When you feel life handed you a bad deck

[housecat]

That's always my thought when I hear something like that. The argument, or course, is that if you don't like the way you're living, you can choose to take steps to improve things, but I've seen plenty who CANNOT, and some who have done all the right things with very limited result. Everyone has the live they want is something you can say, and that makes sense to you, when you're doing fairly well, or think that you're on the right track to doing fairly well. If you're struggling to keep a grip on your sanity, to keep your body healthy enough to function, or to find reasons why it's even worth it to try, this is just another platitude.

[DesperateHousewife]

That's always my thought when I hear something like that. The argument, or course, is that if you don't like the way you're living, you can choose to take steps to improve things, but I've seen plenty who CANNOT, and some who have done all the right things with very limited result. Everyone has the live they want is something you can say, and that makes sense to you, when you're doing fairly well, or think that you're on the right track to doing fairly well. If you're struggling to keep a grip on your sanity, to keep your body healthy enough to function, or to find reasons why it's even worth it to try, this is just another platitude.

Right on. I don't care how we sugar coat it, but man was made to dream and dream big. What if those dreams become nightmares, and one does all they can do to transform them? And that transformation doesn't work then what?

[tommy525]

then dream small and realistic and get satisfaction for accomplishing goals that are accomplishable ?

[ChewDawg]

1) Do you think that people who are living in abject poverty are living they way they want to and where they want to?

Yes for a lot of people.

I have sympathy for people in developing countries with large families that live in real abject poverty. They make less than $2 a day and spend most of it working hard to provide for their families by finding clean water, making meals, and taking care of their young.

Do I feel sorry for women/men in subsidized housing in the developed world that spend all day doing drugs, fornicating like rabbits, playing videogames, relying on government handouts and showing absolutely no responsibility in their personal lives? Not at all. In fact, I wish they would get "jack shit" for benefits. Then they might have to work instead of being parasites. If you gave most of these people a real job just above minimum wage, they would likely laugh and tell you to "fuck off." They want to be in poverty to get benefits without the work. I hope this entitlement generation gets "bootfucked" into reality.

[TheGingerMan]

Do I feel sorry for women/men in subsidized housing in the developed world that spend all day doing drugs, fornicating like rabbits, playing videogames, relying on government handouts and showing absolutely no responsibility in their personal lives? Not at all.

You heartless sourpuss!
Seriously, I think I've handled my career rather shabbily. How does one apply for these government gigs of which you speak?
Booze and fornication are my hobbies, and I'm sure I could well learn bits about all day droogs & handouts. I may have to reach unto drama to attain the required level of lack of responsibility.

[Icon]

Ehem, that piece of advice is regarding the fact that we are all captains of our existence, and that is more than enough on our plates, to go out and start "saving" other people. You can give advice, show them the way, but you cannot make them change their mindset.

As to poverty, my dears, my mother sold a lot of bread door by door, my dad worked in a banana plantation up to when he was 17. Many of their brothers/sisters decided to stay home, don't make an effort, why, they would be always poor. Some had their dreams crushed. Many had opportunities and let them pass, even my parents. But my parents were lucky enough to go to college, with great effort, and got us all college education as a tool, the best they could. But they keep on helping other people, especially those family members who were the proverbial grasshopper and spent their youth's money in women and booze and now are old, sick and can't work anymore. I personally resent the fact that these grasshoppers think that it is my parents obligation as they are better off, but I do not think "oh, they had the same opportunity". Not really. There is an inner motivation and an outside factor -a mentor, a job at the right time- that come to play together to make things work.

Some other day I'll tell you the story of the ones who migrated to the US.

[El Toro]

How long did Mandela sit in prison in SA? Eventually he came back as President of the republic. I am sure it was no picnic being in jail that long.

An indomitable human spirit is an essence provided by God against evil.

