The Cold War...

[kochman]

If you have to ask, you'll never know, I suppose.

 

[Tee Kay]

Defection, like emigration, is essentially people in a country seeing better opportunities in another country. It works for comparing quality of life or perception of quality of life between countries, but it doesn't work for measuring absolutes. A high defection or emigration rate doesn't prove that a country is a "hellhole", nor does it prove that any reports of, well, normal life in that country is fake.

Tip: just because a country is poor by your standards doesn't mean that it's an altogether bad place to live in.

 

[kochman]

Why are you explaining this to me like I don't know this?

Please stop assuming what I think, because you really aren't in touch with it.

 

[rugbyLEAGUEfan]

Why are you explaining this to me like I don't know this?

Please stop assuming what I think, because you really aren't in touch with it.

That view kinda limits posting opportunities

 

[Tee Kay]

Why are you explaining this to me like I don't know this?

This sort of thing is generally a symptom of your own failure to communicate your ideas. Perhaps then you should articulate yourself more clearly in your posts rather than resorting to cheap shots, stale talking points and condescending one-liners like you normally do.

 

[SS-18 ICBM]

Counterpoint: the USSR was a poverty-ridden hellhole. Your silly pictures are just propaganda, unlike my Western history books.

I could take similar pictures of the Philippine middle-class and it wouldn't change the fact that the country is a poverty-ridden hellhole. Better evidence is needed.

 

[red_elk]

I could take similar pictures of the Philippine middle-class and it wouldn't change the fact that the country is a poverty-ridden hellhole. Better evidence is needed.

Mostly, there are simple workers, students and kids on my pictures. The pictures of Philippine middle-class which you could take, but didn't, can indeed confirm nothing.

 

[SS-18 ICBM]

Workers? I didn't see any blue-collar fellows. What I mostly saw were military officers and other people in nice threads.

Also, middle-class families have children and students too, surprisingly enough.

 

[red_elk]

Workers? I didn't see any blue-collar fellows.

Look again.

Also, middle-class families have children and students too, surprisingly enough.

There was pretty much no such thing as middle class in USSR. Proletariat was sort of privileged class - truck driver was getting an above average salary, and miner could in some cases earn more than university professor.

 

[kochman]

There was pretty much no such thing as middle class in USSR. Proletariat was sort of privileged class - truck driver was getting an above average salary, and miner could in some cases earn more than university professor.

Hahahah... ok, I'll bite.
Please, define what you mean by "priviledged class"?

 

[rugbyLEAGUEfan]

simple workers.

And this too . I'd hate to be thought of as such . It's both condescending yet idealized but not reality .

 

[red_elk]

Hahahah... ok, I'll bite.
Please, define what you mean by "priviledged class"?

Workers' salaries were generally higher in comparison with medicine doctors or teachers for example. Hard-working people or those who worked in extreme environmental conditions, as I mentioned, were often getting more than university professors.
People with workers background were more easily accepted to lead positions in plants or factories, in governmental agencies and CPSU.

And this too . I'd hate to be thought of as such . It's both condescending yet idealized but not reality .

Not sure I understood what you mean.

 

[kochman]

Workers' salaries were generally higher in comparison with medicine doctors or teachers for example. Hard-working people or those who worked in extreme environmental conditions, as I mentioned, were often getting more than university professors.
People with workers background were more easily accepted to lead positions in plants or factories, in governmental agencies and CPSU.

So, why study your ass off to be a doctor if you could just be a trashman or plumber and make more?

 

[red_elk]

So, why study your ass off to be a doctor if you could just be a trashman or plumber and make more?

Because you can get free education and do a job which you really like, instead of poking sh*t for the rest of your life?
Assuming you really want to study and become a doctor.

 

[kochman]

Because you can get free education and do a job which you really like, instead of poking a sh*t for the rest of your life?

There are similar enough jobs that don't involve feces...

8 years more school...

Let me ask, were there any doctor shortages?

Seems like I'd choose an easier route (hell, I did even with the knowledge in America I'd be rich if I became a doctor).


Also, let's say you were becoming a doctor, or wanting to... and you failed out? What was your fate?

Who decided who became doctors? When did the selection process begin?

 

[rugbyLEAGUEfan]

Not sure I understood what you mean.

Fair enough . I'm not actually very good at expressing myself in the more serious threads . What I'm getting at is that I find the "simple worker" idea either overly idealized (amongst these simple workers are rapists , thieves , liars etc just like in all segments of society) and paternalistic .

I'm a workin' man like most people and don't necessarily want to be lumped into this group of "simple workers " . If anything , I'm working my ass off at the moment so I can actually ensure I don't spend my life taking a cheque from the man . Not all "simple workers" actually want to live their lives like this forever and I suspect that the far left kind of thinks I do and are helping me out .

( awaits justified "I'm not sure I understood what you mean" reply)

 

[W|M]

The lower comparative pay for medical professionals can stop some people going into it just for the money, and makes sure only people who are really dedicated to becoming doctors train to be them.

 

[kochman]

The lower comparative pay for medical professionals can stop some people going into it just for the money, and makes sure only people who are really dedicated to becoming doctors train to be them.

Right, but are there enough of those people?
Were their doctor shortages?
That was the question.


We have doctor shortages in the USA, where you can like it and be rich or not like it and be rich...
So, how about like it and be poor situations?

 

[rugbyLEAGUEfan]

The lower comparative pay for medical professionals can stop some people going into it just for the money, and makes sure only people who are really dedicated to becoming doctors train to be them.

It sounds ideal , but is it ? When a guy is performing open heart surgery on me , I'd much rather have the guy who is only doing it for the money but rose to the top of his field because of this motive , do the job . I'll pass on the wide eyed idealist who will most likely drop a Junior Mint into my guts.

 

[SS-18 ICBM]

Look again.

3-4/20-something. I would think industry would make a larger employment share in the economy.

There was pretty much no such thing as middle class in USSR. Proletariat was sort of privileged class - truck driver was getting an above average salary, and miner could in some cases earn more than university professor.

All that tells me is that the technical professions earn almost the same as manual labor.