Poverty isn’t a line. It’s a tight knot of social maladies. It is connected to every social problem we care about-crime, health, education, housing-and its persistence in American life means that millions of families are denied safety and security and dignity in one of the richest nations in the history of the world.
-Matthew Desmond
A lesson in financial wellness.
As an Amazon Affiliate it is policy to inform you that this is an advertisement. However, this is still a reflection of a great book that I’ve read many times over. I believe it would benefit any who may read it. You can find the link for it in my references located at the bottom of this page.
We’ve reached the halfway point. If you’ve made it this far, then you are most likely an open-minded, steely-eyed killer with a heart of gold. Dare I say, you might just be mature enough to actually learn something from this next set of meditations. Someone like you might actually understand the true value of a dollar. Financial literacy is going to be the ongoing theme from here on out. War is quite expensive, you know? I can’t leave you without a way to build your treasury. But first, I have to be sure that you know what you are up against out there…
Poverty is everywhere you look, and it will make many of the people you come across a potential enemy of yours. There’s a difference between being broke and living in poverty. Being broke is simply having not having enough money. Poverty is barely being able to survive. It’s not just about being hungry; it’s about starving. It’s about being sick and being unable to do anything about it. It’s about having no options and no support. If you are broke, you can do something about it, but in poverty, you are completely out of ideas.
Poverty…
In America, opportunity is a commodity. Something you have to pay for. Working your ass off just isn’t enough anymore. As much as I hate speaking of politics and avoid doing so wherever possible, there is no way around it this time. No one can deny that America is screwed up. It is a popular opinion of political spectators around the world that American capitalism will eventually destroy itself. The more I see, the harder it becomes to debunk them. Though America is the richest country in the world, we have more poverty than other developed parts of the world, such as Japan or the United Kingdom. How? I try to keep my political scope as global as I can. Especially since 30% of my following hail from other parts of the world. Though I am focusing on American poverty, there may be something to take away even if you are not a native. Poverty is a global issue and could sneak up on any of us. We like to think that those living in squalor are living out the consequences of their choices. This is a lazy dismissal. There is much more to poverty than someone being down on their luck or making foolish decisions.
Poverty is a deeper and darker level of suffering. It shortens your life. The amount of pain and despair the daily struggle would put you through is enough to make anyone turn to drugs or resort to crime. Poverty changes you, and usually not for the better. Your environment will dictate what you learn as well as the opportunities available to you. Look no further than your local ghettos to validate this fact. Just being from there would have you overlooked in favor of someone more affluent. The ghettos are often subjected to second-class treatment. Emergency care is slower. Education is lacking. Infestations are allowed to spread. And renovations never happen. There shouldn’t be such a thing as a second-class citizen in America. It goes against democracy.
Jobs aren’t as secure as they used to be. Our grandparents had careers. Our parents had good jobs. But we must resort to temp jobs or gigs. Today, the average working American is a contactor. Especially the men. A contractor is more expendable than an employee. A contractor isn’t necessarily entitled to benefits. Contractors typically have less of a voice when mistreated. You don’t even have to pay a contractor fairly. It’s a corporate dream. A legal hustle. We think we can break free of contractor work by opting into gig work, thinking we are taking more control of our lives. It was what made Uber and the other gig companies stand out. But this is arguably a worse way to go about earning an income. Gig workers take on more responsibility for less pay. You have to bring your own equipment and most likely won’t make enough to cover any maintenance costs. Don’t even think about benefits. At least a temp service will give you sub-par equipment and a dental plan. Maybe. If something breaks or if you receive an injury while on a gig, then tough shit. It’s an amazing deal for the gig facilitator, not so much for the workers.
Instead of the government providing aid to those less fortunate, they are more likely to punish them with either imprisonment or malicious neglect. Poverty is the feeling that the entire world is against you. No one can be trusted. Anyone with authority would be considered a threat. It’s an inferiority complex that limits your potential. Some children born into poverty don’t have the chance to give life a shot. The streets or the government get to them first. Poverty is the reason behind most of the violent crimes that plague our country. It’s the reason behind our decline in birthrates. It’s the reason why our kids are confused and more reckless than ever before. The growing lack of faith in our government is its own fault. Because America isn’t a democracy anymore. Japan, France, Sweden. These countries are decent examples of what a real democracy looks like. America is more like a meritocracy now. As long as you are powerful, crime is damn near legal. We are the wild wild west once again. I suppose this is what the orange man meant.
