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double edged sword.
some people make bad decisions in life. drug abuse. amassing a criminal record. some get involved with the type of people who drag them down rather than lift them up. those things can contribute to one’s financial status. they really don’t have anyone to blame but themselves .
let’s be real. it is very expensive to live in California. especially Los Angeles. rent is out of control. car registration & insurance is very costly. and that can be difficult for someone to get ahead even with a job. some have to work at least two to get by. and if they have a family then it gets even more challenging.
so there can be multiple factors which determine one’s financial status. it’s sad to see someone struggle when they are doing the best they can and going about it the right way.
it is sad to see anybody struggle financially but when the cause of those struggles is self inflicted, there’s a little less sympathy.
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Im only rich in personality.....lol
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Blame definition: the act of holding someone responsible for a negative outcome or wrongdoing, involving censure, fault-finding, or assigning culpability, often leading to feelings of resentment and anger
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It’s easy to blame poor people for their economic status, but when you look at generational poverty, it has less to do with decisions people make and more to do with opportunities people have.
I’ll give you a concrete example. I used to work at a place that exposed students from low-income families to various aspects of science through hands-on experiences. The parents of most of these students had jobs like service workers, janitors, etc. None of these parents were engaged in professional careers such as engineers, doctors, biotech researchers, etc. So their students were never exposed to those kinds of careers, were unaware of those types of jobs, and consequently never even would think of pursuing jobs in STEM (science, technology, engineering, math).
STEM jobs pay very well, but if such careers aren’t even on your radar as a young person, it is likely you will continue with the cycle of generational poverty. By exposing these students to STEM careers through engaging classes and experiences, we were helping to break this cycle and provide these students with the knowledge and incentives to become part of the STEM workforce some day.
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Too many variables, beginning we with the class you're born into, values instilled, self discipline. academic/entrepreneurial talent, opportunities, things missingfrom this list & a million choices to make. Rich/poor is regional and not a you are/are not thing.
I'd say most factors are 'user choices' with some more/less impacting, but too many others to determine blame.
Or am I in a too-serious mood right now?
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Harpooner - respectfully, you cherry picked reasons to support your "concrete example."
Where me & my siblings are vs my prior generations are worlds apart. We are far from alone.
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It’s all who you know lol
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Socaliam - The example I gave was from personal experience. We had data to support our program goals, including the number of people of color (most of our program participants were people of color from low-income families) in STEM careers and the average income of various STEM jobs vs non-STEM jobs.
In terms of achieving our intended outcomes, a significant number of our students went on to college and then STEM careers. In most cases, they were the first people in their family to do so. And having STEM careers allowed them to earn considerably more than their parents who often worked in the service industry, thus breaking generational poverty within their family.
I am not saying there aren't other reasons for poverty, but generational poverty is real, pernicious, and difficult to overcome for a number of reasons. My example provided one way that was successful in helping to derail generational poverty.
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Maybe if they were really rich at first
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Being poor is actually really expensive. Poor folk usually can’t benefit from Economies of scale, buying in bulk etc..Poor people generally pay more for everything. It’s a difficult situation to elevate from. Education helps but loans for education hinder the ability to transition out of poverty. You eat what you kill, everyone ends up being someone else’s dinner.
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big1234: 100% being poor was the most expensive part of my life lol
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life can be pretty fucking hard
government services definitely helping lots of people... they also make things pretty fucking shitty.
CAL gas expected to go over 7 dollar a gallon next summer. that might keep ya down a little more... or definitely take the 300 or 400 dollars monthly(you mighta had extra to invest) - not sure how many an withstand it to much longer.
probably why you see less people having kids (unless you are playing the EIC thing 
best thing young people can do.... learn about money. live within their means... get the side gig going that will help with the investing (in self or in market)
maybe read the book - richest man in babylon. .... i call that the great equalizer. i have seen it in action over the last 40years... people that never ever made more than 50k... but now easily in the top 2 percent. funny thing is... they still don't spend the money. ... these are dumb asses btw. but were diligent on the savings and spending.
