Air Conditioning, Cable TV, and an Xbox: What is Poverty in the United States Today?

[vailpass]

Originally Posted by Backwards Masking

I'm single with no kids and I work 40 plus hours a week just to pay my bills and if I don't show to work i'm fired and then shortly after out on the street. I work around people with 3-5 kids who get FMLA for minor back problems, depression, and being over weight, who can call in or go home early anytime they want cause they "don't feel well". They're guaranteed to keep their jobs, get to keep all their Vacation Time and buy their kids any and everything they want.

I don't want to be a deadbeat, but damn am I jealous. Doing things the honest way just doesn't seem to be working when I compare myself to people proud of playing the sytem. And as the years go by it just seems like more and more "safety nets" for the "poor families" pop up, and the total numbers on my paychecks go down to help fund these safety nets. If it gets to the point where I'm better off living off the system, when is it OK to say "can't beat 'em, join em"?

You can do so much better for yourself by getting better jobs/higher income than you ever could by living off the system. Plus you can have pride and not hate yourself and be embarassed by who and what you are.

Why would you ever consider becoming what you now dislike and disrespect?