Capitalism…
There are people who get themselves incarcerated on purpose because a prisoner has better health benefits than your average working-class citizen. Poverty doesn’t leave any good choices for you. It’s either the bad choice or the worst choice. This is why most people who get out of prison end up going right back. Any assistance given to the American poor is severely lacking. The money they give is hardly enough to live on. Unemployment offices like to make you jump through hoops. Housing vouchers and Medicaid are unreliable. What’s worse is that the government will take all of it away or place heavy restrictions with very little warning, and they often do. Those in poverty are at the government’s mercy.
There are billions of dollars in government assistance that go unused each year. This begs the question, “Why don’t the lower class utilize the allotted funds?” Because they don’t want you to, of course. You would be harder to exploit if you weren’t desperate. If you are disabled, the government will force you to hire an attorney (if you can afford one) after denying you your assistance multiple times. Only after paying legal fees will you finally be eligible for government aid. If you can’t pay up front, no worries! They will take a chunk out of the money you’ve been waiting for all this time. It’s better than not getting any aid at all, right? This is capitalism. This is poverty. You get whatever someone else says you get.
America makes progress year after year. There have been numerous inventions that improve the average quality of life. Our medicine is the best on the planet. We seem to have more resources and money than ever before. “America” and “progress” are damn near synonymous. So how come so little progress has been made in regard to the American poor? One thing you can count on is that the rich will get richer over time. But why does that have to mean that the poor will have to become poorer? Because that’s how exploitation works, and this is the spirit of capitalism. There is no such thing as fair or unfair, but there is still a “right” and a “wrong.” How America treats its poor is wrong. The American government has no plans to make any improvements regarding the lower class. In fact, the timeline is showing the opposite. Housing has gotten more unaffordable. The same can be said about healthcare and education. The price of groceries and gas steadily raise. American poverty is incentivized by its own government.
Poverty is directly correlated to how oppressive a government is. This is why dictatorships never last long. What truly contributes to poverty is the American justice system. Prisoners are never counted when taking a census. There are several million more people in poverty than what is actually reported. What the media tells you is only the tip of the iceberg. America has the most incarcerations in the world. It’s not even close. There are plenty of prisoners that do not deserve to be there. America does not do a great job rehabilitating their prisoners. Once they are free, there are very limited opportunities for them. Most of these people are parents who have been ripped from their children. This is especially true for Black and Hispanic men. The mothers can apply for welfare, but this would discourage the mother from allowing the father to return home. It’s likely that there is nothing to be done about American poverty. The ones who are in control are just too powerful, and they keep getting stronger. They are simply too far ahead. These are the people running America, and they can change the rules as they see fit.
Who’s the culprit?
When considering American poverty, it is a common belief that immigrants are a contributing factor. This is usually a conservative pressure point. The conservatives try to convince us that those who are unaccounted for are stealing resources, jobs, and aid from the lower class. They make for a handy scapegoat. It’s a simple enough answer for those who don’t know shit about shit. Immigrants pay for resources just like everyone else. They would be unable to apply for government assistance, so it’s not like they are being selected over any Americans. They wouldn’t be competing with Americans for jobs (which we don’t even want), they would be competing with other immigrants. You don’t want to be the one posted up at Home Depot at 4am. You don’t want to be the junkyard mechanic. You don’t want to be the dishwasher. If the immigrants are contributing to American poverty, then explain what’s going on right now? Immigrants are catching the boot left and right, and it seems like things have only gotten MORE expensive. So, what the hell?