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I remember not being allowed to get a plastic kite because it cost 10 cents. I was only allowed to choose a paper kite that cost 5 cents. I remember we couldn't buy blueberries because they cost too much. Never had the cool trendy clothes or shoes either. I just remembered being taught not to waste money.
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No person can exist independent of their environment. No one can be completely responsible for anything that they do.
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Life is all about probability and percentages. The less stability you have (financial, emotional,etc) the easier it is to get caught in a loop of high risk seemingly high reward situations. Blame is such a binary concept. Life is full of nuances. I’ve seen stupid people make a lot of money. I’ve seen geniuses die broke. Everything is relative to a series of choices, but sometimes the choices make themselves.
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I suspect the poor get blamed for their poverty so the rich can claim the legitimacy of their wealth.
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But it’s all a vicious cycle… you hear stories from cops and social workers that people suck because they’re burnt out and have to deal with issues that they really shouldn’t be dealing with. Racism still exists, Julie who has blonde hair and speaks good English will probably get the job vs Maria who is darker and speaks broken English even if they have the same qualifications.
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I think poverty is built into the monetary system itself. That means there will always be people who are left holding the bag.
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Everyone is born into both benefits and hindrances revolving around a person’s family wealth, level of education, role models, living environment (safe or dangerous), genetic makeup (intelligence, physical ability, appearance), etc.
You benefit or suffer from where you come from. Factors that are almost always beyond your control affect your future success potential.
Social mobility is difficult. Poor people should not be blamed for being poor.
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^ I’d be careful including intelligence as a part of genetic makeup. Calling poor people unintelligent, not quite ready to cross that bridge. I will say this, poor people are the grease that keeps the global economic engine running.
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I didn't label anyone dumb or smart. Intelligence is a factor in every single person--rich or poor--and plays a significant role in a person's future success or failure.
Rich people (who inherit their money, for example) who are dumb can make poor decisions and take unreasonable risks that can result in them becoming poor. That's why rich people have trusts to help ensure the assets they've accumulated isn't squandered by dumb and irresponsible heirs.
Poor people who are smart can figure out ways to avoid dangerous situations and can strategically place themselves where opportunities may present themselves despite significant challenges. But the challenges they face, including familial pressures, scrambling to survive, availability of quality education, etc., makes it much more difficult for them realize their intellectual potential.
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Very true - poverty IS built into the system. When everyone gets more money, remember COVID with all the government subsidies?, the powers that be cry inflation, and we are just as poor as ever.
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Personal choices can affect someone’s financial situation... I have heard of people coming to this country with very little that are now successful millionaires....Up to you !
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Good morning,
This is a very general, complex & at time difficult question to provide a simple answer.
Each & every person are to be evaluated on their own merits & circumstances. There is a pattern of results in different groups of people facing financial hardship. Their behavior, thought process, confronting problems & solving them, upbringing, influences, etc. contributes to their tough, hard & difficult financial situation. Should the individual make a misstep along the way, it would compound their hardship. This is the test each of us face. Many, if not most will falter & slid deeper into the well of financial darkness. The decision they make is very telling. Hence, the individual will be evaluated on their own merits.
Bear in mind, we are all responsible for our final decision. What ever befall upon us are solely our own doing.
Some are in temporary financial hard times & manage to overcome their short fall. While others could never recover & climb out of it. Then, there are others who gets deeper into the depths of financial hardship. They kept spiraling downwards into the abyss.
This is a great country with limitless & boundless opportunity and 2nd (3rd, 4th..... nth deg. of multiple chances) chance. Many people took multiple occasions to climb to the next plateau.
Their resilience, tenacity, determination, drive &making good decision will eventually claw their way upwards & onwards out of their financial abyss.
Many of my friends & successful businessmen I encountered possesses the quality & personality stated above. They shared the same mental toughness & travelled the similar journey mentioned above.
