Would you rather live in poverty or help somebody else financially along with yourself?

[msc545]

I would rather live in poverty.

I would prefer to help myself financially and also another person.

[midnightmoon05]

I have lived in poverty.
At this point… I am helping others because I have made it to this day where I don’t have to worry financially… my hubby is helping others with his services because he has more free time to help others. My hubby helps others fix their cars for free. We also donate to those who are in need.
I think about my great grand ma who was a single mom of 3… she made it for herself and she was very generous…she help those who was less fortunate.
for example, she had a stone mill, she let others use it for free.

[msc545]

That is very nice and thank you for sharing it. However, it could just not respond to the question. Could you please do that? Thank you

[midnightmoon05]

Definitely helping others. 😊

[goaded]

https://mastodon.online/@[e-mail]/115608163363604751

"To recap:
•Universal healthcare would save 68,000 lives & $450B annually
•Every $1 spent on SNAP results in $1.80 boost to local economies & small businesses
•The child tax credit decreased child poverty to a historic low of 5.2%, abolishing it increased it by 45%
•Every $1 per hour increase in minimum wage corresponds to a 1% decrease in suicide rates

Blocking these common sense policies to protect 800 billionaires isn’t just fiscally dumb—it’s literally killing us by the hundreds of thousands"

[Chazmatazz269]

I have lived in poverty. Now that i have expendable income, i do help others. I should not be forced to help deadbeats and criminals though. Especially if i’m making just enough to survive and i’m taxed into poverty for the sake of criminals and deadbeats.

[msc545]

I know things are terribly unfair, but try to focus on the question. You have two choices:
1. You can either help somebody else, whether you want to or not, and both of you will live fairly well OR

2. You can refuse to help somebody else and you and they will wind up living in poverty

Take your pick please.

[Flower7]

I am not seeing the down side to the second choice.

[goaded]

Nor do I, but I have empathy. I think I see where he's going with this.

[msc545]

The downside of the second part is that it costs some money, and for some people, that is absolutely intolerable if the money doesn't go directly to them. So intolerable, in fact, that they would rather harm themselves than help anybody else.

[lightbulb27]

I like to help others but it is not as easy as it looks. Real help vs enablement is a tough game. Humans don't want to change but keep doing what they are doing... which is often disasterous. But getting them to listen and change is difficult long hard work as theyve been programmed.

Having compassion in this world is a double edged sword.

[exitseven]

I would help another person if they were a friend or relative.

[msc545]

What would you do if the other person weren't a friend or relative? What if the person was a complete stranger?

[exitseven]

tell them to get job.

[msc545]

If you did that, then by the rules you would wind up living in poverty for the rest of your life yourself. Is it worth it to you?

[exitseven]

I have a job, I worked very hard to get here.

[msc545]

I don't think you're really understanding the question. This is what's called a hypothetical or a question that I've made up to get some sense of how people feel. It's not a real situation. Of course you worked hard to get your job, and of course you have a job. That's not the point. Pick one of the alternatives, please.

[Staximus]

Anytime you have a job where you get paid you're basically helping somebody else financially, unless you work for yourself

[msc545]

Right, I understand that. But what would you do in this particular situation where you either help somebody else along with yourself or both of you wind up in poverty? How would you handle that?

[Staximus]

What is the particular situation? You're being very vague. If somebody gave me the opportunity to make money when I needed it and we're not talking about a normal job, I would help them as long as I'm getting my fair share and don't have to do anything ethically questionable or really dangerous. I'm not going to do all the work while somebody else makes all the money. I'm not going to sell hard drugs, pimp hoes, traffic people, kill people, hurt or defraud innocent people, or do any stupid shit that's going to land me in prison or make people want to kill me. I'm also not going to sacrifice my health and risk my life for money, unless we are taking about keeping people from dying. About 15 years ago my neighbor tried to recruit me for his bookie. He owed the bookies like 20 G's and they said he would get a discount if he found them a guy who could collect money. I told him "fuck no." He said I was the perfect guy for the job and I would make a shitload of money. All I had to do was knock on their door, look scary, and tell them to pay up, and then take it to some guy. I told him I don't want to get blown off somebody's front porch when they answer door with a gun, and I'm definitely not trying to piss off the bookie's bosses (basically the mafia or some other organized crime ring) if they don't like the job I'm doing. So nothing like that. I'd rather be broke as a $2 hooker on free-be Friday.

[msc545]

Here is the question: Would you rather live in poverty or help somebody else financially along with yourself?

[Staximus]

I believe I answered that in the beginning of the lengthy paragraph above