But what about education? There are fewer people going to college now, Do those lacking a higher education contribute to their own poverty? It’s true that nearly 90% of the most powerful people in the world have at least one college degree. But you can’t forget how small of a number that is. Only a few graduates manage to find a career after college. The rest of you are going to become contractors living paycheck to paycheck. The problem is with the education system itself. There are only a few colleges, such as MIT or Harvard, which nearly guarantee their graduates with some sort of career opportunity. Why can’t this be every college? Why is it so common for people to have no clue what to do after graduation? Let’s not forget about the massive student loan debt you have likely accrued over time. You have to spend a decent chunk of your life paying that off before you can claim you are financially free. A college degree on its own has very little to do with poverty. There are other countries that have fewer college graduates but also less poverty. It’s almost like the American government wants to waste its people’s time… Oh… Right… I mean, take a look at the public schools. Other than basic arithmetic and unstructured research skills, they don’t teach the kids anything important, it’s just daycare. Colleges are out here handing out underwater basket weaving degrees along with thousands of dollars in debt. It’s almost like that was exactly what was supposed to happen… Oh… wait…
The education system might be a contributor to poverty, but not the cause. Poverty isn’t a personal problem. It’s a societal one. It should be illegal to turn someone’s suffering into a source of income. A lower-class citizen is exploited in two ways primarily. Either by making them work harder for their money or by making them pay more than what they have to. Most of the time, it’s both. Housing is the easiest way to make someone pay more than they have to. If you live in the projects, you can count on your slumlord to randomly raise the rent while your conditions remain shabby. Because where are you going to go? You telling me you’re here because you want to be? There’s a bit of a difference between being “ghetto poor” and being “country poor.” Both suck, but one is far worse. Country poor is almost like being a minimalist against your will. Ghetto poor is like watching what little you own get taken from you. It’s not just the ghettos now. The suburbs are starting to have housing issues as well. One excuse for the upside-down housing market is the apparent lack of housing available. This is only true in SOME cities. Why did the cities with plenty of space have to double in price as well? Slumlords make more money than the actual decent landlords in affluent neighborhoods. There needs to be more regulations to keep these slumlords in check. They shouldn’t be allowed to go from city to city, spreading poverty wherever they go. They are actively making the country worse. It’s not just “fucked up,” it’s wrong. They are causing people to suffer. It’s downright evil. There’s no other way to look at it. I bet these sickos tortured small animals as children.
American taxes have always been ass backward. Taxes are levied disproportionately, favoring those at a higher tax bracket. It’s almost like placing a handicap on someone who’s already crippled. Just goes to show you that politics is a rich man’s game. You aren’t allowed to win unless they choose to lose. The middle class is nearly dissolved due to the constant inflation. The average American has thousands, if not tens of thousands of dollars in debt. The kind of debt they most likely will have to spend their entire working lives paying off. All that’s left for us is to fuck each other over in hopes of becoming one of them.
Public services seem to get worse year after year. It’s gotten to the point where everyone hates it. If you do not own a private vehicle in rural areas or cities such as mine, your days become significantly longer and much harder. Private schools are making more money than ever before. There are parents out there going broke just to give their kid a shot. It’s the same with private healthcare insurance companies. Depending on who you are, there is no waiting list. Everything is treated like a business now. Money is more important than people’s lives out here. Which is why public services suck. If you can’t afford private, you must suffer public. But why the suffering? Are you telling me that the lower class deserves to suffer? It seems that way. Because we don’t seem to do enough. Those who pay for private no longer care for the public. Money just doesn’t flow there. Not enough to make a change. This isn’t just about what Trump is doing. We are also to blame. The American people have a bad habit of empowering the people who make things worse. These corporate juggernauts exist because we worship them.
America provides incentive to destroy democracy, but incentive to who exactly? Who would have an interest in destroying what the country is supposed to stand for? The culprit behind poverty is big business in general. Capitalism. The only color that matters to the American government is green. The corporations don’t make it any easier for workers to unionize. In fact, they spend more money than any union to keep the people segregated. Facebook, Amazon, Uber, Google, and every corporate entity that shapes the world today are the biggest disruptors of true democracy. To keep workers uncertain, companies come up with new ways to track their employees. Depending on where you work, you’ll have surveillance cameras on you, location tracking, a screen timer, and extra steps to an uncomplicated process. Hell, they might even track your bathroom breaks. You might have an auditor, making their daily rounds, deciding on who gets fired or not today. They want to know exactly how much they can get away with underpaying you. All of this just for companies to get more out of how little they spend at your expense. Why do companies add to the suffering of the people they employ? Is it as simple as “they are a bunch of greedy assholes?” Not quite. We, as in the investors and consumers, are the ones who put this pressure on the corporations. Like I said during the morality briefing, it’s harder to be a “good” person than you think. If labor is cheap, the bottom line grows, and the investors keep buying in. If there is never a shortage of workers, you will get your package on time every time. In a way, we are also the enemies of the lower class. At the very least, we are not cheering for the team we think we are. This is my problem with happiness. It takes too much sacrifice. For one person to be happy, one or more people have to be suffering. Suffering is the premium fuel that keeps the happiness engine running. How else could we afford to keep driving our luxury cars? This is what America wants us to pursue. The drug problem, the high crime rates, the homelessness, the early deaths, the neglected children, all of these issues are symptoms of poverty. Each of these problems would see improvement if the American government didn’t reward greed.