It is a long & hard journey. If it was easy, every individual will be swimming in money.
As stated previously, we are solely responsible for our own outcome. Therefore all of our circumstances are our sole doing.
In the eyes of the public view & scrutiny, we will encounter comments & conclusion whether if are to be blame for our circumstances.
It is not how high we fall from & how hard we hit the bottom. It is how hard we fight to climb back & beyond that is the writing of our next chapter.
I hope this clarify who or what, if any at all is to receive the blame .
Good day
Regards
Rory
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Would this convo be much different if we removed the word "blame." It kinda shoves it in a certain direction.
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Some people aren�t willing to take risks or step out of their comfort zone. If more people would, less people would be broke. Some people are us unwilling to do things that are uncomfortable even for a short time even if there are long term financial benefits. I would say a good portion of broke people would be less broke if they where willing to make change within.
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It all depends on context.
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Are you speaking about the conditions in our country or in general through out the world?
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Good evening,
This is a response to the post about individuals who are faced with low income as a result of parents in non STEM jobs.
Please visit the science dept. (applied science, natural science, earth science..... etc.) at any university (real accredited university. Not DeVry, ITT tech, Westwood College of Technology etc.). You will most certainly notice a LARGE group of students who make up a Large percentage of the student body. Within this specific group, more than 60% of the students are students of the sciences.
This group of students (many of them not all) whose parents are immigrants (in some cases, the students are immigrants as well). Their parents are ESL, non college grads, have non stem jobs, low income menial jobs. Interestingly, These students make up a large population of the engineering dept. I am very confident, those who attended any university know what group of students I am inferring.
In conclusion, Students in the study of the Sciences doesn't have to come from parents who works in STEM jobs. They just have to have parents who are encouraging, supportive & strongly reinforce the importance of university education not necessary in the field of the sciences ( other field of studies Accountancy, Law, Medicine... etc. are equally helpful).
1 - Good parents make good children.
2 - Individuals regardless of their parents educational level & occupation, need to take full responsibility for their own action.
Every single individual who works in low income menial jobs I encountered, always put down college education.
Their retorts are :
'College aren't everything'.
Reply: It is most certainly a step / avenue towards financial stability
'College isn't for everyone'
My reply: College is for everyone. Not everyone is willing to work/study hard to attend college.
'They (University grads) are only books smart, I am street smart',
My reply: How is street smart going for you? Does knowing the street names generate a high income & provide a steady job & income?
'I know someone who did not finish high school & became a millionaire'
My reply: Do you know anyone else? So, are you going to be the next high school drop out millionaire?
'I didn't go to college and I know more than my manager / the Engineer '
My reply: Notice your manager (or the engineer you work under) is your superior & you take orders from him, even you think you know more than your manager (or engineer)? Notice he is your manager because his has a college degree?
There are a few things these people have in common. They do not have a college degree, work in menial jobs, low income.... Most importantly their parents did not encourage them to attend University.
Good parents & individuals taking responsibility.
Good night
Regards
Rory
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Good parenting and have two parents in the household is as good a predictor of financial stability and future success as anything.
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Not sure why my comment got deleted, social determinants tend to be a big issue with this. It’s highly ignorant to say that people are poor because they want to be poor…
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everything comes into play
luck is big factor ... and be best if the luck was at the beginning a bit, to keep ya interested and also a good vision of where it all could be headed
one of the things i told people over the years and thru my own lil journey.... "you have to give yourself a chance to get lucky" -- meaning, you need to own something that has a chance to grow and sometimes wildly. .... the first time it happened for me... it was like 30k over night... and i felt the weight being lifted off my shoulders.... thinking, this is how it works
anyone can do the shit. i don't give a fuck how poor. take 10hrs a week and work at it. does not take lots of money to start... starting with little or no money, just puts you one or two successes behind where you would like to go... soo baby steps is ok and its all about learning.
