We spoiled Americans
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Canned
Member # 8014
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written Thursday, June 7 2007 12:26
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A lot of people know it. Most (if not all) countries know it. Even some Americans know it. Americans are spoiled. The country is rich, and most everyone is rich. However, some Americans are less spoiled. Others are more. Others are spoiled, relize it, and try not to be spoiled...like me (Note that I am an American). America is wealthy, but the wealth is not being used well. Who agrees that the wealth should be used much much better? -------------------- I can transform into almost anything, though not sanity. My brother tried to type something here. I just erased it. Posts: 1799 | Registered: Sunday, February 4 2007 08:00 |
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Agent
Member # 4574
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written Thursday, June 7 2007 12:42
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What kind of question is that? "How agrees that we should use the wealth well?" I think you should go ahead and define "well". Personally I think that we should stop spending so much on the military, and cut the amount of troops in other nations (Iraq, along with military advisors). Meanwhile, put some of this money into social welfare. However, only a certain amount of money can go to welfare, as the ones who use it well have no reason to work if the government will pay for their food and things. Also, cut some of the money that politicians get and put it into the healthcare system which needs real reform. What's more, stop giving corporations such big handouts and put that money into the environment. Oh yeah, abolish the IRS and create a federal sales tax. IRS money can help with healthcare and the environment. -------------------- Pass the sauerkraut and chips please. Posts: 1186 | Registered: Friday, June 18 2004 07:00 |
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Apprentice
Member # 8596
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written Thursday, June 7 2007 12:44
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A lot of things, wealth aside, could be used "a lot better" so to speak. For example, we could be using those sweatshops more efficiently by forcing them to work longer hours with less pay. We could also lower the average age of workers from 16 to possibly 12. Also, we could eat our young as well, as per A Modest Proposal by Jonathan Swift. It would minimize food costs and population issues in one fell swoop. [WARNING: This post may or may not contain satirical and/or sarcastic remarks.] Anyways, seriously though, there's a lot of waste cash allocated to various means primarily due to personal greed. It is mostly a matter of charity and compassion which for the most part falls drastically the higher up one goes. Even with figures who donate millions of dollars at a time to charities for whatever reason, you have to consider a million dollars out of Bill Gates pocket is equivalent to probably about ten cents to us on more normal wages. It isn't just America either, Africa is a struggling country with many people from many countries giving it what support it can, yet there are plenty of African warlords who simply sit on their assets with an iron fist and possibly golden AK-47s. [ Thursday, June 07, 2007 13:55: Message edited by: Imban's Cat-Eared Maid ] -------------------- ni~pah Posts: 28 | Registered: Friday, April 27 2007 07:00 |
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Guardian
Member # 2080
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written Thursday, June 7 2007 12:57
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Greed isn't limited to just one nation or organization. Some people are more greedy that others. It's human nature. Pure and simple -------------------- Did you know: When asked about his voicing of Unicron, Orson Welles is quoted as saying, "Unicron was the perfect character for me to play. I find it easy to relate to him. We're both the size of a planet and we both can eat said planet." Did you know: After the Holocaust, Germany decided that it takes at least 57 murders before they'll even consider prosecution and guys like Ted Bundy would known as 'Weekend Warriors' Did you know: Most facts on the internet are made up with little or no thought to decency or good sense. And that most of the people who make them die a lonely pathetic death. Posts: 1918 | Registered: Sunday, October 13 2002 07:00 |
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Law Bringer
Member # 335
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written Thursday, June 7 2007 13:03
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Is the American government misspending money? Yes. If you can vote, you can try to do something about it by electing better representatives. If you can't vote, you can still demonstrate and write angry letters and do all the standard attention-getting things. Are Americans misspending money individually? We have no right to tell people how to spend their money. We can like it or dislike it, but we can't mandate how personal wealth should be spent. [Edit: Africa's not a country. It's a lot of countries.] —Alorael, who puts some of that up to the endowment effect. It's fine not to let someone amass wealth (income tax), but it's much more difficult to let wealth be amassed and then seize or direct it. [ Thursday, June 07, 2007 13:37: Message edited by: Four Days to Retrospection ] Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00 |
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? Man, ? Amazing
Member # 5755
