Comment by wernercd | Hacker News Reader

Comment by wernercd | Hacker News Reader

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> lucky. Incredibly lucky.

Yes... I was born in America.

Then I stopped relying on being lucky and took my poor ass (I grew up with a single parent and little to nothing) and worked my ass off to better myself (using the opportunities afforded in the wonderful country I was lucky enough to be born in).

> why should those less fortunate be allowed to live decently

The problem is definition of "decent". Poor people in America make 10x more than the AVERAGE global salary and have opportunities that people around the world envy. "I can't afford a good apartment" in other countries is "I can't eat and my kids are dying".

You say I'm lucky... I say you're entitled.

Funny thing is we're both correct and that still doesn't make "affordable housing" something that's realistically possible for 100% of people in 100% of the US much less the world.

> Then I stopped relying on being lucky

Oh no, you still rely on being lucky. Especially if you went from being very poor to having a college degree, so many things completely outside of your control must have gone in your favor for that to happen. That is the definition of luck.

> You say I'm lucky... I say you're entitled.

Since you know nothing about me, I'm assuming you are lashing out here because I touched on a sensitive area for you. Maybe rocked your sense of being solely responsible for all of the good things that you've been fortunate to have?

> Funny thing is we're both correct

No. I really don't have any sense of entitlement. You, however, are incredibly lucky, you've really been in the top 1% for statistics on poverty. Remember to pay it forward.

"you know nothing about me" You also know nothing about me, so that feeling is mutual. You don't know my story either there friend. I'm as lucky as any American who worked their asses off to be told by other entitled Americans (IE: You) that it wasn't hard work that got me to where I am.

"Lashing out" telling you the truth in an uncomfortable manner isn't lashing out... it's telling the truth. It's only lashing out if I... "touched on a sensitive areas for you". That sword cuts both ways.

I never said I controlled EVERYTHING... I already said I was lucky to be born American where even our poor people are so lucky they are in the top 1% of the world - past and present.

"I really don't have any sense of entitlement" Funny how many Americans says that while preaching from a platform of entitlement.

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