Lonewolf Diaries: Poor People Can Be Greedy Too
by Steven CrowderEver notice that the chronically poor nearly always share one thing in common? They are some of the most greedy SOB’s on the planet. I know it seems sacrilegious to say so. You’re just not supposed to criticize the poor. Afterall, haven’t they had it hard enough? I mean, a man can’t help the hand he’s been dealt… Unless he’s Rain Man.
Now before you go and crucify me, keep in mind that there is a huge difference between someone who is “down on their luck” and someone who is able-bodied and “chronically poor.” There’s a big difference, and I’m only addressing the latter.
We see the stereotype everyday in Hollywood films: The wealthy, corporate, penny-pinching sell-out who inevitably becomes a slave to their own greed. Note: That stereotype excludes the rich, bloated constituents of Tinseltown themselves. The sad part is that oftentimes Americans believe it. As a largely blue-collar nation, I could think of nothing more satisfying than vilifying the “boss” (not a Springsteen reference, for those wondering). The only problem is that it’s dishonest.
Successful people aren’t inherently evil. I believe that more often than not people’s lives are a result of their actions. It’s silly, I know, but when you look at things within that context, you have to ask yourself: what kind of actions lead to poverty?
Now, I hate to throw a Proverb at you (particularly as it’s not of the trendy Chinese variety, but one of those scary Old Testament scribbles) but no matter what your faith, I would imagine that Proverbs 28: 22 would still have to be incredibly insightful.
A stingy man is eager to get rich and is unaware that poverty awaits him.
See, God isn’t condemning rich people. He’s condemning actions followed by a solemn warning of where they would lead. God seems to think that actions are a reflection of your heart. He’s a freaky dude when it comes to that kind of thing. Yes, I said “dude.” Feminists, start sending your letters.
Now statistically, it’s true. Poor people (particularly liberals) donate a lower percentage of their income than middle and upper-class Americans. To be fair, they have less to give… But then I guess it becomes the whole “chicken or the egg” deal. Do they have less to give because they’re stingy/greedy, or are they greedy because they have less to give?
Either way someone’s getting punched in the face for milk money.
I would say that the action of a perfectly healthy individual living a life on welfare provided by the hard work of others taken by force through taxation… That’s greedy.
The action of not stepping out of your comfort zone and creating a business, or helping OTHERS to prosper because of your personal contentment… That’s greedy.
The action of hoarding all the good-looking prom dates, leaving me no other date options than my cousin Kevin… That’s greedy.
Not giving to those who are seriously less fortunate than you… That’s greedy.
The problem with greed is that it has no understanding of logic and will constantly find a scapegoat… Sometimes it’s an actual goat (he deserved it), sometimes it’s a lemur (he didn’t deserve it) and sometimes it just ends up being a decent rich guy whom everyone loves to hate.
And no, I’m not talking about Sean Penn.
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57 Comments
greed is not necessarily reflected by a bank account…
Like all of the Seven Deadly Sins, greed is something that crosses all classes, races, and sexes. Yes, you can be dirt poor and greedy- it's an emotion, not an outcome- and rich as an Arab sheik and kind and generous.
So, it's all in how you treat your fellow man. No surprise there. But the big mistake many on th eleft make is equating success with greed-
And punishing the success…
The rich can give more (as a percentage of their income) because a greater proportion of that income is discretionary. Now if they compared how much of of each group gave of their NON discretionary income… the poor people might win.
A better story is that Americans – rich and poor – are fabulously open-hearted and giving… no matter what the Obamas and the progressives will have you believe.
Except if the successful are among their own tribe. Not a greedy one in the whole lot over there.
good point…
"I could think of nothing more satisfying than vilifying the “boss” (not a Springsteen reference, for those wondering)"
If it were a Springsteen reference it would belong in the comments section of Nolte's last article.
You keep using that word. I do not think…etc. etc.
Stingy. Apathetic. Callous. Indifferent. Insensitive. Even Heartless. Those words might better describe some of those action/non-actions in your essay. Don't know that I'd call not starting a business and not helping others to prosper, "greedy." Let the other guy start the business. Except don't do in Haiti, charging rent on your cell phone chargers, or people will call you greedy.
Now if I started a business SOLELY to keep the other guy from getting a piece of the pie, that's different, isn't it?
greed is great my friend…(as in large)
.
Jack acts in his own self interest in the free market system. He stayed in school and now makes lots of money but is not greedy, and produces jobs and wealth for others and has enough to give to charity.
Obviously, Obama doesn't know Jack.
.
Tax the poor. Obama wants to tax people without Health Insurance, who have no money to buy health insurance
Scott won. Obama, can you campaign for Reid?