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written Thursday, June 7 2007 13:08
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I propose that everyone in the United States of America (because we shouldn't summariliy include the entire continent) should send all their money to Iffy. He can then distribute the wealth "better" and we can all be happy. If we aren't happy, or we feel he is doing a bad job, we can cut off his head and give all the money to someone else. Ad infinitum. Edit - But I guess I am just repeating what Alorael said. -------------------- WWtNSD? Posts: 4114 | Registered: Monday, April 25 2005 07:00 |
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Shock Trooper
Member # 5545
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written Thursday, June 7 2007 13:37
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What we need is a good socialist presidential candidate. I'll be old enough to vote in the next election, so I can dilude myself into believing that such a person could be elected. Americans, apparently, aren't the biggest fans of National Health Care and good schools. -------------------- Plaudite, amici, comedia finita est. Posts: 344 | Registered: Friday, February 25 2005 08:00 |
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Apprentice
Member # 8596
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written Thursday, June 7 2007 13:54
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I'll gladly take large sums of money into -------------------- ni~pah Posts: 28 | Registered: Friday, April 27 2007 07:00 |
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Canned
Member # 8014
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written Thursday, June 7 2007 14:02
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I forgot to add in my first post of "share your opinions on how the money should be spent. Anyway, I belive that America right now has a piece of crap government and president. Good news is, Bush will be out of the white house in 2008. Unless he gets thrown out before then. Most everyone in America is spoiled (you know, yummy junk crap, ipods, etc.). Though some at least think and try. -------------------- I can transform into almost anything, though not sanity. My brother tried to type something here. I just erased it. Posts: 1799 | Registered: Sunday, February 4 2007 08:00 |
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Agent
Member # 8030
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written Thursday, June 7 2007 14:15
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Note: Federal spending is not managed by one person, thousands would be a more appropriate number. Many Americans concur that ending involvement in Iraq would save millions in funds. We have no reason to interfere with other countries affairs, neither do we have the right to demand that other nations cease research on nuclear weapons. The IRS needs to be replaced by a more expeditious and less corrupt system. Congress should quit printing out money to pay debts, or we'll end up like Germany after WWI. The federal reserve bank should be removed, and be replaced by competing banks who create money. That solves inflation problems. The AMA and Teacher's Union have a monopoly, and should be broken up with all speed. Hospital's charge exorbitant prices, if anyone else charged exorbitant prices like that they'd be charged with price gouging. The tremendous amounts of money spend to satisfy grossly expensive hospital bills could them go towards medicare and what not. The government spends too much money on researching useless things. The government once had Boeing and some other company compete to make a new type of military aircraft. In my opinion, that's a much less costly way to research, as the companies have loads of money in their back pockets. Why does America need such a large army? We're the most technologically advanced country in the world in terms of military. Military should only be used in defense, and congress should decide whether or not we go to war. Americans should be able to own property. Who cares if you construct your own house? We shouldn't have to ask the government permission for every inane little thing in the world. If the government got rid of bogus licenses and laws, they'd have more money because they aren't enforcing the oppression of almost every citizen in the U.S. Americans in general waste money. Enormous quantities of perfectly edible food is thrown away. People blast the heater on in the winter, when they could just throw on a sweater. If people tried to live where they work, they could simply walk or ride a bike to work. Not only would that save tons of money, health would improve drastically. We don't need lights on when we're nowhere in the room, we don't need to drown our yards, we don't need to take horrendously long showers, and we definitely don't need the heaps of junk in our garage we never use. People shouldn't complain about homeless people, or individuals who aren't perfectionists with their yards. We're financially oppressed by society! Why should you be angered by someone who doesn't want to weedeat every day? [ Thursday, June 07, 2007 14:16: Message edited by: Excalibur ] -------------------- WWJD? Posts: 1384 | Registered: Tuesday, February 6 2007 08:00 |
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Off With Their Heads
Member # 4045
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written Thursday, June 7 2007 15:06
