I paid for my education. I paid for my move away from my parents'. I grew up in a privileged environment. I didn't like it.
Whatever it is I am today, was put together without a dime being kicked my way.
So, why is this news?
It's really a promo for his book. That's where he'll make the Real Money. Scam anyone?
Oh, for sure... but how did it become 'news'?
His publisher wrote the story (paid somebody) and sent it to the newspaper. The newspaper filled some space with a FeelGood story. Happens all the time.
possible to work one's way out of poverty, I think he missed it on two major factors: one, he wasn't fighting a psychological disadvantage (i.e., he wasn't drugged up, he wasn't a half bubble off plumb, etc.). Second, he ALWAYS knew where his next meal was coming from so long as he had that credit card in his back pocket.
There's no trick to any of the stuff he did when you KNOW you don't HAVE to and that you can climb out any time you want to.
I am so unimpressed.
Or did I miss something?
No, I don't think you did. He had a safety valve.
I didn't. I had my pride.
I'm like you are, everything i've accomplished was by my own hand. the only differance I see is that you said you grew up in a privileged enviorment. I'm just growing old and can't seem to grow up. Ross If it's to be, it's up to me
The credit card back door doesn't bother me so much as the lack of child support, student loans, credit card debt, first and last months rent, dependants, and other real life issues that keep the poor, poor. If I could've started from zero after college, I'd be doing pretty well right now. Instead, 10 years later I still owe 40,000 in student loans and am still paying credit cards that I haven't used since graduation. And I don't spend frivolously. I don't even own a biscuit joiner for Christ's sake! It's not like I bought a Domino with my grocery money!
There, we're back on topic ; )
-MJ
I hear you, bud. I'm with you.
-Zz
by most enlightened elites that the working poor in our society are chronically in that condition with no way out of their condition without the help of the government taking away money from other productive people and giving it to those working poor or through legislation that forces businesses to pay them more or provide free career education or some other means.
What this guy did just set that paradigm on its ear. He showed that by applying common sense and rationality to this condition, he was able to start with nothing and move up.
Yeah, that's news.
I don't see why you should label it a scam. He actually did what he did, and now he's leveraging his experience to create a saleable product. What's wrong with that?
- Owen -
Did he do it to prove it could be done or to make big bucks from the sale od a book? I bet the latter, but I'm a cynic.
Oh, for sure... but how did it become 'news'?
It's a "feature" story.
Yep.
Think about it. HE did it, SHE didn't. Difference is attitude. She was out to make a case for eternal poverty, he out to make a case for bootstrapping.
Don't let your prejudices get in the way, or you might miss something.
The free market provides the best mechanism for price valuation. It is also a zero sum game. Market economies tend to be implemented by democracies. Market losers are also voters. The entitlements about which you whine serve as preservation for the market system. It's telling that EVERY market economy also has an entitlements programs. Populist insurrections are easily placated with scraps. The US has the stingiest entitlements program among advanced western economies. If you don't like them, then this is the country for you.
I'm certainly not going to solve the problem of institutional poverty in a usenet post but it seems your paradigm toppling relies on an assumption that probably doesn't reflect reality.
I'm not sure why people are impressed by this "experiment." For one thing, it doesn't reflect conditions AND it needs a control. In the first trial, Adam Shepard carried 25.00, a gym bag AND a college education. In other words, that was a control run. Now we may conduct an experiment that reflects actual condition. In the next trial, we'll need to induce addiction and send Mr. Shepard onto the street in need of a fix AND material well-being. In the third trial, we'll damage part of his brain in order to create a mental disability. I'll withhold judgement until the experiment is complete.
"Robatoy" wrote
Strictly my opinion, but what's amazing to me about the article is the thinking, or lack thereof, of those taking exception to it ... makes me worry even more about the future of my kids in this culture.
Uncluttered thinking, sans politically tainted agendizing/correctness, must reach the conclusion that the credit card in the back pocket "safety valve" is arguably symbolic for "welfare" ... use of either guarantees continuing poverty.
(... I would have used the "net" in place of "valve")
... just my tuppence.
In other words, you'll make him a collectivist leftie?
But--addiction is a self-inflicted disability. While it would be nice to say that we want addicts as well as sociopaths, psycopaths and the mentally ill to have a "place at the table", it is also unrealistic. All the college education, counseling and social programs in the world are NOT going to help those unwilling or uncapable of utilizing them. What Adam Shepard did was show that a reasonably intelligent and motivated individual CAN pick himself up from nothing. Nothing world shaking there--I've done it myself, and so have several previous posters on this thread.
Wasn't it John Edwards who said he wanted everyone in America to have above average incomes?
The thing is, his generation has always had a safety valve, a credit card in the back pocket. One of his biggest lacks, a cell phone? Jesus, I still don't have a cell phone. I may buy a TracFone someday soon, but to me, a cell phone is just another electronic leash. "Oh, my boss must value me, 'cause he gave me a beeper!" Yeah. So anytime he feels like tugging on the leash... I think I was something like 27 before I had a telephone in my own name. It came under the "who needs it" doctrine. We didn't always feel the need to be "in touch" with others.
We went to a dinner show last night ("Evita", A. L. Webber really missed the mark on this one: it's awful--but, then, so was the real Eva Peron). As we left, my granddaughter flipped open her cell phone (off at the request of the civic center) and checked for messages the instant we were out of the theater. 10 p.m.? Who the hell are you going to call back then?
That sounds much more like Dan Quayle.
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