You begin to change your preconceived notions about the poor when John or Jane Doe gets picked up by the cops with ten grand stuffed in his/her sock. And you have a stack of similar files on your desk with the same story; sometimes a sock, sometimes a trash bag. If the life was so horrible, they'd use the money to elevate themselves out of that life once and for all – but they remain in the trailer park – in the ghetto, for another ten grand, and still don't pay their own rent or buy warmer coats for their children.
I kept trying to come up with a good sign along these lines for the Tea Parties:
1. LET THE WEALTHY (like the Kennedys) REDISTRIBUTE THEIR MONEY, LET THE “RICH” WORKERS KEEP MORE OF THEIRS
2. WHY AM I GREEDY? YOU’RE THE ONE WHO WANTS MY $$
3. I WORK FOR MY MONEY, HOW ABOUT YOU?
Never really found the right way to say it.
Haha – I like #2!
Steven,
Your comment
"Now statistically, it’s true. Poor people (particularly liberals) donate a lower percentage of their income than middle and upper-class Americans. To be fair, they have less to give… But then I guess it becomes the whole “chicken or the egg” deal. Do they have less to give because they’re stingy/greedy, or are they greedy because they have less to give?"
At a minimum, requires some citation.
Here are two studies that seem to indicate the opposite of your claim
http://filipspagnoli.wordpress.com/2009/06/04/hum...
http://www.philanthropy.iupui.edu/Research/Giving...
Actually the poor people do come out on top. There are studies done every year, and to the continued astonishment of NPR commentators, the poorest states in America (Mississippi, Alabama, etc.) give a larger percentage of their income to charity than richer states (and yes, that's even counting Al Gore's used underwear).
My opinion as to why, is because people who've needed a hand up in the past can sympathize with those in need now.
Contrary to popular opinion (and conventional wisdom), if you start a business, manage it fairly in a free market, you can't prevent some one else from getting a piece of the pie, because when it comes to economics, using a "pie" as an analogy is misleading at best.
Government is a zero sum game. Before government can give to one group, they have to take it from another group (and inflation caused by printing more money will do the exact same thing, only slower, and more painful).
Economics however, is not a zero sum game. If I agree to buy something from you, you may wish you got more, and I may wish I paid less, but basically we're both satisfied, or else we wouldn't have done business.
Politicians love to cloud this fact, convince voters the economy is just one pig pie chart, and then push us to fight each other trying to grab the biggest slice possible.
Works for them, because they get votes, and mandates to 'punish' the greedy bastards.
I'm not so sure this isn't all part of the democrats plan. Losing to Brown, that is. Look at where they stand now.
Now they can drop all this Obama care, and blame it all on republicans.
Now they can basically blame everything and anything on the republican senators.
Now Obama can campaign in 2012 saying he's been blocked from keeping his promises by GOP road blocks.
And now, when 2010 rolls around, they have a rallying cry to hopefully pull out all the boots.
From where I'm sitting, they couldn't have asked for a better out come.
I vote for #2 also.
Here's a couple of others for you to think about:
"(T)he foundation of our national policy will be laid in the pure and immutable principles of private morality"
– George Washington
"The Constitution is not an instrument for the government to restrain the people, it is an instrument for the people to restrain the government." — Patrick Henry
"Resistance to tyrants is obedience to God." — Thomas Jefferson
"Government is not reason; it is not eloquence. It is force. And force, like fire, is a dangerous servant and a fearful master." — George Washington
"A generous parent would have said, 'if there must be trouble, let it be in my day, that my child may have peace." — Thomas Paine
"We, the people are the rightful masters of both Congress and the courts, not to overthrow the Constitution, but to overthrow men who pervert the Constitution." — Abraham Lincoln
Must be those red neck, gun loving, religion clinging hillbillies might be actually following that religion.
Mark 12 : 41 – 44 and Luke 21 : 1 – 4.
Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a fraction of a penny.
Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on."
I grew up very poor (by US standards) and I've seen so much greed in my relatives & community. There is so much thinking, oh this scheme will work & then when it flops a long period of sulking & anger at the world results. It also excuses laziness & other faults. God only knows how my Ma got by for so long working so hard to keep us all fed. But that's another story. Anyway, I have resolved to escape all that, and work myself to death if necessary not to live a life of excuses and lying to myself and dreaming away my chances, and blaming others. I guess I'll never be rich, but by hard work I put myself through grad school and am holding down a pretty good job.
Now on the other hand, don't you get near my folks if you're hungry! They will feed you until you burst and send you off with enough canned goods to keep you going for a while! Well, again, thanks to Ma's hard work… Bleh I'm all over the place.
Anyway, being poor sucks, but yah, it's not a justification for being as bad as all of the folks that can be found to blame for your condition.
