Go, Economy!

[dave is ok]

Try that in a part of the country without 70k houses.

[icarusfall]

Move.

[icarusfall]

I did.

[dave is ok]

Yep. You're a self made man and everyone else is weak and pitiful.

[icarusfall]

No, it's about doing what is necessary.

If you can't afford a place to live "here" and you can "there", then get your ass to "there."

[Diff-chan]

A lot of people are doing that! Witness, say, the population boom in North Dakota, thanks to high-paying energy jobs.

Of course, now, a cardboard box costs about $1500 a month in rent there.

Sometimes it just really is hard to get ahead, no matter how hard you work.

[Some Stupid Japanese Name]

All money can do is get you stuff. Contrary to what has become the American Way, stuff is not necessary in order to have a rich and fulfilling life.

[Fe 26]

Well, that's the problem right? Rich people don't say that. Hell even a lot of middle class people don't say that. My parents instilled in me a respect for education and achievement. If they didn't... I wouldn't have gone beyond what they did.

My family was the same way. Achievement wasn't even prized. It was just expected. Hell, I was expected to do better than everyone in class. If I told my dad that I did better than average on a test, his answer was always "well, at least you did better than average. You know what average is, right? Average is another word for stupid."

[Bojack]

Sounds like a problem they created.

How does fault or intent enter into this conversation? At the end of the day they are working a lot and therefore not there for their kids.

[icarusfall]

I don't give a fuck about their kids.

Not everyone should have kids.

Especially if they can't feed/clothe them.

Alternatively, if kids means you're going to have to work 80 hours a week, well, you had the kids.