I know no one will care but...........

[simmo 21,945]

15 hours ago, s713 said:

I find it ok that people think this is an issue to discuss. That's great, debate is healthy. But in terms of priority discussions that need to happen in the UK right now, this is about issue #759. People can't afford to eat. Any chance we can sort that first?

That's the good thing about chewing the fat, you can always start a new thread 

[simmo 21,945]

14 hours ago, s713 said:

I don’t expect the Mail or Express are running daily stories about our economy being the worst amongst developed countries, the fact that companies are leaving the UK in droves, 

Because that would be fake news 

[simmo 21,945]

3 hours ago, calNgary said:

Considering im currently at home totally knocked on my ass from it, your post is quite apt. To be perfectly honest ,right now, i could not give 2 hoots about what you all want to discuss, just a shame some of you cant do it like adults and stick to the forum rules so i can freakin rest up when sick rather than having to mod your playground squabbles.. 

    Cal x 

Are you jabbed?

 

[HappyHeart 14,374]

6 hours ago, simmo said:

The same debate comes up again and again here.  Then when you drill down into what "poverty " is it gets slightly confusing.  Can a household be living in "poverty" for example, if they all have smart phones, netflix subscriptions etc.

Yes. They can. And asylum seekers can be desperate and need help if they have phones too! Who’d have thought it! 

Edited May 18 by HappyHeart

[simmo 21,945]

4 minutes ago, HappyHeart said:

Yes. They can. And asylum seekers can be desperate and need help if they have phones too! Who’d have thought it! 

If you say so.

[calNgary 9,292]

13 hours ago, simmo said:

Are you jabbed?

 

Triple jabbed, albeit the 3rd one was probably over a year ago. 

  Cal x

[Ken 1,739]

21 hours ago, simmo said:

The same debate comes up again and again here.  Then when you drill down into what "poverty " is it gets slightly confusing.  Can a household be living in "poverty" for example, if they all have smart phones, netflix subscriptions etc.

The definition of poverty changes over time. At one point families whose children didn't have shoes were considered to be in poverty. If that were still the definition, we could say that poverty was irradicated in the UK. The current measure (as used in the child poverty act 2010) is a household income below 60% of Median income. This measure make poverty practically impossible to irradicate since raising incomes to compensate raises the median income and so puts people back into poverty.

Weirdly a recession that reduced incomes (and which would also be far worse for the poorest as they don't have any savings) would take many people out of poverty because of the reduction in median income.

[Ken 1,739]

15 hours ago, simmo said:

Because that would be fake news 

That's never stopped the Daily Mail before.

[Booma 385]

22 hours ago, simmo said:

The same debate comes up again and again here.  Then when you drill down into what "poverty " is it gets slightly confusing.  Can a household be living in "poverty" for example, if they all have smart phones, netflix subscriptions etc.

People who have the latest tech and Netflix subscriptions etc, and claim they are living in poverty, are like former billionaires who think they are poor because they are only millionaires. 

[simmo 21,945]

2 hours ago, calNgary said:

Triple jabbed, albeit the 3rd one was probably over a year ago. 

  Cal x

I know you are probably rough right now but you will be getting the antibodies which are 100s of times better than any dodgy vaccine.

 

[HappyHeart 14,374]

17 hours ago, simmo said:

If you say so.

Your post tells me you don’t understand the realities of modern day poverty. Have you tried living without a mobile phone for a few days? They’re not a luxury item any more. They’re essential for most people of working age and with children. Netflix subscriptions? So if a person is ‘poor’ they should not have anything at all considered a luxury item? Do you know how much a Netflix subscription is? Credit companies feed off and thrive when poor people are targeted for ‘pay day’ loans, instant credit etc. Buy now pay later mentality. It’d be great if we could all resist and be ‘sensible’ but lots of young people get into a debt spiral that is nigh on impossible to escape from because we are constantly sold this consume culture, all the ‘must haves’ 

It’s really not as clear cut as you might think. Don’t forget one of your heroes said it best- inequity is essential for modern society and capitalism to thrive 

Edited May 19 by HappyHeart

[HappyHeart 14,374]

@simmo

https://www.sbs.com.au/topics/voices/culture/explainer/working-still-doing-it-tough-reality-modern-poverty

Consider this. 

