Rich and the Poor

[Quetzal]

I find it interesting that a considerable amount of animosity exists for the poor. In comparison, it seems that the wealthy are revered and almost worshiped. They can do no wrong and any suggestion that they exercise their innumerable resources to help those in need is met with harsh political resistance. Why?

 

[Quetzal]

I want to amend my post a bit, because I had a thought. My original post isn't fair because it seems to be linked to political ideologies.

Liberals:

• Rich super evil
• Poor not so much

Conservatives

• Poor undeserving
• Rich super deserving

This is an over simplification, but I am interested in where these mindsets come from?

 

[Revoltingest]

I find it interesting that a considerable amount of animosity exists for the poor. In comparison, it seems that the wealthy are revered and almost worshiped. They can do no wrong and any suggestion that they exercise their innumerable resources to help those in need is met with harsh political resistance. Why?

It all depends whom you listen to.
I hear much hatred (particularly on RF) for
the wealthy, & much sympathy for the poor.

Aw, dang....post #2 takes the filling from me haggis.

 

[Nakosis]

It all depends whom you listen to.
I hear much hatred (particularly on RF) for
the wealthy, & much sympathy for the poor.

Aw, dang....post #2 takes the filling from me haggis.

Yeah, I suppose we'll have to let the Liberals and Conservatives hash this one out.

 

[Brickjectivity]

I find it interesting that a considerable amount of animosity exists for the poor. In comparison, it seems that the wealthy are revered and almost worshiped. They can do no wrong and any suggestion that they exercise their innumerable resources to help those in need is met with harsh political resistance. Why?

I watched a clip of an interview with Bill Gates commenting about the evilness or goodness of wealth. He said that a lot of people thought it was evil for him to be so wealthy but that what mattered was not the wealth but how it was used. He said the money was put to work and was putting people to work and that otherwise the money would go to waste. It wasn't doing nothing but something.

I wonder about low wage jobs where the training, expertise personal risk and time spent do not enable the person to improve. That happens though its hard to decide what is an appropriate wage and how a person should improve.

The formula for a healthy population seems to require that wealth be something not easy to get. Otherwise people stop working.

 

[Quetzal]

Aw, dang....post #2 takes the filling from me haggis.

It did what?

 

[Sunstone]

@Quetzal, I agree with you that you have only roughed out the American cultural attitudes towards the rich and the poor in the OP, but rather than pettifog you on your descriptions as I am drooling to do (being an RFer), I am going to drop any pretension that I don't understand you, and just try to answer your excellent questions.

Actually, bro, I think there are several ways to address your questions, and that there is at least some truth in all of them. So, rather than try to include the two or three answers that interest me in just one post, I'll make three or four posts, each much shorter than would be necessary if I were to pack it all into one post.

You can thank me for my polite consideration of your reading convenience by naming your next illegitimate child after me.

 

[Brickjectivity]

There is animosity against the poor. Everywhere. Yes.

 

[JustGeorge]

I think its where a lot of folks put their value, either consciously or subconsciously. People with money must have had a culturally desirable upbringing, and engaged their time in culturally appropriate activities. The poor, not so much.

I think it goes deeper than politics. Once heavily involved in a Liberal group, they were all for making laws that support the poor... just don't ask them(the Liberals) to sit with them(the poor) at lunch. They had that same attitude engrained in their head that the conservatives often do, and most of them weren't even conscious of it.

 

[beenherebeforeagain]

I want to amend my post a bit, because I had a thought. My original post isn't fair because it seems to be linked to political ideologies.

Liberals:

• Rich super evil
• Poor not so much

Conservatives

• Poor undeserving
• Rich super deserving

This is an over simplification, but I am interested in where these mindsets come from?

this is called "social construction."

Social constructionism - Wikipedia

The basic idea is that both individuals and groups of people will come to a general agreement on how to 'construct' other groups and issues in the social sphere.

Doctors, for example, construct 'patients' as having certain positive and negative values, in terms of being 'worthy' of their care or not worthy of care, and whether or not they are actually in need of care.

 

[Revoltingest]

Yeah, I suppose we'll have to let the Liberals and Conservatives hash this one out.

Either way, someone's gonna feel the hate.

 

[Revoltingest]

It did what?

Took the wind from me sails....that's what I said.

 

[Revoltingest]

There is animosity against the poor. Everywhere. Yes.

One thing that the left & the right can agree upon....
No one wants the poor next door.

 

[JustGeorge]

One thing that the left & the right can agree upon....
No one wants the poor next door.

I don't know about that. I've had both next door, and they're about the same. Both equally unfriendly.

But as for a poor or middle class neighborhood(never lived in a wealthy one), I'll take the poor. Usually a few more friendly people, and always more interesting.

 

[Quetzal]

One thing that the left & the right can agree upon....
No one wants the poor next door.

The puzzle we have yet to figure out is how to solve it. I think if we figured out a consistent model that produced results, we could find more common ground.

 

[Revoltingest]

I don't know about that. I've had both next door, and they're about the same. Both equally unfriendly.

But as for a poor or middle class neighborhood(never lived in a wealthy one), I'll take the poor. Usually a few more friendly people, and always more interesting.

I spoke very generally.
This is based upon where public housing is generally located,
zoning laws that specify a minimum square footage, & historic
district laws that control appearance of a home.

Of course, everyone here knows what an oddball you are.
You're the type who'd be friendly to poor folk.

 

[Quetzal]

This is based upon where public housing is generally located,
zoning laws that specify a minimum square footage, & historic
district laws that control appearance of a home.

Speaking of, I need to research the min. square foot rule. This week is the first time I have heard of this.

 

[Revoltingest]

The puzzle we have yet to figure out is how to solve it. I think if we figured out a consistent model that produced results, we could find more common ground.

I've long been in favor of financial assistance for housing,
allowing the tenant to decide where to live, balancing
cost against the total income they have. This would
result in some socio-economic mixing.

 

[Quetzal]

I've long been in favor of financial assistance for housing,
allowing the tenant to decide where to live, balancing
cost against the total income they have. This would
result in some socio-economic mixing.

How would you determine how much assistance they would get? Would rent be covered as a whole?

 

[Revoltingest]

Speaking of, I need to research the min. square foot rule. This week is the first time I have heard of this.

It will vary from place to place, depending on many things,
eg, renting vs owning, shape of the space, number of
occupants, relationships of the occupants, age of the
occupants, zoning.
In my town, I ran into the problem of maximum occupancy
being based upon age & family relationship. These laws
conflicted with Fair Housing laws, which banned discrimination
based upon age & family relationship. One never knew
if government might come down like a ton of bricks cuz
there were some rental situations where no matter what
one did, it was illegal under some law.