The banks have been given way too much freedom. Ever since the 80s, banks have been allowed to compete and crush each other. Local banks can barely survive. With fewer options for people, a bank could set ridiculous late fees and service charges. Imagine overdrafting your account by 10 dollars and having to pay 60 for it. These freedoms also allowed banks to become pickier with the people they dealt with. The poor stayed poor while the rich were allowed to get richer. The banks became the gatekeepers of American poverty. Without support from their banks, what is left for the lower class? The fringe banking institutions. Places like pawn shops, check cashing stations, and payday loan offices. These people are extortionist and loan sharks. They will charge you 10% of whatever your check is just to cash it. The pawn shops will devalue your collateral to shortchange your loan. The loan sharks are the worst. They would charge you a dollar for every dollar you borrow. If you are late on a payment, that’s exactly what they hoped would happen. Now, they can charge you way more. It was never the plan for you to pay them off. They want to take you to court and beat you over the head for 5 times as much. These fringe banks make money from screwing you over, not from helping you out. It should be illegal.
Some businesses only exist to intensify the poverty around them. There are even fringe banking apps now like the Dave app. Be very wary of apps that have anything to do with money. Outside of your banking app, of course. Someone with actual financial literacy would have no need for these apps. Your quickest way out of poverty would be raising your credit score. But there aren’t many opportunities for the lower class to do so. The banks could easily crush these institutions by giving out payday loans of their own. A bank could afford to give out small loans with similar conditions but with a much smaller interest fee and still turn a decent profit while the borrower builds their credit. The banks are capable of low-risk banking with the lower class. But why don’t they? Because they are the ones financing the payday lenders. The banks are evil.
Poverty is literally a different world. There are two different bank sectors. One for the poor, one for the rest of us. The same can be said about housing and employment. The other world is invisible to those blinded by their privilege, but for those whose eyes can truly see, poverty is everywhere, and it’s getting worse. Those who know nothing are quick to blame the less fortunate for their own situation. Those who know nothing are quick to make assumptions in general. You know, the morons who don’t realize they are one government decision away from being in the same position. The American government works hard to blind their citizens of their privilege. Because it’s easier to trick the blind. Poverty exists in our country because those in power wouldn’t have it any other way. You can’t keep having your lemonade without any fresh lemons to squeeze.
Things could be better…
There was a time when an honest day’s work was appreciated and well compensated. Back when worker unions had more power. But the rules never stay the same. Once the people got together and started using the laws to their advantage, the corporations worked to have the laws changed. This is what happens when true democracy flourishes. It gets broken up because America can’t have that. Not really. At least, that’s how it looks to me. Unions weren’t perfect, however. There was still rampant racism back then, and unions exposed flaws in their own design by how they treated other races. Racism is still a problem today, but it’s becoming less of one. There are plenty of Black and Hispanic people with real power now. Racism is somewhat punishable now because everyone can agree how stupid it is. This is proof that the motivations of the American government have gotten deeper than race. It isn’t that the government is still racist. It’s most of us who are still racist and the government can see this. And they keep that gas lit. Identity politics keeps the people stupid. And stupid people are easy to dominate. The government can maintain their 20-step lead on you.
Useful application of welfare is possible. During the pandemic, when businesses were crumbling and people were losing their jobs, the government stepped in to keep the entire country’s lights on. Some of us made more money than what our actual jobs paid us. The pandemic caused a financial nightmare for everyone. But poverty didn’t get any worse. Instead, it got better for a while because the government did the right thing. If it’s possible to give everyone more than enough to survive for months, then it shouldn’t be anywhere near as difficult to give the lower class the help they need. The government does its best to make welfare look as unglamorous as possible. Like a decent welfare check would stop people from working. It’s a popular belief that any public spending would negatively affect the deficit. This is foolish. When people have no money, they are forced to save more, and this slows down the economy. The money they give people would come right back through the numerous taxes already in place.
