Was Malthus ever poor?

[The Brain]

That's where backup glasses come in.

[Malthus]

I thought Malthus paid $2000 for the blood of gentile babies.

They are either more expensive than that, or free. 

[Malthus]

Fine.  Take your narrative that your were poor if that helps you in some way.  But to those of us that really were poor, you just look silly.

I think that by this point, we both look silly no matter who was in the right. 

[merithyn]

That said, unless you are something of an immigrant far away from your contacts, or an orphan, or a really big asshole, can you really claim you were in danger of proper homelessness and starvation when you were poor? How many of you had no parents, no family, no friends whom they could expect to fall back on at least temporarily for survival?

When your friends and family has no more money than you do - which isn't enough to live on - how do you go to them to ask for a handout, or a place to live, or food?

[Malthus]

The significance of emergency backup depends a lot on age and family status. Being a single guy in his 20s, naturaly I thought I was immortal, and never had any particular emergencies which would have required seeking help. Have kids, or have to take care of the elderly, and that all changes. Then emergencies and worries come thick and fast.

[Jacob]

Fine.  Take your narrative that your were poor if that helps you in some way.  But to those of us that really were poor, you just look silly.

I think that by this point, we both look silly no matter who was in the right. 

None of us can truly be considered poor has long as we have this thread.

[HVC]

I was born rich, grew up poor, and am now middle class. I have the cornucopia of financial experiences

For what it's worth, I think Malthus was poor.

[Malthus]

Fine.  Take your narrative that your were poor if that helps you in some way.  But to those of us that really were poor, you just look silly.

I think that by this point, we both look silly no matter who was in the right. 

None of us can truly be considered poor has long as we have this thread.

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 5:3

The poor in money are shit outta luck. Malthus 3:5

[merithyn]

The significance of emergency backup depends a lot on age and family status. Being a single guy in his 20s, naturaly I thought I was immortal, and never had any particular emergencies which would have required seeking help. Have kids, or have to take care of the elderly, and that all changes. Then emergencies and worries come thick and fast.

I was poor growing up, with no cushion to speak of beyond the neighbors taking my sister and I in. After college, I wasn't, but my stress levels were a lot higher since I had four kids to take care of. After the divorce, I can't begin to tell you the stress that I was under financially, but by then I did have a cushion as my parents were doing better and my brother was (and is) doing very well for himself. Both offered a hand if needed (which I can honestly say, other than an old car of my sister's that I still owe her some money on, I never took).

So, the financial situation was a bit more dire, but I knew that if I really needed help, it was there. The kids never starved, we always had a comfortable roof over our heads, and while cable was a luxury we managed without for most of their childhoods, the utilities were never shut off. I can't imagine how scary it was for my mom since she didn't have that same cushion. 

[Eddie Teach]

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 5:3

The poor in money are shit outta luck. Malthus 3:5

That Jesus guy knew how to turn a phrase.

[CountDeMoney]

Malthus, give it up dude.  Once the people of Languish decide something about you, that's it.  THE PEOPLE HAVE SPOKEN.  That's why I work in HR and eat out of dumpsters to these people, and will forever do so.

MAH LUNCH

[CountDeMoney]

As though being labelled poor is somehow an achievement or virtuous. It's not.

It does however grant you bonus points in the game of life achievement.

Cool, I'll keep that in mind when I'm eventually forced to sell my home.

[crazy canuck]

There was a comment by CC how his basketball scholarship or whatever was more honorable than Malthus basically inheriting his free spot at uni.

Complete fucking bullshit.  I said that Malthus had a great advantage over most everyone else because he did not have to pay for his undergrad.  Someone quipped that I didnt have to do so either.  I responded that my situation was different from Malthus in two important respects.  First, even with scholarships I still ended up with debt and second I earned my scholarships whereas Malthus' benefit was an accident of birth.

That goes to the whole point that Malthus' claim to have been poor in misguided because it ignores the advantages his upper middle class status gave to him.  Honour has nothing to do with it. 

[crazy canuck]

That said, unless you are something of an immigrant far away from your contacts, or an orphan, or a really big asshole, can you really claim you were in danger of proper homelessness and starvation when you were poor? How many of you had no parents, no family, no friends whom they could expect to fall back on at least temporarily for survival?

When your friends and family has no more money than you do - which isn't enough to live on - how do you go to them to ask for a handout, or a place to live, or food?

Its funny because Tamas earlier said he has no idea what it is like to be poor and now he is pontificating on how only a small subset of the poor (like complete assholes) are in any danger of being hungry or homeless.

I suppose the take home message from that is that if Tamas ever becomes poor he most certainly would be homeless and hungry.

[merithyn]

What I've learned from this series of threads is that those who have been poor know it, and those who haven't either think they have, or think that no one really is.