Welcome login | signup
Language en es fr
OccupyForum

Forum Post: Maybe it's me.

Posted 12 years ago on Oct. 6, 2011, 5:35 p.m. EST by randian33 (2)
This content is user submitted and not an official statement

What will the outcome of this be? We, Americans, need to stop blaming others for our current situations. Yes, there are things that are out of our hands but the responsibility remains ours. Lose your job? Find another one. Can't find one? Go flip burgers until you do. If a 16 year old can do it then an un-employed Bates French Lit major can certainly do it. The problem stems from our entitlement, work ethic and attitude. We are Americans people. Act like it.

27 Comments

27 Comments


Read the Rules
[-] 3 points by Divinityfound (112) from Lincoln, NE 12 years ago

I had that attitude when I was 16, 17, 18 and 2 months into when I was 19.

Try to do that when you have no family to house or feed you. You'll be quickly shocked to find how much dangerous and fragile life looks to you once you live on the fringe.

You'll get there one day to realize, life is not that easy for everyone... and odds are, there is a good chance you will be homeless at least once between ages 20 to 25...

The world is a grim and dark place, I hope that you can soon learn that.

And if you find a burger flipping job, just so you know, 4 other people are also competing for that job on average ;)

[-] 1 points by littleg (452) 12 years ago

Life need not be what you described for the poor and the middle class and that is exactly what we are fighting for. Fair opportunity for all.

[-] 1 points by Divinityfound (112) from Lincoln, NE 12 years ago

Amen.

[-] 3 points by Jolibear (47) from Greenfield, MA 12 years ago

Some people can't even find a job flipping burgers. And that's not going to pay enough to take care of a family or a mortgage if you already have one. Yes, there is a certain level of individual responsibility involved, but there is an overall problem caused by big banks and corporations corrupting the government, that is making it nearly impossible to get by regardless of how responsibly you handle life's problems.

[-] 3 points by ThinkHuman (35) 12 years ago

A 16 year old doesn't have the financial burdens of, say, a working single mother of two, and while those are her choices, what choice does she have if employers aren't hiring here because they've outsourced to other countries where wages can be much lower, relative to cost of living?

That's what corps are doing, among other dubious behavior. They employ people elsewhere but still get all the benefits and breaks of being an American corporation.

[-] 2 points by anonrez (237) 12 years ago

Exactly. Or if you're told that you are "overqualified" even for menial positions?

The unemployment for 16-29 year olds is 45%. It's not as if people aren't looking for work, no work is being given to them. Or if they are lucky enough to be employed, they are hit with healthcare fees, credit card fees, etc.

[-] 2 points by Divinityfound (112) from Lincoln, NE 12 years ago

It is absolute crap when you are told you are overqualified... so I have some skills others don't have... I NEED TO LIVE for crying out loud!

But being youthful, he will have plenty of time to experience the suffering of many americans in good time.

[-] 1 points by littleg (452) 12 years ago

It's unfortunate that Americans have to go through this. This is exactly the reason why people like FDR brought the new deal. Imagine if they hadn't provided, how much suffering the poor had to bear. The way I see it, there has to be a lot more pain like 1930s before Americans really wake up and take charge of their future.

[-] 1 points by anonrez (237) 12 years ago

Yes, history is repeating itself....we have a series of ruinous boom and bust cycles, regulations are erected to keep this in check and allow people a fighting chance at becoming middle class, the regulations are gradually eroded and now we're back to boom and bust....or maybe just bust.

[-] 3 points by anonrez (237) 12 years ago

It's you.

Exercising our First Amendment rights is American.

Demanding democracy and people participation in power is American.

No one here is asking for a handout. But we're tired of playing a rigged game.

http://wearethe99percent.tumblr.com/

[-] 1 points by chigrl (94) 12 years ago

AMEN randian33, amen.

[-] 1 points by Faithntruth (997) 12 years ago

Try raising one child on minimum wage. I owned three pairs of pants and wore them for years until they had holes in the patches. When minimum wage goes up, corporations raise the price of their products because they desire a continuous increase of profit. This is simply not sustainable in a closed system, which is what spurred globalization. Our wages reflect global competition for jobs, while we have not seen any real decrease in consumer pricing, even though we have seen increases in corporate profit.

[-] 1 points by gawdoftruth (3698) from Santa Barbara, CA 12 years ago

another post which could have bothered to organize with older posts instead of contributing to the scrawl.