Part of the problem with welfare is the American attitude towards it. It’s not just the politicians and rich people. Everyone looks at welfare as a weak man’s resort. Some people would rather starve than apply for government assistance. Some just refuse to accept that they are lower class. Weakness, in my opinion, has more to do with foolishness than lack of grit. Being stubborn is closer to foolishness than grit. Weakness. Refusing help is no different than isolating yourself; one of the most damning of the rookie mistakes. Every state has an underused welfare budget. That money is there whether you take it or not. If we don’t use it, those who don’t need it will find a way to take it. There is a stigma where it is believed that giving alms to the lower class wouldn’t help them at all. That is not the case. When the poor refuse welfare, they are choosing to help the people who don’t need it. The people who put them in that position in the first place.
Another problem with welfare is that most people have no idea where to start. Welfare services should have just as many commercials as the pharmaceutical companies. I see Ozempic and Blue Chew ads all the time, but I never see a call to action for those of the lower class. Compared to what America spends on housing the poor, they spend nearly quadruple the amount on everyone else. Believe it or not. Most people, not just the lower class, depend on some type of government assistance. Why do you think rich people are so into politics? Student loans are very easy to obtain, especially if you just turned 18. The health insurance you get from your job is the result of a tax break from the government. The government is more likely to help you pay off your college debt if you already have a college fund. The higher your tax bracket, the more benefits you get. Speaking of taxes, why is filing them such a boring experience? The problem isn’t that filing taxes should be fun. It should be easier. In Japan and the UK, taxes are filed automatically. Here in the US, it could take hours. The individual is forced to make time for it.
What needs to happen?
It just doesn’t make sense how we are making more money than ever before, more than other countries, more than our grandparents, but have the worst poverty out of any developed nation. There are plenty of people out there that have no electricity, no food, no healthcare, no nothing. Only 33% of us have any trust in our government. Only one in three across the board. What class do you think those people belong to? How much money do you think they have? All this propaganda about “the poor not working hard enough” is just the winners writing history. We don’t listen because we are persuaded. We listen because of the pecking order. Do you truly believe that the top 1% are the most deserving in the country? There are plenty of people out there who’ve worked their asses off and have nothing to show for it. Life is not a game. Time is running out. America must return to democracy before we reach an age of kings. The only way faith will be restored in the government is when we finally start putting the right people in charge.
If America ever elects a good president, he or she will not be aligned with either wing. Elections were never meant to be about the lesser evil. The identity politics must come to a stop. It’s all just one big grift. The conservatives want to keep you broke while the liberals want to keep you stupid. This is why I hate politics. It’s a rich man’s game designed to keep you hungry and confused. Someone who truly represents the people wouldn’t be on either side. Politics was never actually meant to be about the greater good. It was supposed to be about balancing everyone’s interests. The only way the country will fix itself is if everyone pitches in. The segregation must come to an end. When I consider desegregation, I’m not proposing smashing everyone together. That sort of thing has to happen naturally. But it can only happen once balance has been achieved. The circumstances of your birth shouldn’t dictate the majority of the choices available to you. A good president should value balance.
The corporations have been too powerful for too long, and the workers must be protected. A proper president would make any union busting tactics illegal and help to make worker unions more accessible in each state. Any temp agencies should be outlawed if they weren’t affiliated with a worker union. Not only should this president create jobs but also protect them. Any temp work would be assigned through a union. Why did McDonald’s workers and other fast food employees lobby for $15/hr? Because they were underpaid. Everyone is underpaid somewhat. Not just the lower class. Wages must be raised. This may cause a few people to lose their jobs initially, but the unions would be able help to rehabilitate them. Until then, they would have the government assistance they needed.
