 to 2008 in the US. Please stop the ridiculousness of blaming "poor" people for the recent housing collapse.

Some one had to take out those NINJA loans it takes two to tango.

Re: All Hollowed Out: The lonely poverty of America’s white working class

#284
post #232

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I bet a sv employees buying homes in the Vally who will be paying a large % of their salary on a huge mortgage feel poor.

They shouldn't. It's a rich man's privilege to buy an absurdly expensive home. Poor people don't buy expensive homes, if they manage to buy at all. If you make six figures and are "house poor", it means you're either bad at making financial decisions or you feel the house is worth the sacrifices. Either way you aren't poor and shouldn't feel poor.

so us plebs working in sv / london should just tug forelock and say "thank ee kindly Master Frodo for that bag of potatoes" and not get above ourselves.

Re: All Hollowed Out: The lonely poverty of America’s white working class

#285

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You really need to define "poor" here. Poor people did NOT take out million dollar mortgages even between the years of 2004 to 2008 in the US. Please stop the ridiculousness of blaming "poor" people for the recent housing collapse.

Some one had to take out those NINJA loans it takes two to tango.

Yep... It was "poor", middle class, and rich people who took out those loans.

Re: All Hollowed Out: The lonely poverty of America’s white working class

#286
post #281

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You really need to define "poor" here. Poor people did NOT take out million dollar mortgages even between the years of 2004 to 2008 in the US. Please stop the ridiculousness of blaming "poor" people for the recent housing collapse.

I didn't lay any blame. But people got in way way over their heads with banks happy to make giant loans with no reason to care if it could be paid back. http://thisamericanlife.org/radio-archives/episode/355/the-g...

I agree with that but you implied poor people were talking out million dollar house loans.

Re: All Hollowed Out: The lonely poverty of America’s white working class

#287
post #42

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There's a big gap between high school and a full bachelor's degree. AA degrees, trade schools, etc. Agreed that mindless automated jobs are a dead end. I'd like to see a 2 or 3 year trade school for programming and other useful trades - with low costs. Something suitable for people who aren't interested in higher ed, but do want a decent trade in life.

Trade school can be HUGE and has been unfairly stigmatized as beneath most people. I didn't think it was that expensive though, at least around where I live a trade program will run you roughly $16k or so over the course of 2 years, followed by a master/apprentice deal (but you get paid for that.)

I'm super positive about trade schools. I wish the coding bootcamp movement would start working themselves towards trade schools.

Re: All Hollowed Out: The lonely poverty of America’s white working class

#288
post #232

Earlier quoted context omitted.

They shouldn't. It's a rich man's privilege to buy an absurdly expensive home. Poor people don't buy expensive homes, if they manage to buy at all. If you make six figures and are "house poor", it means you're either bad at making financial decisions or you feel the house is worth the sacrifices. Either way you aren't poor and shouldn't feel poor.

so us plebs working in sv / london should just tug forelock and say "thank ee kindly Master Frodo for that bag of potatoes" and not get above ourselves.

The point is you are not poor if you are considering purchasing a 1MM$ property.

I am not poor, but I am not rich enough to get access to 1MM$ mortgages.

There is a difference between a bachelor pad in Bratislava Slovakia and a suite in Trump Tower - yet both are merely "appartments".

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