Why I am not a Millionaire (link)

You know, money and wealth are topics that people seem to have an all or nothing opinion of, and I really dont get it.

Either you are living in a shack in the woods living off the land and mooching internet off other people, or youre living in a "McMansion" franctically buying and consuming which you pay for by being chained to a desk in an airless windowless corporate prison, basing your enitre identity on material goods playing right into the hands of "THEM". eeeem... what if you do neither?

What happened to balance? Why does it have to be one or the other?

I dont live in a McMansion (nor would I. I dont have a love of house work as it is!!) but I happen to be pretty fond of my tumble dryer and not slaughtering my own food. I chose to have my own internet access because its a lot easier that it was having to go to the library to use theirs every day, which I did for over a year while going through my "Damn the system". And you know what, I chose to embrace some of the things that require money. I enjoy them, I prefer to have them than not. They are provided to me through the work of others, so yes, I must compensate them in some way for their efforts and resources.

We are not "slaves to a system". We can leave the system if we genuinely want to, but most of us chose the convenience and ease over the alternatives. Its about balance. I happen to have a job that I love, a not-crappy apartment that im very happy in, in a city that I quite like surrounded by "money worshiping consumers". And it doesnt bother me. I dont "chase money" or obsess over it, but I chose to have the things that it can get me.

Brenna wrote: You know, money and wealth are topics that people seem to have an all or nothing opinion of, and I really dont get it.

Either you are living in a shack in the woods living off the land and mooching internet off other people, or youre living in a "McMansion" franctically buying and consuming which you pay for by being chained to a desk in an airless windowless corporate prison, basing your enitre identity on material goods playing right into the hands of "THEM". eeeem... what if you do neither?

What happened to balance? Why does it have to be one or the other?

I dont live in a McMansion (nor would I. I dont have a love of house work as it is!!) but I happen to be pretty fond of my tumble dryer and not slaughtering my own food. I chose to have my own internet access because its a lot easier that it was having to go to the library to use theirs every day, which I did for over a year while going through my "Damn the system". And you know what, I chose to embrace some of the things that require money. I enjoy them, I prefer to have them than not. They are provided to me through the work of others, so yes, I must compensate them in some way for their efforts and resources.

We are not "slaves to a system". We can leave the system if we genuinely want to, but most of us chose the convenience and ease over the alternatives. Its about balance. I happen to have a job that I love, a not-crappy apartment that im very happy in, in a city that I quite like surrounded by "money worshiping consumers". And it doesnt bother me. I dont "chase money" or obsess over it, but I chose to have the things that it can get me.

Well Brenna some countries still haven't succombed to unfettered capitalism yet. I knew a guy from Denmark and man the stories he would tell... it sounded like paradise! Free education, job security, human rights, health care, etc. Another guy from Canada... Another guy from NZ... They all had these wonderful stories like yours. I mean I can't even imagine what it's like to live in a country where you can get health care. I haven't even looked at a dentist in 20 years.

Maybe the US people see everything as "shack in the woods" vs "McMansion in Beverly Hills" because that's how things really are in the US right now. The majority of people are either obscenely wealthy or obscenely poor. And the people who slightly above poverty are offended when they hear that poor people have internet or that prisoners get food and TV.

Whyte Horse wrote: Well Brenna some countries still haven't succombed to unfettered capitalism yet. I knew a guy from Denmark and man the stories he would tell... it sounded like paradise! Free education, job security, human rights, health care, etc. Another guy from Canada... Another guy from NZ... They all had these wonderful stories like yours. I mean I can't even imagine what it's like to live in a country where you can get health care. I haven't even looked at a dentist in 20 years.

Maybe the US people see everything as "shack in the woods" vs "McMansion in Beverly Hills" because that's how things really are in the US right now. The majority of people are either obscenely wealthy or obscenely poor. And the people who slightly above poverty are offended when they hear that poor people have internet or that prisoners get food and TV.

I would like to point out here that I lived in Southern Africa for 20 years where there is no socialised anything. No free education. No healthcare. The only difference is there we had to pay for insurance so things had to be reprioritised. And my opinion remains the same.