The education system needs serious changes. A school needs more than teachers now. They also need mentors. Actual role models. The children need more counseling and structured development. Why do you think these punkass kids are walking around thinking they know everything? Because we aren’t teaching them shit that’s why. There are too many adults who don’t know how to cook or drive or even how to conduct themselves as a professional. By the time a child graduates high school, how the world works shouldn’t be a complete surprise to them. The curriculum must change. After 5th grade, most kids have reading and math skills comparable to the average adult. After elementary school, kids start to hate going to school and working in general. For public schools, the field trips slowly come to a stop after elementary school. Why? So they can have more time to learn nothing? Middle schoolers should go on more field trips than elementary schoolers. Not only will this keep learning fun, but they might also even become inspired by the things they see. Ever seen the magic school bus? High schools should have mandatory home economics classes for the first two years, then it should become drivers ed until graduation. This would basically make it illegal for a child not to have a learners permit once they’ve reached the appropriate age. The high schoolers should also be taught about how taxes work, how to write a resume, how to budget and invest, and how to do some real research. The future would be secured. Part of the problem is that we don’t put enough money into public schooling to make this possible. The problems continue once you get to college. Some schools make more money, are better connected, and give out more opportunities than others. Think of colleges like Yale, or Harvard. Graduating from a college like that basically guarantees your career path. Why isn’t it like this at every college? There shouldn’t be such a thing as an “okay”school in America. We must set a new standard for higher learning as well. If a college degree is so expensive to get, then it needs to actually open doors for you. There are too many useless degrees offered by a college. If a career opportunity isn’t guaranteed after college, then that college should lose accreditation. This would limit the number of colleges someone could go to. It might make it a bit harder to get into college, but if a student cannot get into a prestigious college, then they are better off learning a trade, joining a worker union, or enlisting the military. From elementary school to college, there must be guidance to the occupation you were meant for.
The prisoners need more of an opportunity for reform. We spend so much tax money on our prisons, but not enough of it goes to rehabilitation. Prison is supposed to be a punishment, but the point of punishment should be reform. Nothing keeps a man down quite like the American justice system. Once you hit rock bottom, you usually stay there. Any punishments carried out by the American government have damning and long-lasting effects. It’s rare when a lesson is learned. Any hope of real growth will be taken from you. Sure, there are success stories of people who managed to turn things around, but chances are you won’t. We have to be realistic about these things. Sure, there are some irredeemable menaces to society who should rot. But the rest of them deserve a second chance. A real one. Not only should prisons invest more in mental health counseling, but they should also provide guidance on how to get back on their feet. This is another reason worker unions should return to former glory. It would stop ex-convicts from becoming repeat offenders. The problem is that these people think they have nothing to gain and even less to lose. This belief would make anyone dangerous to be around. To keep the people safe, you must give them choices and opportunity. A good president would be able to see this clearly.
Most of us hate the IRS. Mainly because they only go after the people they can beat. A proper president would fix it so that the IRS could beat anyone. We should give them all sorts of powers. The president should sit down with the commissioner until they find all the ways the IRS could lose and then make it impossible. The silver lining for the upper class is that most of the billionaires would probably still be billionaires. Each class would remain intact. The oligarchs shouldn’t lose everything. Just enough. This is the sort of change that everyone is going to feel. Sure, everyone would lose. But EVERYONE would. Not just you. Sometimes, you need to fight the devil with a demon. The people pray for change but have no idea how scary and painful it could be. The president would have to be greater than a president. He would have to be a revolutionary.
Insurance should no longer be qualified as a business. No one ever gets into the insurance business because they have a passion for it anyway. Insurance companies should be outlawed. Any and all insurance should be government issued. If you have a social security number, and pay taxes, you should have insurance. The medical field should be federalized. Every medical professional should be considered a government employee. Healthcare isn’t the only area that should go under government control. The banks need to go as well. The government should be running the show when it comes to banking. No American citizen should be reduced to fringe banking. We need to outlaw certain fringe banking establishments. Pretty much everything except for pawn shops. The government bank I’m envisioning should always have a way to work with a citizen who needs its help. A rising tide would lift all ships, would it not? The only things that should still be private are housing and transportation. There’s nothing wrong with wanting a nice house or a sexy car. It’s only a problem if other people have to suffer for you to keep them. Having a nice house or a sexy car shouldn’t exclude you from contributing to better public housing or transportation or education. It should no longer be optional to be a contributing member to society. Including the upper class.
