If you’re a capitalist or a socialist or somewhere in between, I think we should try to find common ground that this isn’t a good position for society or the future.
With recent political events, I’m hopeful (and it has been some time since I’ve had hope). Just have to keep up the momentum.
“Apathy is the glove into which evil slips it’s hand.” Stay involved. This isn’t a call to a particular party, but to compassion and empathy, regardless of whom champions it.
[1] https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2017/03/20/a-wider-par... (first graphic)
[2] https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/millennials-are-leaving...
Common ground can be found with everyone. I've found you can get those who hate capitalism to suggest capitalist ideas. I've found you can get those who hate socialism to suggest socialist ideas, especially around the ideas of safety nets regarding children, cancer and other health concerns.
Republicans have tried to take away social security and medicaid/care, but their voters will not have it.
So you're right that the old mantra about a poor American being in the top 10% of the world is no longer true. Having made that concession, we should also recognize that the poor in the US are still much better off than the poor in a lot of other countries. That group of countries has just been shrinking over the past 30 years.
Our main societal concern should be, "How do we reverse that trend?" Because more and more of the middle class are joining the ranks of the poor, and though it's only my opinion, I don't think that will end well for us.
Statistical measures of poverty are set in terms of being able to afford the basic necessities of life, such as food, housing, medical care, transport, education and communications. Relative standing is irrelevant.
Further, having 10 times more income (or wealth) than subsistence farmer in sub-Saharan Africa is meaningless if your cost of living is 1000 times higher than that of a subsistence farmer in sub-Saharan Africa. Poor Americans aren't paying sub-Saharan African prices; they're paying American prices, and that means their income does not go very far.
The problem with asking the government to fix this in some way is that you'll most likely ensure the absolute floor of the pricing with be set higher.
It's all those beautiful first world regulations we set out subsiding the price paid that ensure pricing is high, not capitalism. I'm not saying remove them but if we can not recognise the the true source of the problems it's hard to improve it meaningfully.
If unintentional, perhaps you should consider your life and behavior in view of the three ghosts referenced in that novella.
Anyone who wants to change this will be fighting an uphill battle against cultural norms, vested business interests and ideological positions.
I could tell you but I'll be b& from commenting. :-)
Maybe some republicans simply think realistic solutions are not those you believe will work.
The government keeps the roads fixed and the playing field level and the country safe. People, as individuals say what the future looks like.
FWIW, that's only true in America, which is only 5% of the world's population.
Hundreds of millions of people around the world have it much better.
This isn’t a dinner party conversation of whether I’d rather be a feudal lord in 1270 Britain or an American living paycheck to paycheck in 2020.
Or they might be downvoted because this community skews towards makers, and “it’s better than it was so why talk about how to fix its problems?” is the antithesis of building, creating, making. It is the antithesis of the very real work of progress.
Those kings lacked modern luxuries, to be sure. They even lacked most modern comforts. Those kings of the past did not have to worry about being homeless and were unlikely to worry about putting food on the table. When it comes to the essentials, their needs were met and (for the most part) they did not have to concern themselves with losing it due to their economic position. While they may be concerned with losing those essentials due to the politics of the era, that is something entirely different.
Edit: for clarity.