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daredtowork

(3,732 posts)

17. Americans are judgmental as well as charitable

Fri Sep 5, 2014, 12:58 PM

Sep 2014

We tend to be charitable in the abstract sense, especially because we value it as an aspect of character. No matter how we feel about the military, we all admire "no man left behind". That's why Americans will come out for a Big Cause like the Ice Bucket Challenge or to help people in an area devastated by a hurricane. But when it comes to individuals, the inner "Judge Judy" comes out.

You would think the South would be more charitable because there are still areas of strong religious saturation. But when I was growing up, Church Ladies could be extremely judgmental of the poor! They would gossip about drifters who would come through the area and try to refer them to other churches. These women were wives of the wealthy businessmen in the area. If one of the drifters had asked them for a job and attempted to settle down in the area, do you think they would have obliged? It's easier to judge than to help effect change.

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PBS: Are Americans a Stingy Lot of People? [View all] daredtowork Sep 2014 OP

First let me say that I reject dystopia. littlemissmartypants Sep 2014 #1

Americans Need to Look at the Problem First daredtowork Sep 2014 #14

I almost read this as "Are Americans Stingray People?" sakabatou Sep 2014 #2

Lol, that would be in the science group. nt littlemissmartypants Sep 2014 #4

Or the car aficionado's group: kentauros Sep 2014 #5

Awesome. littlemissmartypants Sep 2014 #6

That one or the Lancia Nardi Blue Ray II. kentauros Sep 2014 #7

Let me get my purse. I want to go too! nt Mojorabbit Sep 2014 #33

Sure! littlemissmartypants Sep 2014 #34

The welfare system has been gutted? Live and Learn Sep 2014 #3

We Pay More, Those in Need Get Less daredtowork Sep 2014 #15

I've always thought that there should be a voucher system for those on food stamps xmas74 Sep 2014 #41

In theory this sounds good, but daredtowork Sep 2014 #48

When I received food stamps I worked full time xmas74 Sep 2014 #49

How do WIC vouchers work? daredtowork Sep 2014 #53

They have to be approved via appointment every couple of months. xmas74 Sep 2014 #55

Ugh another appointment daredtowork Sep 2014 #59

They are so common around here most don't blink an eye xmas74 Sep 2014 #61

The child is all that counts daredtowork Sep 2014 #63

Clinton declared that he had "ended welfare as we know it," or words to that effect. merrily Sep 2014 #65

Yes the "Progressives" Started Dismantling Welfare daredtowork Sep 2014 #69

+1 Although, I don't think that Clinton was a "Progressive" as I define it. nt Live and Learn Sep 2014 #72

Our culture doesn't put much value on empathy. LuvNewcastle Sep 2014 #8

So true marions ghost Sep 2014 #11

Yeah. I had to think and think about it; but yeah Populist_Prole Sep 2014 #16

Scarcity daredtowork Sep 2014 #28

Oh yes, the "circle the wagons" mentality is in full tilt among that crowd Populist_Prole Sep 2014 #29

Solveable problems start to look unsolveable daredtowork Sep 2014 #32

Americans are judgmental as well as charitable daredtowork Sep 2014 #17

A caste of hereditary aristos trying to take everything we have leaves us a bit rattled... Orsino Sep 2014 #9

And it will work daredtowork Sep 2014 #18

I recently visited marions ghost Sep 2014 #10

churches are doing noble things daredtowork Sep 2014 #19

I am agreeing with you marions ghost Sep 2014 #21

Yes, just adding on daredtowork Sep 2014 #24

Yep marions ghost Sep 2014 #27

I get your point, but you should really learn the facts about funding before you credit those who Bluenorthwest Sep 2014 #47

No one wants there to be a working SECULAR pulblic services infrastructure more badly than I do daredtowork Sep 2014 #51

And they should be taxed philosslayer Sep 2014 #81

Americans are f'ing INSANE about taxes and welfare Prophet 451 Sep 2014 #12

You are where I want my tax dollars spent J_J_ Sep 2014 #13

+1 nt daredtowork Sep 2014 #25

I heartily respect that Prophet 451 Sep 2014 #30

The dollar stolen out of their pocket daredtowork Sep 2014 #22

I agree with your final thought Prophet 451 Sep 2014 #31

This is probably why blue states give so much more to charity than red ones... hughee99 Sep 2014 #35

Take religious giving out of the picture & who gives more? U4ikLefty Sep 2014 #37

I'm not sure who would give more, but hughee99 Sep 2014 #38

It's not real charity because it's mostly used to further their own Lex Sep 2014 #42

Ah, I had no idea that religous charites didn't actually help people. hughee99 Sep 2014 #43

Reading comprehension isn't your thing I guess. Lex Sep 2014 #44

Ah so you're suggesting that SOME of the money goes to help people hughee99 Sep 2014 #45

I said what I said in my initial post Lex Sep 2014 #46

Well, your initial post does a poor job of explaining hughee99 Sep 2014 #50

Please check out some of the other posts daredtowork Sep 2014 #62

You seem to be the only one Lex Sep 2014 #66

Where does that come into it? Prophet 451 Sep 2014 #85

"public has been trained to regard me as lower than a child molester" BlueJazz Sep 2014 #76

Thank you, sir Prophet 451 Sep 2014 #86

FYI, Faith-based initiative continues under Obama, Trillo Sep 2014 #20

Sheer Desperation daredtowork Sep 2014 #23

...And be sure to save a million or so for retirement. tridim Sep 2014 #26

Let me guess, their pledge drive came up short? Fla_Democrat Sep 2014 #36

daredtowork, this is an interesting thread. nt littlemissmartypants Sep 2014 #39

The attempts to sidetrack it are just as interesting daredtowork Sep 2014 #40

It has to be a government effort or fraud will increase--and so will the number of needy merrily Sep 2014 #52

Right now it's impossible to find information daredtowork Sep 2014 #56

The system was never perfect and it's been gutted, so it's worse. merrily Sep 2014 #57

The case worker is a token notion daredtowork Sep 2014 #60

Not sure, but I believe law requires you to get advance notice before any merrily Sep 2014 #64

Only in theory - My Medi-Cal Benefits Just Ceased Without Notice daredtowork Sep 2014 #67

So sorry this is happening to you. merrily Sep 2014 #68

I feel like I'm missing some obvious way to fight back daredtowork Sep 2014 #70

I don't see a way you are missing because I thought merrily Sep 2014 #75

I have been in the SSI application process for over 2 years now daredtowork Sep 2014 #77

I asked about OASDI. SSI and OASDI are two different programs. merrily Sep 2014 #78

All the Social Security applications are in the same bucket daredtowork Sep 2014 #82

You apply to the Feds initially for OASDI and, depending on where you are, merrily Sep 2014 #87

Yes, that's probably the case. daredtowork Sep 2014 #88

You don't have to explain. Disabled is disabled. You did not choose that. merrily Sep 2014 #89

Ooh, good opportunity! daredtowork Sep 2014 #90

Someone else disabled might not be eligible for SSI and just give up on OASDI, thinking merrily Sep 2014 #91

I want to kick this for you tabbycat31 Sep 2014 #80

Thank you! daredtowork Sep 2014 #83

A sinking ship promotes every person for themselves. L0oniX Sep 2014 #54

Is the ship really sinking? daredtowork Sep 2014 #58

Thanks for posting here and educating LuvNewcastle Sep 2014 #71

Thank you daredtowork Sep 2014 #73

btw, I'm a girl. ;) daredtowork Sep 2014 #74

A few things here tabbycat31 Sep 2014 #79

I think that's a really neat idea daredtowork Sep 2014 #84