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Yeah, I think we totally spoiled Americans. Americans were perfectly good until we came along. Wait, what are we talking about? EDIT: Say "no" to two-legged walking creatures with sharp sticks! [ Thursday, June 07, 2007 15:17: Message edited by: Kelandon ] -------------------- Arancaytar: Every time you ask people to compare TM and Kel, you endanger the poor, fluffy kittens. Smoo: Get ready to face the walls! Ephesos: In conclusion, yarr. Kelandon's Pink and Pretty Page!!: the authorized location for all things by me The Archive of all released BoE scenarios ever Posts: 7968 | Registered: Saturday, February 28 2004 08:00 |
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Infiltrator
Member # 7298
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written Thursday, June 7 2007 15:29
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I find complaining/whining/debateing with out haveing a plan to change said problems. How are you going to convince 300 million americans the change their spending habits so that they arne't as wasteful? Not saying we shouldn't change but honestly how many people can honestly say they could resist the temptation to spend extranvently? Every anceint superpower has demonstrated the problems the U.S. has now. Sure the US is being extremly wasteful in its resources and that will proably be the death of it unless we get our act togehter. How is that different from any other past super power? -------------------- A rock has weight whether you admit it or not Posts: 479 | Registered: Wednesday, July 12 2006 07:00 |
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Agent
Member # 3364
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written Thursday, June 7 2007 15:34
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I will agree with you partway. America and it's people are fairly wealthy when compared to the world, but being spoiled is a matter of character not of wealth. You can be poor and still be spoiled. People living off government welfare with no intention of trying to make their own money come to mind. Some wealthy people are spoiled, some are not. I am very grateful for the opportunities and trappings my life affords, but after my trip to Nicaragua where people live off an average of 70 cents a day, I was jealous of them. They don't have it easy by any means, but their simpleness of life is wondrous. I could live there, even on 70 cents a day, and be happy. As for spending money better... there's always room for improvement. If I could, I would suggest diverting our space program (money and minds) to finding a better renewable energy source that could be utilized in an engine. We have ethanol now but it's not very efficent. Once we have such a sorce of energy the space program could resume it's normal schedule and I don't think anyone would notice the absence. -------------------- "Even the worst Terror from Hell can be transformed to a testimony from Heaven!" - Rev. David Wood 6\23\05 "Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, as long as you ever can." - John Wesley Posts: 1001 | Registered: Tuesday, August 19 2003 07:00 |
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Shock Trooper
Member # 5545
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written Thursday, June 7 2007 16:42
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quote:That totally outdid my puny little post on the subject in Shadow Vale. I weep at my inadiquacy. -------------------- Plaudite, amici, comedia finita est. Posts: 344 | Registered: Friday, February 25 2005 08:00 |
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Apprentice
Member # 6885
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written Thursday, June 7 2007 16:56
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quote:I usually just lurk on the boards here... but I'm sorry I have to say something. That part of your statement is ridiculous. Most everyone in the US is NOT rich. There are millions and millions of 1. out-of-work people in the US 2. extremely low-income people in the US 3. homeless people in the US I forget the true current status, but it's something like less than 5% of the population in the US has something like 70% of the total wealth. The country as a whole is a lot better off (in some ways) than a lot of other countries, but to make a blanket statement like "Most everyone in the US is rich" is ludicrous. [ Thursday, June 07, 2007 16:59: Message edited by: narpet ] -------------------- May all your hits be crits! Posts: 23 | Registered: Friday, March 10 2006 08:00 |
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Law Bringer
Member # 335
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written Thursday, June 7 2007 18:15
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I disagree with Excalibur on many details, but an actual list of changes that would help is a very important first step. As for living spoiled lives, well, you're using a computer with internet access to post this. You've got fancy gadgets, electricity, free time, and probably the money that usually goes with all that. Why not give it all up, sell whatever you can on eBay, and donate the proceeds to improving the world? We may not deserve the largesse we've been given by life, but that doesn't mean we're obligated not to enjoy it. —Alorael, who tries to consume wisely and in moderation. He, however, does not think he wants to live on 70¢ per day. Actually, he's pretty sure most Nicaraguans would rather have money too. Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00 |
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Guardian
Member # 5360
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written Thursday, June 7 2007 18:21
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That is one of the major selling points of true communism. -------------------- May the fires of Undeath burn in your soul, and consume it. Posts: 1636 | Registered: Wednesday, January 5 2005 08:00 |