both me and spouse are from broken homes... i can count on two hands how many times i should not have even made it to college... just being a dumb stupid ass on dirt bikes and street bikes... or racing cars down mountains... .... i can think back and remember those instances where it went or coulda went wonky and be a goner
but the book? i mentioned and have given out over 100 times.... it accounts for being poor and having no money and bad budgeting... everyone has the issues. ... soo even a POOR dumb fucker that does not make lots of money, can change their financial stars ... for some reason, just had a flash of a movie - a knight's tail .... btw, loved the chick in it
all the other shit...its all valid. but its also excuses. start small, put in the 10hrs a week. if not ten hours, maybe start with 2hrs... and the money can be as small as you want. the motivation to get more money for the endeavor will certainly be part of the game that is being played, as you learn more about the various things and develop conviction (i call it educated gambling) .... but it can be anything.
the lil book will help all people. .... i did not follow the book btw.... but i have seen it in action and know what it can do for people that need a direction.... its a two hour read basically
btw, i like the STARTER accounts for they are doing for all those born...
i used to play around with numbers and long before covid came... i said no fucking way, tooo much money. but seeing how much they dolled out after covid...i was thinking it was the thing that could help us down the line with debts and social security.
i know they are only starting with a 1000 bucks. but that is a great start for someone... especially if they kept it going the whole way and learned to add to it after seeing the results...
before lotus or calculators came about... having a someone tell you the money will grow... was like learning a hard foreign language for the first time... thinkinig no way... or believing in god. .... but with financial calculators showing simple math? it should open you eyes. ... with some success of those starter accounts... it should also do the same thing... open someone's eyes. where hopefully they can extrapolate a bit and think ADDING to it / and or new accounts doing the same thing will help you reach a target and yes, lil luck needed
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Yes.
A lot of people continue to make bad choices in life.
A lot of people are just lazy, ect.
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They are to blame for themselves.
I come from the gutter gutter, I made it out.
It’s all a mindset even if you didn’t have parents that were wealthy.
Parents in the system making minimum wage.
It’s all personal choice .
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Are you saying personal responsibility is coming back?
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I thought LONG & HARD about this, so here it goes.
Poverty exists in all countries of the world, including the top 10 GDP countries of 2025:
1. United States
2. China
3. Germany
4. India
5. Japan
6. U.K.
7. France
8. Italy
9. Canada
10. Brazil
Much of this poverty exist in rural areas of these countries. No one talks about them, but they exist.
Factors of poverty are complex, including economic issues (low wages, unemployment, inequality, debt), social barriers (discrimination, lack of education, poor healthcare access, social exclusion), governance & conflict (instability, corruption, poor infrastructure), and environmental factors (climate change, resource scarcity, disasters). These interconnected issues often create cycles, preventing people from accessing necessities like food, housing, healthcare, and opportunities for upward mobility, trapping families across generations.
Look at what is happening in Ukraine, once a stable place to live has been destroyed. Families and towns torn apart. A new level of poverty created.
Military casualties near 500,000.
Over 7.5 million people have fled Ukraine, and nearly 7 million remain internally displaced.
My parents had very strong work ethics as did their parents. They instilled that in me. May they both rest in peace.
I worked through out my high school years to save just enough for college. My first job while in high school was at an Argentinian restaurant washing dishes and busing tables, then worked at McDonald's where I became manager, but I knew I wanted to go to college. I also enrolled in the Army, but my parents would not allow it, so I went to college.
Worked while I was in college and it was rough juggling my studies and work, graduated with a 25K debt from one of the best universities in the country and it was well worth it.
Got a good job, saved money to buy a nice car, moved in to a nice apartment and paid my college loan debt in less than 5 years.
I've been debt free for many, many years. The only bills I pay are my rent, car insurance and Wi-Fi. Everything else is personal expenses.
I'm not a big spender. I don't buy the $150 shoe to show off my friends. I don't wear jewelry or watches. I don't drive an expensive car and don't care much for them.
I'm middle age, middle class and I'm loving it 'para pa pa ahhh'
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