Delusional society
I was in a situation last week that left me exposed to Oprah. Her show has some weird magnetic effect on me and in the end I gave up pretending I wasn't interested and watched. It was all about families with tons of credit card debt. It's always comforting for people to know that when you think you are in a bad way there are always others much worse off. That's the only reason anyone watches those shows. As your problems increase you can go down the ranks of daytime help shows until you get down to Maurie and finally Springer. A single mother, with 5 drug addicted teens, living in a trailer, and having an affair with her best friends husband can watch Springer and say, "at least things aren't that bad."
The big story on the news tonight was the Powerball lottery drawing. It's 360 million dollars. CNN decided to interview people in a convenience store in DC. This one guy was adamant he was going to win. After all he bought 200 tickets. Pretty smart, that increased his odds from 1 in 150 million to 1 in 150 million. The guy looked like he should have spent the two hundred dollars on some new clothes and some food, but as he said he has "faith".
Tonight I was reading some news and saw this article about "cyberbeggars". An expression I hadn't heard of before. I had read about Karyn Bosnak and her plea for thousands to get her out of credit card debt. I naively hadn't realized what she started. Check out savemesites.com, a site for people begging for money to help them get their lives together. If true some of these stories are heart wrenching, but seriously what do these people expect?
The faith based mantra has leaked beyond the confines of religion and into the mainstream of American life. Any sense of personal responsibility seems to be lost for many people. Fiscal responsibility is the key to our future security, it's frustrating that many people don't seem to share that realization.
The big story on the news tonight was the Powerball lottery drawing. It's 360 million dollars. CNN decided to interview people in a convenience store in DC. This one guy was adamant he was going to win. After all he bought 200 tickets. Pretty smart, that increased his odds from 1 in 150 million to 1 in 150 million. The guy looked like he should have spent the two hundred dollars on some new clothes and some food, but as he said he has "faith".
Tonight I was reading some news and saw this article about "cyberbeggars". An expression I hadn't heard of before. I had read about Karyn Bosnak and her plea for thousands to get her out of credit card debt. I naively hadn't realized what she started. Check out savemesites.com, a site for people begging for money to help them get their lives together. If true some of these stories are heart wrenching, but seriously what do these people expect?
The faith based mantra has leaked beyond the confines of religion and into the mainstream of American life. Any sense of personal responsibility seems to be lost for many people. Fiscal responsibility is the key to our future security, it's frustrating that many people don't seem to share that realization.
posted by mochi at 10:46 PM
12 Comments:
There were four sites referenced in the article that you mention. Why not point people at one of the three sites that actually charge money for posting useless requests on the web? At least savemesites.com acknowledges that it is worthless by being free.
My point was not to criticize the enterprising individuals who take advantage of cyberbeggars.
Yeah I mean great that the powerball was the lead story on the news this morning. Then this, "elsewhere 10 people are dead off the African coast of Djibouti." What a load of garbage. You know, my mom worked for this lawyer who wrote me a college reccomendation and we were talking. He told me, in his beautiful office on the 30th floor of some downtown building, that money may make your life easier, but it doesnt make it better. Im glad I was told that and it has stuck with me all these years. Its amazing that one in a million odds of winning easy money would inspire people to drop so much money on chance, as if that is going to lead them down the better road. Why dont these people have a little faith in themselves instead of chance?
I believe money does make your life better 8^) I mean, I know that well-off folks like the guy Chickenhawk referred to usually say "money doesn't buy happiness," but that's because they have money and they're happy. It's a lot different when you're in an extremely desperate situation with a legitimate need (not just wanting to scam some cash); but that's why we have food banks, thrift stores, homeless shelters, etc.
That said, I think I read somewhere that begging is recognized as a vocation in some parts of the world, passed down like a family business. I always thought that was interesting.
As for the cyberbeggars, I think it is kind of funny. I think most of them are middle-class teens or twentyshomethings doing it for a laugh. Honestly, if you're really, legitimately desperate, you don't take the time to put up a web site. Maybe they wore out the possibilities of scamming Grandma on birthdays and Christmas.
Well he was Ernie Boch's attorney for quite a while. That has got to be a pain in the ass.
Agree with you, Mochi. I had a class member who was complaining about all the debt he had and how he thought others should help him get out of it. We are witnessing the ultimate "me" generation.
-Jack
Mochi,
Last night my wife was flipping the tv and there was some show on. There was a story on about "victims of easy credit" or something to that effect. I didn't see much, but it made me think about your post.
If one follows this line of reasoning I thought I would add a few. Can any of you NL's add to?
"Victims of pre-processed food"
"Victims of unprotected sex"
"Victims of big tobacco"
"Victims of cheap WalMart goods"
Victims of tyranny.
Now wait a minute, Mochi--that one is real--I was talking about some nonsense ones...
...or are you saying that there are those out there claiming to be victims of tyranny but really aren't?
-Jack
Remember I'm a liberal subjected to total conservative rule in this country.
victim of my ass being glued to the chair because I spend my day off blogging.
Either old age is bringing on incontinence or I have just been laughing too hard lately. WSC, I have to admit I haven't laughed like that in a loong time!
-Jack
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