You speak as if in some way Mandela was or is good. He is a convicted terrorist who has admitted, even bragged about having "signed off" on the Church street bombing in his so-called book, "Long Walk to Freedom". Not to mention that he pleaded guilty to the charges leveled against him at the Rivonia Trials. Even Amnesty International refused to assist him on the grounds that he was not a political prisoner. Also, he was only taken off the US Terror Watch List four years ago when the old fart turned 90. And he is now living a life of priviledge and luxury, and was for quite some time during his imprisonment at the Victor Verster prison, and on Robben Island he had a FAR better life in incarceration than his communist comrades meted out to THEIR opponents. One of his major gripes was that he was not allowed sunglasses by the prison authorities, and this caused him discomfort. A small discomfort comapared to the torture his ANC training camps issued to forced recruits who did not wish to carry out the terrorist activities of his AND, and UmKhonto We Sizwe, the terrorist winf of the ANC.

[ceevee369]

How long did Mandela sit in prison in SA? Eventually he came back as President of the republic. I am sure it was no picnic being in jail that long.

An indomitable human spirit is an essence provided by God against evil.

You speak as if in some way Mandela was or is good. He is a convicted terrorist who has admitted, even bragged about having "signed off" on the Church street bombing in his so-called book, "Long Walk to Freedom". Not to mention that he pleaded guilty to the charges leveled against him at the Rivonia Trials. Even Amnesty International refused to assist him on the grounds that he was not a political prisoner. Also, he was only taken off the US Terror Watch List four years ago when the old fart turned 90. And he is now living a life of priviledge and luxury, and was for quite some time during his imprisonment at the Victor Verster prison, and on Robben Island he had a FAR better life in incarceration than his communist comrades meted out to THEIR opponents. One of his major gripes was that he was not allowed sunglasses by the prison authorities, and this caused him discomfort. A small discomfort comapared to the torture his ANC training camps issued to forced recruits who did not wish to carry out the terrorist activities of his AND, and UmKhonto We Sizwe, the terrorist winf of the ANC.

It must have been turbulent times being a boer in Zuid Afrika , but aside the above , didn't he do well for his people?
I don't want to go back to what we in Europe were learning about Bota and Apartheid , but but... .. off topic

[tommy525]

I was just saying that the guy sat in jail all his life and yet achieved his dream. Only using that part.

Obviously your "truth" got in the way of a good story.

[El Toro]

How long did Mandela sit in prison in SA? Eventually he came back as President of the republic. I am sure it was no picnic being in jail that long.

An indomitable human spirit is an essence provided by God against evil.

You speak as if in some way Mandela was or is good. He is a convicted terrorist who has admitted, even bragged about having "signed off" on the Church street bombing in his so-called book, "Long Walk to Freedom". Not to mention that he pleaded guilty to the charges leveled against him at the Rivonia Trials. Even Amnesty International refused to assist him on the grounds that he was not a political prisoner. Also, he was only taken off the US Terror Watch List four years ago when the old fart turned 90. And he is now living a life of priviledge and luxury, and was for quite some time during his imprisonment at the Victor Verster prison, and on Robben Island he had a FAR better life in incarceration than his communist comrades meted out to THEIR opponents. One of his major gripes was that he was not allowed sunglasses by the prison authorities, and this caused him discomfort. A small discomfort comapared to the torture his ANC training camps issued to forced recruits who did not wish to carry out the terrorist activities of his AND, and UmKhonto We Sizwe, the terrorist winf of the ANC.

It must have been turbulent times being a boer in Zuid Afrika , but aside the above , didn't he do well for his people?
I don't want to go back to what we in Europe were learning about Bota and Apartheid , but but... .. off topic

It was a turbulent time for many including people (civilians) of all races who were subject to the terror campaign of the ANC. And no, if you look at how most of "his" people are doing now, then he did not do well for them at all. There is a small fraction of the Black population who are cronies of the ANC leadership who are wallowing in their ill-gained wealth, and don't give a damn about their own, much less the large number of White Afrikaners now languishing in squatter camps due to the racist policies of terrorist government.