Id like to also point out that New Zealand isnt exactly nirvana. Our personal income tax rate is high, our goods and sales tax is stupidly high. Tax on gas sits at almost 40% of the cost. Every time you turn around youre being taxed for something, I get taxed annually for owning a dog! A chihuahua! But it is well managed and pays for the things it should. Land is horrifically expensive (teeeny island) which means that the rent on my tiny apartment is in a week what the average 4 bedroom McMansion in the States costs in a month.

Only emergency and public hospital care is free (though you are expected to pay a percentage of your care). Its still costs me $70 to go to my GP. Although most "essential" medications are heavily subsidised so it helps. No dental if youre over 18 sadly. and dental is extremely expensive here.

Education is free for children whose families are on low incomes, above a certain threshold, you pay. Or "donate" as they like to say. Tertiary education is not free either and is one of the priciest in the world (mainly because its designed to fleece wealthy asian students)

Job security? We still have to work hard to stay employed. Its not like you can sit around with a bad attitude and a poor work ethic. And you may want to do some research on the state of our manufacturing industry and our various utilitys companies. There have been regular protests and strikes because of downsizing and retretchments. Our economy has been somewhat shaken lately too.

Prisoners here have better medical care and a higher standard of living than the majority of pensioners.

My point is that there is no perfect paradise. Mine is not a "wonderful story". I work hard, I pay taxes like anyone else. Yes I buy stuff but I prioritise and my perspective on my life and circumstances is not one of "Im trapped by a system". I am certainly in the system, but that is my choice.


Edit- and even though we do live in a wonderful country with it's many benefits, people still complain that they are trapped by the system which stops them from getting ahead.

I know there is no perfect place. I'm frequently reminded of that when Americans say "Well man if u don't like it here u can go to China". But you expect a certain level of human decency when you live in the wealthiest country ever in the history of the world... but it's really quite the opposite.

Anyway enough complaining about the US. It is what it is and it ain't what it ain't. To take yourself out of the system is the first step towards objectivity.

, I get taxed annually for owning a dog!

What's the justification for that? Is it more than just a dog license?

I get taxed annually for owning a dog!

What's the justification for that? Is it more than just a dog license?

I'm sure it is because the dog (no matter how small) takes up space. It is a small island after all.

And the people who slightly above poverty are offended when they hear that poor people have internet or that prisoners get food and TV.

Yes, I get offended when a woman with 15 kids refuses to get a job and demands more from the government. Certainly, the arguement can be made that she cant get a job with 15 kids, but birth control is readily available in the US in a variety of ways.

Yes, I am offended that prisoners will get taken care of medically better than I can provide for my wife and child. Because I am in fact above poverty level, so the cost insurance, healthcare, etc goes up.

Yes, I am offended when someone lives on there internet knowing that there food, housing, etc is all taken care of.

Being able to offended is important.

Why would you want to change something/see something change if it didnt bother you?

Lots of stuff bothers me, and I wouldnt pretend otherwise.

However I am not addicted to money, or things that money gets me, but I do enjoy both. I also enjoy my job, well most times, sometimes I dont. But work isnt always supposed to be enjoyable.

I also dont turn a blind eye to the facts though, and the fact is, in America, people confuse living simply by being a parasite off of everyone else and thats not the same thing at all.

If your living simply at someone elses expense, then the importance of money has not changed. Someone else is just footing the bill for your lazy ass.

Khaos wrote:

And the people who slightly above poverty are offended when they hear that poor people have internet or that prisoners get food and TV.

Yes, I get offended when a woman with 15 kids refuses to get a job and demands more from the government.

.

You're offended by a scenario that you invented.

Donkey wrote:

Khaos wrote:

And the people who slightly above poverty are offended when they hear that poor people have internet or that prisoners get food and TV.

Yes, I get offended when a woman with 15 kids refuses to get a job and demands more from the government.

.

You're offended by a scenario that you invented.

There was a guy in my area who had over 30 children, and is asking for a break in child support.

I have lived slightly below and slightly above the poverty line. I am not nor do I get upset about my financial problems. I use my money to buy exactly what I need, and I use whatever left to aid my community. There is no point in being offended, you can't bring money with you when you die. All that matters is that you are able to live and survive, to hell with what someone else wants. Being envious of others blinds you from what you have. Be happy for what you got, and live your life as best you can.