[simmo 21,945]

37 minutes ago, HappyHeart said:

Your post tells me you don’t understand the realities of modern day poverty. Have you tried living without a mobile phone for a few days? They’re not a luxury item any more. They’re essential for most people of working age and with children. Netflix subscriptions? So if a person is ‘poor’ they should not have anything at all considered a luxury item? Do you know how much a Netflix subscription is? Credit companies feed off and thrive when poor people are targeted for ‘pay day’ loans, instant credit etc. Buy now pay later mentality. It’d be great if we could all resist and be ‘sensible’ but lots of young people get into a debt spiral that is nigh on impossible to escape from because we are constantly sold this consume culture, all the ‘must haves’ 

It’s really not as clear cut as you might think. Don’t forget one of your heroes said it best- inequity is essential for modern society and capitalism to thrive 

Except a £20 phone just won't do.

[simmo 21,945]

2 minutes ago, HappyHeart said:

@simmo

https://www.sbs.com.au/topics/voices/culture/explainer/working-still-doing-it-tough-reality-modern-poverty

Consider this. 

What about it?

[ramot 7,093]

My question is what is anyone who posts doing about poverty , other than posting? Does anyone support the Smith Family for instance, help out at a homeless shelter, soup kitchen? 

Or just discuss it, and feel holier than thou?

before you ask, no I don’t these days, but feel I have in the past, but probably not nearly enough. 

[simmo 21,945]

38 minutes ago, ramot said:

My question is what is anyone who posts doing about poverty , other than posting? Does anyone support the Smith Family for instance, help out at a homeless shelter, soup kitchen? 

Or just discuss it, and feel holier than thou?

before you ask, no I don’t these days, but feel I have in the past, but probably not nearly enough. 

I've volunteered at food banks twice this year and at a city farm.

[Bulya 2,862]

Joint decision made tonight and daughter has cancelled Paramount+ and subscribed to Britbox.  Where to start….

[HappyHeart 14,374]

2 hours ago, HappyHeart said:

@simmo

https://www.sbs.com.au/topics/voices/culture/explainer/working-still-doing-it-tough-reality-modern-poverty

Consider this. 

Why are you confused @simmo?

[HappyHeart 14,374]

2 hours ago, ramot said:

My question is what is anyone who posts doing about poverty , other than posting? Does anyone support the Smith Family for instance, help out at a homeless shelter, soup kitchen? 

Or just discuss it, and feel holier than thou?

before you ask, no I don’t these days, but feel I have in the past, but probably not nearly enough. 

All of the above. I've been poor. I've counted my silver coins for a packet of sausages and some potatoes to make sausage and mash for dinner. I know how it feels to have to put stuff back at the check out because I added it up wrong and I have no back up credit card or other means to pay. I pay back now I can afford to. 

[HappyHeart 14,374]

2 hours ago, simmo said:

Except a £20 phone just won't do.

You're clutching at straws now. You can buy a smart phone here for well under $100. I imagine it's the same in the UK. 

[HappyHeart 14,374]

1 hour ago, simmo said:

I've volunteered at food banks twice this year and at a city farm.

Did you make them show you their phone before you handed over the food parcel? 

[simmo 21,945]

3 hours ago, HappyHeart said:

All of the above. I've been poor. I've counted my silver coins for a packet of sausages and some potatoes to make sausage and mash for dinner. I know how it feels to have to put stuff back at the check out because I added it up wrong and I have no back up credit card or other means to pay. I pay back now I can afford to. 

You were lucky.....

[simmo 21,945]

3 hours ago, HappyHeart said:

Did you make them show you their phone before you handed over the food parcel? 

I was taking the donations from the supermarket to the food bank so didn't have contact with the poor people.

[simmo 21,945]

3 hours ago, HappyHeart said:

You're clutching at straws now. You can buy a smart phone here for well under $100. I imagine it's the same in the UK. 

The point......

[simmo 21,945]

3 hours ago, HappyHeart said:

Why are you confused @simmo?

I'm just a simple man.  No need to castigate me in front of everyone like that