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Law Bringer
Member # 4153
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written Thursday, June 7 2007 18:26
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I believe this should end the argument over whether or not American society typifies excess. -------------------- Thuryl: "Runescape: for people who are too stupid to save their games." Gamble with Gaea, and she eats your dice. Posts: 4130 | Registered: Friday, March 26 2004 08:00 |
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Agent
Member # 27
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written Thursday, June 7 2007 18:33
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quote:I don't know man, that's a pretty efficient meal. All it needs is a syrup dipping sauce. EDIT: quote:wooOOOOooo! pure comic gold. [ Thursday, June 07, 2007 19:46: Message edited by: Enraged Slith ] Posts: 1233 | Registered: Wednesday, October 3 2001 07:00 |
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? Man, ? Amazing
Member # 5755
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written Thursday, June 7 2007 18:45
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I am tempted. Very tempted. If only they made it taste good too. I could just make that at home though, as I have the ingredients. Mmmmm chocolate. -------------------- WWtNSD? Posts: 4114 | Registered: Monday, April 25 2005 07:00 |
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Shaper
Member # 6292
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written Thursday, June 7 2007 18:56
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narpet made the point that jumped out at me. There are an ever-increasing number of Americans who are by no means rich. The middle class is being gutted. The rich are getting richer and the poor are getting poorer. It is a very interesting historical study to see what enables a middle class to exist at all in the first place, and the requirements have evaporated in recent decades. The middle class as we have known it in America may, for some time at least, become a thing of the past. That said, I can't help agreeing with the sentiment that we are, practically speaking, even when with relatively little money, quite spoiled and blessed to a degree we scarcely comprehend. A relatively low income American today with electricity, hot and cold running water, a supermarket down the road, and a car to drive, lives better than kings and queens of 100 years ago, arguably. I love my country, and want to do my part to help make it a better place, but I cringe and feel ashamed all too often being an American. I can't say I'm proud to be an American, because I think we need more humilty, rather than pride, if anything, but I can say I'm happy to be one, as bratty and obnoxious and petty and myopic and absurd as we are. -S- -------------------- A4 Items • A4 Singleton • G4 Items • G4 Forging • G4 Infiltrator • NR Items • The Lonely Celt Posts: 2009 | Registered: Monday, September 12 2005 07:00 |
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Canned
Member # 8014
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written Friday, June 8 2007 05:53
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I am not saying that America is the only rich country...I am saying that America has just grown rich and the children...the generation that is now is used to all this junk crap. I have heard people say like "finally! No more teachers! No more school!" Yet they are lucky to have an education. Also, I get kicked around for being smart some of the time at school. Mainly what I mean is the pre-teens/teenagers that are the real spoiled ones here. (Whith a few spoiled adults mixed in) The wealth also explains the millions of immagrints that are both helping and hurting the economy. -------------------- I can transform into almost anything, though not sanity. My brother tried to type something here. I just erased it. Posts: 1799 | Registered: Sunday, February 4 2007 08:00 |
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Warrior
Member # 4638
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written Friday, June 8 2007 07:17
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Someone close this thread, it is based on a completely undirected and inane premise. Who thinks we should be wiser about how we open threads? -------------------- You are asleep. Be careful what you pretend to be because you are what you pretend to be. So it goes. Posts: 93 | Registered: Tuesday, June 29 2004 07:00 |
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Agent
Member # 27
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written Friday, June 8 2007 09:06
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That's a parental problem, not an American problem. Posts: 1233 | Registered: Wednesday, October 3 2001 07:00 |
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Canned
Member # 8014
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written Friday, June 8 2007 09:22
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Ceylon, shut up. You constantly say "Oh close this thread". Just stop bringing yourself to attention, I don't want a flame war. And your not a mod. Back on topic...what I said was I mean the American part, I wasn't talking about the parental problem. Parents aren't always in control. Besides, this topic has to do with America's wealth...the reason so many people are spoiled. And I find it ironic how I am a target in the real world and on the internet. *laughs* -------------------- I can transform into almost anything, though not sanity. My brother tried to type something here. I just erased it. Posts: 1799 | Registered: Sunday, February 4 2007 08:00 |