I'm reading a bio about Samuel Adams, and one quote in that book that I absolutely love is:
For true patriots to remain silent, is dangerous.
That might fit on a poster board.
How about the standard of living in capitalistic economies Like America compared to say North Korea? Zimbabwe? How about Somalia?
It ain't by accident.
http://www.amazon.com/Basic-Economics-3rd-Ed-Econ...
In my opinion, the key is to have a strong, forceful, to the point, but not in a way that can be twisted by the MSM. Because you just know that's the one they're looking for, to show as a prop so they can discredit everyone.
The word "dangerous" leaps out to me as something that could be easily twisted. But I do like it, and it is true.
The poor are greedy? Next you'll be chastising the hungry for coveting food.
"Either way someone’s getting punched in the face for milk money."
"The action of hoarding all the good-looking prom dates, leaving me no other date options than my cousin Kevin…"
I love it. Funniest article I've read in a while. If I were 20 years younger, I'd ask you to marry me.
How about compared to Sweden, Norway, France, Switzerland?
I think you have it nailed Ed.
They all are to at least some extent, democratic capitalistic societies.
Thanks for making my point.
O, boy, are you right! Everyone has a scheme when they are poor. I hate to be approached with "Hey, I've heard about a great way to (you fill in the blank). What do you think about chipping in?" Yikes. I became a teacher because money was not the be all end all in my world. I grew up in upper-lower class and was raised by people with blue collar jobs who believed in hard work. It never ceases to amaze me how my parents always had more money than the get-rich-quick relatives and neighbors who made slightly more than they did!
I see you read without comprehension.
He said that the poor CAN be greedy. And let me tell you they can. I hale from poor roots and am, in fact, among the "underemployed". Perhaps I too need to get out of my comfort zone and find a way to make more money so I can pay higher taxes to Obama… and thus I reveal the source of my reluctance
I have seen relatives get in line for government subsidies for things they didn't want or need simply because they qualified, and tried to get our other qualified relatives to get in line with them. They thought of it all as "free" never considering that the cost had been paid for by their fellow citizens. They never reasoned that the less they took of what they didn't need, the more there would be for others in need, or the less others would be taxed later.
I know plenty of poor folk who are able bodyed that just can't find work. It may sound like an excuse but its a fact that unemployment rates are at an all time high. Especially here in Florida. If theres a will theres a way, but that doesn't mean you're getting a fair shake. Especially with so many willing to take that bad deal over no deal (legal or not). I'm lucky enuff to work for a good company that has values and morals, not everyone gets that luxury.
But it is infuriating seeing grown men perfectly able to work that just >refuse< to. I know a few that are even more physically fit then myself, that won't even show up for jobs handed straight to them! I assume these are the ones you are writing about, and with that in mind I agree.
I just wish that all the liberal garbage thats ruining the country would atleast focus more on the few that are actually trying to get back on there feet. Instead of these low-lifes that only wish to milk the system. And more times then not its these leeches that are getting tax payer money.
Or just about any Thomas Sowell book on economics. The thing is, every transaction leaves both parties better off, and what is wealth but the value we assign things? I pay $30 for a video game. That's because I'd rather have the video game than $30, but the store would rather have $30 than the video game. We both end up happier.
My Dad, who owns two retail stores, gets really irritated every time someone says, "You're so lucky that you have a successful business." He worked 20 years as manager of a retail store for people who were not very nice because he accepted personal responsibility for supporting his family. Then he took a huge financial risk to open a store of his own. In the beginning he couldn't afford to hire a worker, so he worked straight through for 4 months (including weekends) before he took one day off. He closed the store for Thanksgiving day. He started working again on Black Friday and didn't take another day off until Christmas. He payed his rent and all bills ON TIME ("not even one day late," as he made me promise before cosigning my first car loan) before he even thought about paying himself. Today he has a second store, hired workers and works 3 or 4 days a week as well as having spending money. And people tell him how LUCKY he is to have a successful business.
Well, I'm not meaning to knock everyone who's down & out, it CAN be awfully hard to overcome some of life's hurdles. But people who wear poverty like armor… Sheesh any kind of entitlement mentality just sucks. Yes there are certainly lots of rewards for hard work besides money, and growing your own food & stuff like that is very rewarding in many ways. So let's not forget all the poor people, who though wishing for better things, especially for their kids, just live getting by & getting on with life, God bless them. There sure are a lot of 'em…
Yah, funny how they can't remember the Dems blocking so much stuff in Congress under Bush though…
For modern liberals, history started yesterday.
Makes it easier to fool themselves.
Steven, I actually thought you'd be quoting this from Proverbs 24: 33-34.
"A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest. Then your poverty will come as a robber, and your want like an armed man."