Whatever type of government assistance you qualify for, a reliable government would make it easier for you to get. Media companies should be pressured to show advertisements showing people where to start. We lose trillions of dollars year after year because of tax avoidance. Money we could use to make improvements to public service. The only way to end poverty and keep the middle class intact would be to do the right thing. I am fully aware of how hard it is to do. As we discussed (at length) in the previous briefing, being a good person isn’t something you can “just do.” Change wouldn’t happen overnight, and it wouldn’t be comfortable for anyone. Not at first. When we think of financial freedom, we are speaking of freedom of public services. This dream usually extends to freedom of any government assistance in general. The desire to have your own will leave less for everyone else. The main problem is that the American dream was never meant for all Americans. Freedom always boils down to the choices you make. While some have the luxury to make a few mistakes, some people have no choice at all. Financial freedom is about separating yourself from poverty. But how can you do that when you don’t even have a shot? The problem is poverty in general. It must be eliminated. Poverty doesn’t exist despite our affluence. It exists because of it. I am not suggesting equality. I am suggesting balance. If the American dream is the cause of American poverty, then the dream must die.
Time is running out…
I do not hate my country. I’m just very angry with her right now. I wouldn’t say that I disdain anyone who has more money than me. Even though I have issues with capitalism, I wouldn’t necessarily call myself an anti-capitalist. I don’t hate all capitalists. Just the ones who should be in jail. The ones in control of big pharma, the ones who control what we see in the media, the ones busting up worker unions, the slumlords and the bank executives. It isn’t exploitation itself that is evil. I’ve taught it myself on numerous occasions in the past. It is exploitation that makes us human after all. Our ability to exploit the patterns we recognize is literally what separates us from the rest of the living organisms. It is the path to freedom. I only have a problem with it when it causes widespread suffering. There has to be a better way. The consequences are too great. Just as allowing a crime is a threat to justice, allowing poverty is a threat to prosperity. We have to fix things around here before it’s too late. I say this as someone who truly hates being correct. America keeps holding itself back, and time is running out.
America’s check engine light is on. The ones who suffer most from poverty are the women and children. The main reason a lower-class family would have too many children is because birth control is too expensive. Birth control of any type should be easily accessible across the board. We need to give the lower-class women more of a choice of when and with whom to start a family. A woman with reproductive rights contributes more to society than a single mother or a stay-at-home wife. She’s happier and more at peace. Most women who go through with abortions end up having kids later once the mother has gotten her shit together. America should be pro-choice; I’ll just say it straight. An unwanted child is a child in poverty. If you need more proof that the American government has an interest in causing poverty, then look no further than the Roe v Wade incident. Right now, for most of us, having a kid (or another kid) would be a terrible mistake. The last thing most of us need is a $300,000 obligation. Some parents just aren’t ready to be parents, and the children pay for it. Beneath the child poverty lies my biggest issue. The loss of talent. Children of affluent families are ten times more likely to make something out of their lives. They are more likely to realize their full potential. How many brilliant artists, scholars, inventors, or athletes have we lost to poverty? We are literally delaying the arrival of our next greatest creator. This is unacceptable to me. Yes, I am against empathy, happiness, and hope; but not for them…
This is everyone’s fight. Protest works, if done right. You may not consider yourself much of a protester, but if you have a talent, if you understand and are convinced of your value, you have the power to do something remarkable. A cultural shift. Protest isn’t just about hunger strikes and chaining yourself to buildings. You could make striking artwork that could stick in the minds of others. You could write a captivating story or a catchy song with themes that reference how the real world works. If you are a speaker or influencer, you can spread the right messages and bring attention to the real problems. You could choose not to work, invest, or purchase from certain companies. We can return to democracy, but it would require a collective effort. We need to start thinking for ourselves. Stop listening to the media and these political shills. We need art, and I’m talking REAL art, something with a message. We have to stop fighting each other, because the ones in power are all working together. Can’t you see it? They may be at the top, but there are way more of us at the bottom. Balance can be restored. America could know democracy once more… I have faith in us. But it gets weaker each year…
References and photos
Poverty by America – Matthew Desmond
Monopoly- Hasbro inc.
Scooby Doo- Warner Bros.