The 5 Stupidest Habits You Develop Growing Up Poor

[bvar22]

171. No, that article is a cheap knock off of Reagan's

"Welfare Cadillac" meme.
It takes a few anecdotes and stereotypes,
and broad brushes a large (and growing) spectrum of our population.

..and then there are the "I pulled myself up by my own bootstraps, so "they" should too" handful who don't want to face the reality of how LUCKY they have been in their lives.



There are a THOUSAND elements of LUCK involved for those of us who make it out of poverty. Life IS a Crap Shoot...and some are gifted with loaded dice, though they rarely want to acknowledge that fact.
But there DOES seem to be a division between those who KNOW they have been LUCKY,
and those who , out of misguided arrogance, wan to hold themselves up as an example of why EVERYBODY should be like THEM!

I was also born to "humble" parents,
and I now enjoy a comfortable life,
but every single day I thank my lucky stars,
because I KNOW and appreciate that it wasn't all ME.

I also fear for the youth of today, because some of the LUCK I enjoyed was being born in an era where it was EASY to find a good job with benefits for someone who was:
*born with a decent IQ

*born to White Parents

*born to healthy parents

*born to good looking parents

*born to parents who were reasonably slim and fit

*born to parents who realized that however "hard" they had it...they were LUCKY,
and made sure to pass that along to me.
(A picture of FDR alongside Jesus hung in our kitchen)

*born in a region that offered widespread good paying jobs to anyone (white, good looking, male) who could physically put in a days work (Gulf Coast Oil Fields)

*born in an area that offered decent Public School educations

*my first girlfriends didn't get pregnant

* born with an innate skill to project confidence and competence, even if I didn't have the first clue, I could bullshit and make people feel comfortable.
THAT is the VERY FIRST priority in getting a good job and making your way in the World.....and it can't be taught or learned.

...so for everybody who wants to pat themselves on their back for Making It out of poverty, and blame those still mired in that hell.....
I suggest they compile a LUCK list for their own lives before attacking those who buy a TV with their Tax refund.

This OP, and many responses in this thread is One Step Away from advocating Tough Love for the Poor, because its their own damned fault.

Sincerely,
bvar22