Poverty

[madboy]

Fatjim - if it weren't for the rednecks working, how would the poor afford the long necks? F***in slackers need to get off their lazy asses and start giving something back to society instead of take take take. I'm guessing from the nice suit you were wearing the other day that you're trolling

Buellbabe, if you don't know what an XBox is you're too old

Goblin...

[Fatjim]

I was kinda trolling, but not completely. I've got a question for all us red/white/brown necks here.

When you think of poor, what image comes to mind? for example, do you imagine a homeless blanket man, a huge woman with facial hair & 7 kids, a old person who can't get work cause they've spent 30 years working in a tyre factory.

I'm not justifying being poor, just that most people have an internal image of poverty in NZ (as apposed to Somalia) and I'd like to get a feel for what those images may be.

[The_Dover]

I think poor is not having a gixxer.

[Fatjim]

Bugger it Dover, you've started thinking. Whats next? Talking properly?

[MSTRS:Me]

And if you GIVE them the fish as opposed to making them WORK for the fish they will probably be less gratefull and appreciative of said fish and use them less wisely.

But maybe I'm a tad cynical.

Yeah, join the club (Cynics Inc.) - if you haven't worked for it, how you gonna appreciate it? Or have any respect for those that do....?

[Str8 Jacket]

Well obviously poverty in NZ is entirely different to poverty in Somalia etc. How ever in NZ we have people who 'struggle'. This is not poverty, poverty is when there is no housing, no work, no farming no food etc. In NZ almost anyone can get a benefit, they can be given food certificates, they can be bought clothes, fridges and have cheap medical care. Alot of these beneficiaries in some way are better of than those of us who work. This is what angers me! When I was 15 and still at school I was on the Independant Youth Benefit with $20 a week for groceries. My high school used to send debt collectors to my flat as I could not afford to pay my school fees etc so I had to drop out of school. Lucky I wasnt stupid enough to stay on the benefit I got a full time job which then gave me $40 week for groceries. Then I got an apprenticeship and was saved. In some ways I was lucky but I prefer to call myself motivated. I have never been on a benefit again and all though at times I struggle with debts etc I survive just like most "normal" people (not on benefits). Unfortunately we have idots breeding bigger idiots and no one to take responsibility for them so the Government "look after" them. The Government should be alot more strict with benefits and people who are able bodied should be made to some type of work or course that would take x amount of there time each week, if they dont turn up then they should lose their benefits. There are some people who genuinely need benefits, but alot dont they have become lazy self serving individuals and that is why there is so many shitty things happening in NZ now.

[Fatjim]

Hels, you quoted the question but didn't answer it. You might as well go back to work.

[Str8 Jacket]

Hels, you quoted the question but didn't answer it. You might as well go back to work.

Yeah sorry, I started to answer it and then went of on a tangent. Now I cant remember what I was trying to say... ah well womans perogative eh?! Ive taken your quote out now... happy?

[yungatart]

When you think of poor, what image comes to mind?

Overweight, dressed in track pants that are too small to cover their distended stomachs, barefoot or jandal clad, in desperate need of some soap and hot water, lank greasy hair. They are usually followed by their tribe of poorly behaved ill disciplined snot nosed whining brats, around the supermarket. The trolley has beer and wine for Africa, plenty of coke and chippies, ice cream, biscuits and lollies. No matter how hard you look, you cannot see any fruit, vegetables, meat, canned fish or indeed, anything of nutritional value - apart from the two loaves of bread and the jar of peanut butter. They get to the checkout ahead of you, order their carton of smokes and proceed to pay using a voucher from WINZ.
They pack their groceries, pausing only to yell at young Junior, while giving Junioress a biff around the ear.
They head out to the parking lot, load the bags into a van bought from the local "No deposit- only 60 easy payments" car yard, yelling all the while at their kids who know that playing with a trolley in the carpark is sure to put a dent in some rich bitches car, (who cares- not my car). Mum screams at them one more time, "If you f***en kids don't get in the f***en car now, I'll f***en bash you, now hurry the f*** up, we're going to McD's"
Trash, poor white trash or poor brown trash- makes no difference, they are just trash.
Does that help, Jim?

[Indiana_Jones]

Well poverty for the kids, mum and dad need the money for fags and the TAB

-Indy

[Swoop]

I think poor is not having a gixxer.

Poor IS having a gixxer because of all the repairs and higher insurance from binning them...

[The_Dover]

Poor IS having a gixxer because of all the repairs and higher insurance from binning them...

Good point, that's why I can't afford clothes, shoes or food.

[Swoop]

Good point, that's why I can't afford clothes, shoes or food.

NOW you are a perfect candidate for uncle heilens handouts! STOP all work and sit on your arse at the TAB...

Seig Heil!

[madboy]

I think youngatart has summed it up nicely. It's not a colour thing, it's not an education thing (as pointed out by Str8) it's an attitude thing. Like others have said, it's a choice. You may not be able to entirely control your income, but you can certainly choose your expenses. And you can control the general level of your income.

My upbringing was substantially different to Str8s (which may explain a few differences we have). I had well off parents, I lived in a lovely house in a lovely suburb and drove lovely cars. I had as much education as I wanted. I didn't even think of food/clothing/shelter as an issue because it was always there for me. But my parents weren't born with all of that, they worked for it. No one gave them money to give to me, or to buy me nice clothes. And fortunately they've been able to pass on to me a work ethic, so that I can start building my own life, reliant on no one but myself. And while I'm lazy and will always take the easy option, at least it's the easy option that I'm paying for!

Now look at the role models the "impoverished" have. Bit hard to instil positive attributes in the kids if you are completely devoid of them yourself.

[Skyryder]

Only those who have never known poverty claim it is a choice. Poverty is a result of bad decisions...............not from choosing to be poor.

Skyryder