this quote makes the rounds every once in a while but it really is such an important thing to understand about poverty. if you've never been poor, you need to understand that EVERYTHING works like this. a slow trickle of money will never get you out of that hole. 
(it's from Men At Arms by Terry Pratchett, for anyone who's somehow never read any Discworld)
you know what else won't get you out of that hole? social welfare programs, at least in the US
they all have requirements to prove you REALLY need them, and the lines are drawn in such a way that they'll never bridge the gap between "almost scraping by" and "self-sufficient"
they all have requirements to prove you REALLY need them, and the lines are drawn in such a way that they'll never bridge the gap between "almost scraping by" and "self-sufficient"
the urge to keep it classy and NOT link my patreon here is surprisingly strong, but a girl's gotta eat
people are still telling me that the solution is to save your money and spend it wisely, even when presented with this example of why saving when you're poor is impossible
economic privilege is when you've never wiped out your life savings to pay the phone bill
economic privilege is when you've never wiped out your life savings to pay the phone bill
and you'll be forced to spend your life savings on something else the next month, because your life savings are really just a month's savings, on poverty wages
maybe now you have to pay the gas bill, because you had to ignore it last month, but they'll shut it off if you don't
maybe now you have to pay the gas bill, because you had to ignore it last month, but they'll shut it off if you don't
stop blaming poor people for being poor. we're doing all we can. and all we can do is not very much, because money is power, which makes us powerless
every capitalist knows that it takes money to make money, but for some reason they can't see the inverse: without money you can't profit. if you're in debt you'll get deeper in debt
not every time. there are other resources in play. but on average it's mathematically inevitable
not every time. there are other resources in play. but on average it's mathematically inevitable
so the rich get richer and the poor get poorer. as entropy increases, we tend toward the heat death of capitalism, where all but a very few have almost nothing
progressive taxation and social programs inject energy into the system. without them, the machine grinds to a halt
progressive taxation and social programs inject energy into the system. without them, the machine grinds to a halt
I'm not contradicting myself, the reason social programs as they're currently implemented fail is that they can't do enough, because we're not taxing the billionaires enough to fund them
no one deserves to be a billionaire. and no one deserves to be homeless
no one deserves to be a billionaire. and no one deserves to be homeless
and I'm serious, if you found this thread insightful because you've never been in my position, consider giving me money
the patreon link was earlier in the thread, here's my paypal paypal.me/teutholimax
but more importantly: normalize sharing wealth, and vote socialist
the patreon link was earlier in the thread, here's my paypal paypal.me/teutholimax
but more importantly: normalize sharing wealth, and vote socialist
