Rationed them to two television programmes a week

[otago]

What a great woman, illiterate yet wise enough to see that books are the path to doing well in education.
And Dr Carson is a class act, hmm we would call him Mister/Professor Carson for he is a surgeon.

And just maybe she was right about aspects of welfare, once on it far too many stay on it without making an effort to get an education.
Maybe it is time to say yes we will help you, but you will either be getting an education or doing work for the community that pays taxes that supports you.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10790991

 

[Darth Caesar]

I read this guy's story in "Chicken Soup for the Kid's Soul" truly an exhibition of how hard work and seeking education can do in someone's life.

 

[Antilogic]

And Dr Carson is a class act, hmm we would call him Mister/Professor Carson for he is a surgeon.

Using the lexicon developed in "The League", I knew Dr. Carson was black before I clicked the link.

 

[Traitorfish]

Am I the only one who has the suspicion that stories like this just serve to sustain the myth that we live in a fundamentally fair society, and that all it takes to be successful is to work hard and stick at it? That by treating structural inequalities as hurdles to be overcome, rather than blatant and unforgivable injustices, we prevent ourselves from addressing them in any coherent fashion?

I would like to hear the story about the kid who worked hard and applied himself but wound up impoverished and miserable regardless, because lol capitalism. There's no short supply of them.

 

[Disgustipated]

Am I the only one who has the suspicion that stories like this just serve to sustain the myth that we live in a fundamentally fair society, and that all it takes to be successful is to work hard and stick at it? That by treating structural inequalities as hurdles to be overcome, rather than blatant and unforgivable injustices, we prevent ourselves from addressing them in any coherent fashion?

I would like to hear the story about the kid who worked hard and applied himself but wound up impoverished and miserable regardless, because lol capitalism. There's no short supply of them.

I always believe you can succeed if you have intelligence and talent. I did it (I grew up poor white trash), so I know anyone can. The reason they aren't succeeding is because they lack intelligence. You have to work and save money, and also learn a trade skill to make decent money (so you aren't working at McDonald's). I'm not sure how this relates to the OP, so I digress.

 

[aimeeandbeatles]

I don't believe that you can't succeed if you have intelligence and talent. I did it (I grew up poor white trash), so I know anyone can. The reason they aren't succeeding is because they lack intelligence. I'm not sure how this relates to the OP, so I digress.

You are talking as though intelligence is predetermined at birth. Actually it can also be influenced by the environment one grows up in.

 

[Disgustipated]

I believe that affects things as well, but I think a lot of intelligence is at birth. My environment sucked (I had an alcoholic dad), yet I still flourished.

 

[aimeeandbeatles]

So it's basically, "well too bad for those people, they didn't luck out on the genetic side of things"?

 

[Disgustipated]

So it's basically, "well too bad for those people, they didn't luck out on the genetic side of things"?

Yes. It's a harsh world. Some people just didn't have luck at birth. I didn't have any luck in the physical beauty aspect, and that limits my career choices, and how far I can go in life. But there is no way you are going to change the fact you need beauty and/or intelligence to succeed in this world.

Why not just take all the money from the rich and give it to the dumb people then?

 

[Traitorfish]

I'm game if you are.

 

[ArneHD]

Yes. It's a harsh world. Some people just didn't have luck at birth. I didn't have any luck in the physical beauty aspect, and that limits my career choices, and how far I can go in life. But there is no way you are going to change the fact you need beauty and/or intelligence to succeed in this world.

Why not just take all the money from the rich and give it to the dumb people then?

Hah, so not only are we chemistry, but we are unfair chemistry at that.