[-] 1 points by ThinkHuman (35) 12 years ago

Is it possible to have the 'goal/solution' type posts stay at the top? Some of us are on rural broadband that, well, isn't, so scrolling to find an appropriate post to add to is excruciatingly slow and while we wait, the discussion has already moved beyond.

[-] 1 points by gawdoftruth (3698) from Santa Barbara, CA 12 years ago

yes, sounds like a fine idea. again, this whole site is epic failing to handle the load its getting and epic failing to provide reasonable organization. We have tried to address this and so far a week later nothing changes. We need sub forums, organization.. a wiki.. these things don't come... and everything goes to crap because everyones talking past each other.

[-] 1 points by ThirdParty2012 (52) 12 years ago

something I posted earlier:

What are we really upset about? The common thread is that we all feel sold out. We were. Neither party represents us as Americans, instead choosing to divide and conquer us all to garnish enough votes to control the masses. It's a tool called pandering. Who sold us out? Both Wall St. and Washington. One helps the other.. example...

China enjoys favored trade status with the US, thanks to both Dems and Repubs, while the Chinese manipulate currency values to keep their goods cheap.. uses slave prison labor... engage in unparalleled industrial espionage to steal intellectual property.. don't honor patents or trademarks.. in turn flooding our markets with cheap goods that we could never make here profitably. All while our politicians stand by and let it happen and while Wall St. ships the jobs overseas.. lowers their costs and they pocket the difference... and anyone who thinks the savings gets passed on to the consumer is gravely mistaken. China has this country by the throat, with Wall St. and Washington as their collaborators.

Why do they let this happen? Because there are too many profits at stake for Wall St.... and our politicians have sold too much of our debt to China to keep the gravy train rolling..

[-] 1 points by MyHeartSpits (448) 12 years ago

It's you. Our politicians are bought. Money has infected the system and none of us are represented. I'm not going to sit quietly while that is the case.

[-] 1 points by silvo (3) 12 years ago

We change ourselves for the best to change the world for the best

[-] 1 points by nycman (7) 12 years ago

yup...exactly right. This whole movement demonstrates how we as a society are failing.

[-] 1 points by nycman (7) 12 years ago

yup...exactly right. This whole movement demonstrates how we as a society are failing.

[-] 1 points by nycman (7) 12 years ago

yup...exactly right. This whole movement demonstrates how we as a society are failing.

[-] 1 points by nycman (7) 12 years ago

yup...exactly right. This whole movement demonstrates how we as a society are failing.

[-] 1 points by randian33 (2) 12 years ago

good. time to get back to work . . .

[-] 0 points by randian33 (2) 12 years ago

I don't mean to be insensitive. I have am no stranger to struggle. We all have been there at one or more points in our lives. Everything in our life is on us. We can make excuses or we can look in the mirror. There is not a lot in between after it is all said and done. This country was built on the foundation of self sustainment. Yes, take care of the sick and elderly but if you don't fall into that category, you need to contribute somehow. I know that is not the popular way of looking at things but that is the way I see it and what has made me who I am

[-] 0 points by randian33 (2) 12 years ago

People, what is an evil corporation? The purpose of a corporation is to make a profit. So when they make a profit, where do you think that money goes? It dosen't sit under their large corporate mattresses, it goes to the banks. And what do they banks do with that money? They invest it. And so the economy inhales and exhales. What would happen if the corporations didn't make money? What would happen if the products and services were not made? Maslow number one would be our new problem. The top decision makers of these corporations have spent their life honing their skills because of the incentive. Take that away and what will the outcome be?

[-] 1 points by anonrez (237) 12 years ago

For the past 30 years, profits have skyrocketed. The cost of living has skyrocketed. Wages have remained stagnant. And the average American is expected go into debt to finance the difference.

Your models are abstractions and have nothing to do with the real world of profound suffering being experienced by a majority of Americans. Record numbers are living in poverty, on food stamps, are without healthcare. Meanwhile our government gives away trillions of dollars to corporations and bends over backwards to ensure their executives and boards of directors can continue to live in luxury at the expense of the workers who carried them to success.

[-] 0 points by distortion (196) 12 years ago

What is it exactly that you think is going on with the people on wall street... i'm curious because i'm seeing more and more of these posts that refer to wall street protesters as well fare babies