24 Jan 2024 5:10 pm
Cannonpointer » 24 Jan 2024, 6:03 pm » wrote: ↑ Well, I was raised extremely wealthy and poor white trash - intermittently.
The old man worked the oil patch. When we went overseas, we were virtually indistinguishable from the jet-setters (back when that phrase had a meaning). I got an allowance - because my mom was loaded. She had pesos galore!
When we came back stateside, we owned and abided in a 974 square foot, 3 bed, 1 bath frame house. We bought used cars, on time.
We were poor, ***-rich; poor, ***-rich. I know whereof I speak - and I never claimed to be perfect. I just know that it is more correct to say that actions beget circumstances than it is to say circumstances beget actions. Neither is PERFECTLY true - but one is much truer.
Now, we BOTH know a kid born on this side of the tracks has a better chance than a kid born on that side. I'm not one to blame the victim. But neither am I one to coddle a ***. Your bad luck gets you my sympathy and nothing else, unless we are blood related.
From my experiences.. poverty is mostly a function of not being to forego satisfaction or pleasure. You have the money now.. so lets spend it. You have the something (money, patience, sex appeal, etc.) and so why wait to use it? problem is that nothing lasts forever and what do you have left tomorrow after using all of your resources up? There is some bad luck. Dirt poor trailer trash family and I had a ruptured appendix. No insurance.. heck did not even know what it was prior to almost dying. Credit was destroyed before I was out of high school. $42K in medical bills and my job at the time.. dishwasher at a pancake house.
Also, we like sure things. Going to college and possibly getting a good job.. not a sure thing. Working for the uncle or someone connected to the uncle doing stucoo.. that is more of a sure thing. All you have to do is maintain a body temp of 98.6 degrees and be willing to have no life may to November. Now, what is the drawback to working stucco. Likely back problems and no marketable skills once you are injured or tired of it.