I have worked all of my adult life and have recently found myself in the financial situation where I am forced to apply for food stamps. I say forced because I would rather be paying taxes to fund this program than have to utilize it.
It's been proven time and time again, helping yourself, in a free market economy, benefits others.
The more who create wealth for themselves, increases the amount of wealth for all. And after all, what is poverty other than the lack of wealth?
[Citation needed]
George Gilder said it best: "The truly greedy are those who would steal, by government fiat, that which has been earned by others."
Main Street greed is as culpable of the financial meltdown as Wall Street. After all, isn't Main Street where all the houses are?
And to some extent they're managed, socialist economies.
Yes they are, and that would explain their problems. France would swoon over the US unemployment rates. The slums around their major cities are tinder boxes, and on special occasions its not uncommon for a few hundred vehicles to get torched by the unemployed youths.
Norway and Sweden are smaller, homogeneous populations where that type of nanny state has better success, keep your eyes on Sweden, they're in the middle of race riots, which the government is having and increasingly hard time keeping out of the media. You can find multiple references in the new alternative media.
And you want to talk about Switzerland? Hitler's bankers in WWII? And if I'm not mistaken, the Swiss economy is even more free market oriented than the US.
Yes. Many people do the same things and fail. Your dad, is both hardworking and lucky.
I like this. He cites zero evidence of his claim. Subsequently people point out that there is evidence to the contrary.
What's that i hear? Crickets?
"He who gives to the poor will lack nothing,
but he who closes his eyes to them receives many curses."
Proverbs 28:27
Next time, read the whole thing. Or do you think Jesus was simultaneously calling the poor greedy and imploring people to give them money?
Why is that infuriating? There are a lot of people who choose to live a very simply lifestyle, and don't define themselves by their jobs. The don't need a new car, and they don't go out to eat at restaurants. They aren't taking your money. And I'd say they offer a lot more to society in the way of being part of a community than someone like Lloyd Blankfein does over Goldman Sachs, who spends their day extracting an economic rent from society and creating absolutely nothing of value.
My guess is that you're infuriated because you want to get rich, and think it will make you happy, but you can't. So instead of looking for happiness elsewhere, you blame they people who are least culpable of all, the poor by choice.
You want to know where your tax money goes? It gets sent the Middle East.
I don't see how he has been luckier than anyone else. He came from a broken home, knocked up my mother when he was 18, and then proceeded to marry her and have another kid before he was 21. Because of that, he couldn't afford the time or money to go to college. I'm still trying to find the luck here.
Some people who do what my dad did might fail, but at the end of the day, they will find a way to make their situation work for them. But I believe a lazy person could never have enough luck to achieve what my father has achieved. I know plenty of people who are in favorable and unfavorable financial conditions. Generally speaking, the better the worker, the better their financial situation. Those who are in bad financial situations seem to me to make poorer decisions, and seem to have less self control, and more of a sense of entitlement (re. they think they deserve a nice vacation every year, think they deserve a certain caliber of car, etc…). And those people seem to be the ones who marvel at my dad's "good luck."
If I could choose to inherit my father's luck or his work ethic, I think his work ethic would get me much farther.
He's lucky because you can work just as hard as he did and still have the business fail! Most do!
I haven't had a day off in seven years. (I work two jobs to meet my bills.) I count myself lucky to still have a job. And yes, I'm dirt poor. No health insurance and bad luck with medical bills will do that. Oh, I guess I should have had rich parents or a company that would buy me medical insurance or better luck?
Deeply, deeply stupid. And wrong.
ice9
"what kind of actions lead to poverty?"
Living in the inner city. Fools ought to move to the suburbs.
really poor people have more of a reason to be greedy than rich people, they don't want to give up what little they got!!! There are a lot of poor people that aren't stingy but his point was what i already said. Generosity leads to wealth, hoarding it up, usually means you end up losing it.
You can't just say something is wrong, if you want people to take you seriously or anything you say seriously you need to make an intelligent response. "Deeply, deeply stupid. And wrong." Shows no thought, or intelligence; what is wrong? Why is it wrong? Make a point.
You're wrong, Stephen.
http://foundationcenter.org/pnd/news/story.jhtml?...
The poor give a higher percentage of their income to charity than the rich.
Well I /CAN/ read without comprehension…. but I try not to.
Just as the hungry at a banquet might tend to gorge and smuggle out what they can, the poor, when presented with the opportunity, might tend to overindulge. If you don't know what tomorrow will bring, the tendency is to get while the getting is good.
I find this easier to understand, and not as actually greedy as, for example, someone with a net worth $10 million who has a deep seated burning desire to be worth $20 million, though it's probably technically correct to say anytime your wants exceed your needs you are under the influence of greed.
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