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Recursion

(56,582 posts)

5. Globally the "1%" line starts at about $30K

Tue Nov 26, 2013, 01:34 AM

Nov 2013

But you said it perfectly:

Well, yes, if you could live on a U.S. poverty wage and pay Third World prices, you would seem rich.

Bingo. On a US minimum wage you could live like a king in India (not in Mumbai or Delhi, probably, but in one of the smaller cities). But the people making a minimum wage in the US don't live in India, they live in US cities and towns where they can't go get a kilo of vegetables for less than a dollar.

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Yes, poor people have color TVs [View all] Recursion Nov 2013 OP

only hipsters have black and white TVs Pretzel_Warrior Nov 2013 #1

I poured Sriracha on mine to make it color (nt) Recursion Nov 2013 #2

Back in the '60s, I remember a mail-order house Art_from_Ark Nov 2013 #10

that is transparently sad Pretzel_Warrior Nov 2013 #11

I grew up with a black and white TV perched precariously on another, non-working, TV Recursion Nov 2013 #12

Sorry to go further off-topic but a2liberal Nov 2013 #22

Sorry, I should have specified "in India" Recursion Nov 2013 #23

Oh ok a2liberal Nov 2013 #24

There are some pirate channels depending on where you are Recursion Nov 2013 #27

My grandpa had one of those in the 1950s, I kid you not Hekate Nov 2013 #32

Do they even make black-and-white TV's anymore? 655351 Nov 2013 #39

Right-wingers love to say that poor people aren't poor due to Lydia Leftcoast Nov 2013 #3

Globally the "1%" line starts at about $30K Recursion Nov 2013 #5

Someone used that "steak with an EBT card" line recently. pamela Nov 2013 #18

good one. nt laundry_queen Nov 2013 #19

Your last paragraph is spot on. CrispyQ Nov 2013 #45

Well how are exceptional Americans going to measure success if everyone has the same consumer goods? NYC_SKP Nov 2013 #4

Honestly, there's probably some of that involved, too Recursion Nov 2013 #6

lolololol... exactly, NYC_SKP. I think that's a big chunk of it right there, my friend! spot ON! Divine Discontent Nov 2013 #14

Exactly, which is why I hate this kind of crap treestar Nov 2013 #31

Rich people have maids RobertEarl Nov 2013 #7

Yeah, that was what my other thread was about Recursion Nov 2013 #8

my TV remote is a butler who changes channels for me Pretzel_Warrior Nov 2013 #13

FOX trades in resentment, not facts. nt Hekate Nov 2013 #33

First off, I'm under the impression that black and white TVs haven't been SheilaT Nov 2013 #9

I have a dumb phone, and boy, is it *dumb* Art_from_Ark Nov 2013 #15

You need to pay more attention to it. SheilaT Nov 2013 #50

You know, Art_from_Ark Nov 2013 #53

The last one I can think of was the Sony Watchman, last B&W models 1994. dimbear Nov 2013 #29

I can proudly say I've still never bought a flat screen. Still working with the 32" CRT Pretzel_Warrior Nov 2013 #16

Every company I've sysadmin'd at usually had a graphic artist Recursion Nov 2013 #17

Shows how long they've been spouting this nonsense. Spitfire of ATJ Nov 2013 #20

I remember motels having that sign out... Historic NY Nov 2013 #21

Its not free hbo anymore thats the 1990's and early 2000's ... kydo Nov 2013 #34

LOL. Historic NY Nov 2013 #44

I reckon about half the people in the US who don't have a TV are on the DU Fumesucker Nov 2013 #25

We have a 25-year old Zenith up in the bedroom rucky Nov 2013 #26

Glad you got that off your chest JustAnotherGen Nov 2013 #28

RICH people have black and white TVs! MADem Nov 2013 #30

Do they even make black and white tv's anymore? kydo Nov 2013 #35

Breakfast Bugs and mud huts are the new conservative poverty bar. HughBeaumont Nov 2013 #36

I wouldn't ascribe motives Shankapotomus Nov 2013 #37

They have indoor plumbing and electric lights too. quaker bill Nov 2013 #38

Circuses have always been made available to the poor... Orsino Nov 2013 #40

Poor people all over the world have TVs because Nevernose Nov 2013 #41

In the '60s when TouchTone and color telephones were introduced, they sold well in poor areas FarCenter Nov 2013 #42

The gap is less about manufactured goods bought than services consumed. LWolf Nov 2013 #43

Go to ANY Goodwill in the country and buy a color TV for $15.00 Glitterati Nov 2013 #46

non-digital... JCMach1 Nov 2013 #54

The digital converter tuner boxes are readily available for cheap at flea markets and thrift stores Fumesucker Nov 2013 #55

TVs are cheap entertainment XemaSab Nov 2013 #47

Real estate (rent) and food do not get cheaper. PowerToThePeople Nov 2013 #48

Just this morning I followed a Facebook link to a video of a 1982 news story Lydia Leftcoast Nov 2013 #49

Hand-me-down TVs Quantess Nov 2013 #51

They need to walk into a thrift store gollygee Nov 2013 #52