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Originally Posted by OccultHawk
Public reliance is definitely something the government thinks its owed. If citizens don’t get their welfare they go hungry. If the government doesn’t get their welfare (taxes) they put their citizens in prisons. Who’s really acting entitled?
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Both need improvement. The point of my criticisms is to say what people can do to improve their situation despite a government that sucks, not pointing fingers and accomplish nothing.
Quote:
Originally Posted by elphenor
again instead of blaming it on some vague psychological state,
why don't we consider that, for example, it is objectively harder for the generation reaching college age to afford it than the previous generation, or that the cost of living is objectively harder to manage given inflation and stagnant wages or that objectively life expectancy is declining for the first time since the 1960's etc.
these seem much more tangible reasons for the feeling of hopelessness in those under 35
you seem a reasonable scientific minded person, why don't you apply that intellectual integrity in the realm of public policy?
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I haven't seen the stats on that, but I'm okay agreeing. Let's say that's true, if the government isn't doing anything about it what can we do to make it better on ourselves besides taking more responsibility for our actions? I don't see what complaining and being helpless accomplishes. If we know the government is going to **** us out of healthcare don't you think it's in your best interest to try and do as few things that put your health at risk as possible?
Idk how to apply scientific reasoning to public policy tbh. I form opinions based on my best understanding of how people can improve their situation even with a dysfunctional/corrupt government. It's very hard to analyze statistics in the social realm because 1) there are SOOO many variables and 2) if people don't like the stats, no matter how well they were performed, it typically leads to some sort of race baiting dialogue or social justice point of contention.. People don't even like hearing facts in science if they don't like what it means, they certainly don't want their opinions countered by social statistics.
Quote:
Originally Posted by elphenor
no government = no protection for private property
yes people would work it out, what causes poverty to begin with in countries as wealthy as the US is private concentration of wealth
but if you mean just cut the social safety net, that doesn't work at all predictably, because poverty exists independent of the measures taken to address it
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Private concentration of wealth... and a multitude of other factors. I'm not saying cut the social safety net, that would be awful. I'm saying it is in the best interest of society to wake the **** up and be more responsible which will go a long way in reducing the problems we have and help to reduce government strain so maybe they can be more effective.