4.3 million more in poverty since 2000

trying to?

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I don't need to try, McG, with you as a foil . . .

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Poverty is relative.

God, I'm brilliant.

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Cycloptichorn wrote:

Teach a man to fish, and he'll eat forever! Instead of redistributing money, we can make American companies keep more jobs IN America by enacting trade programmes and tarriffs, as well as removing tax loopholes that reward companies for shipping jobs overseas.

The poor, no matter whose fault it is, are EVERYONE'S problem. We cannot ignore them and expect things to be okay. As a society, we must figure out a way to reverse this trend before it becomes too late.

Cycloptichorn

What about reducing our dependency on oil? Recompensing Americans who return to a more agrarian lifestyle? Rewarding businesses who produce products for the American market on American soil? Reducing our overall greed as a nation? I suppose that would entail restructuring our entire culture, our entire way of life...

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princesspupule wrote:

What about reducing our dependency on oil? Recompensing Americans who return to a more agrarian lifestyle? Rewarding businesses who produce products for the American market on American soil? Reducing our overall greed as a nation? I suppose that would entail restructuring our entire culture, our entire way of life...

Yeah, but it might be one of those things like desegregation: we either do it ourselves or it gets done for us -- unpleasantly.

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Quote:

Reducing our overall greed as a nation?

This is the point of the second half of my long post.

It is imperative that we start to think about changing the morals we hold dear here in America.

Cycloptichorn

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FreeDuck wrote:

princesspupule wrote:
What about reducing our dependency on oil? Recompensing Americans who return to a more agrarian lifestyle? Rewarding businesses who produce products for the American market on American soil? Reducing our overall greed as a nation? I suppose that would entail restructuring our entire culture, our entire way of life...

Yeah, but it might be one of those things like desegregation: we either do it ourselves or it gets done for us -- unpleasantly.

Many people have started doing the things I said on a personal level, but it doesn't seem to matter all so very much. Greed is a national blight, but one our nation was perhaps founded upon in part... You're right, I'm sure. If the gov't intervened in such matters, their efforts would feel unpleasant to the majority as they would be forced into compliance. But, then, 20 years later, the next generation would be asking, what was the big fuss?

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Cycloptichorn wrote:

Quote:
Reducing our overall greed as a nation?

This is the point of the second half of my long post.

It is imperative that we start to think about changing the morals we hold dear here in America.

Cycloptichorn

On a grassroots level, it already has begun.

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How can we help this process along?

I try to speak about it to friends and family all the time, but I realize that so much depends on getting to kids at a young age and teaching them the right things in life.

Cycloptichorn

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princesspupule wrote:

Many people have started doing the things I said on a personal level, but it doesn't seem to matter all so very much. Greed is a national blight, but one our nation was perhaps founded upon in part... You're right, I'm sure. If the gov't intervened in such matters, their efforts would feel unpleasant to the majority as they would be forced into compliance. But, then, 20 years later, the next generation would be asking, what was the big fuss?

My example wasn't very exact in that being 'forced' to do it might come from economic implosion rather than government intervention, but I pretty much agree with you.

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Cycloptichorn wrote:

How can we help this process along?

I try to speak about it to friends and family all the time, but I realize that so much depends on getting to kids at a young age and teaching them the right things in life.

Cycloptichorn

Honestly? My mother always said, "Desire is the root of all evil." We, as a nation seem compulsive collectors of unnecessary stuff. Hasn't just about everyone experienced a time when they needed to find a particular object and had to go off searching through piles of hoarded junque in drawers to find the object? How many times do you replace a working whatever with the newer model which comes with a whole buncha bells and whistles you never thought about needing until the advertisers began teasing your brain causing you to desire more? Practice permaculture in your own yards/environs. Everybody can grow some food, even if it's only in pots on a porch or by a window or in a jar by a sink. Don't buy fast food or cheap products: go for quality and function. Stop impulse buying: put things on a list and think about if you truly need it, or can do without it before buying it. Don't drive unnecessarily: either drive to a central location and park and walk to run errands, or try using a bicycle to get around sometimes. I started doing that out of necessity when my car was in the shop last year, and found myself able to get to many places under my own power, saved a lot of gas, didn't need to make that extra stop at the gym to exercise, all b/c I was using my bicycle. But, remember this, moderation in all things, including moderation. If every single adult in America started taking tiny steps toward moderate consumerism, it would save billions over every single year on a national scale.

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Quote:

Honestly? My mother always said, "Desire is the root of all evil."

How very Buddhist of her. I couldn't agree more.

Though I have a car, I walk all the time whilst running errands. It keeps me healthy and I enjoy the neighborhood, even if it does take a lot longer. Imagine if more people did this?

Most Americans don't realize that the 'consumer culture' is a relatively new thing - about a hundred years old. It was created around the turn of the century, where? Surprise, madison avenue, in New York City, where 6 men got together and gave birth to the concept of marketing on a national scale.

These men did this in response to the city's problems with controlling the rather large population of poor people. After a little research, it was found that people didn't need to be rich, they didn't need to be safe and secure to be happy, as long as they could have lots of stuff.

Woolworths was one of the first stores to take advantage of this - the 'bargain basement,' literally, allowed poor folks to shop at the exact same store as the rich folks. This made poor people feel better. A lot better.

And now, 100 years later, consumerism is the focus of our lives. Most people don't even realize that it doesn't have to be that way. We can take back our country from the hands of those who wish to sell you everything....

I firmly believe that a program to instill better morals in our youths is the best route to accomplshing this. There has to be some effective way to teach people that money and things don't make you happy in the long run.

Cycloptichorn

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4.3 million more in poverty since 2000

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