“I bet if the average great great great grandfather of the average park slope resident could be brought back to life in 2011 to listen to the kind of bullshit that his great great great grandson was complaining about he would smack him senseless.”
Actually, that average Park Slope forefather might have been a young adult in Europe during the revolutions of 1848, or perhaps an abolitionist here. Perhaps they would find the degree of income and wealth disparity we have here today something to be up in arms about.
“Do you know what the reasons were behind the generations that followed that lead them to become less wealthy??”
Yes, Gem, they were in a similar very rich minority.
Yes, I’m pretty clear about that. It was classic downward mobility, and poor management of the money. Risky investments. In particular, the great depression, then the court case, and then the stock market crash in the 70s—where my gr. parents/and parents lost a great deal of paper money.
“My father was the product of a broken immigrant family who had to leave school after the 9th grade to support his mother. He never had more than a laborer’s position, but was able to raise 4 kids in a very modest fashion, but in the scheme of things we were well-provided for. He and my mom had tremedous self-discipline.â€
Benson, just so I can use as ammo in some later discussion, was your dad in a union? 🙂
I say BULLSHIT on no one being able to attain middle class status. The American consumer has a buy, buy, buy mentality, can’t understand credit card debt and is generally irresponsible.
I know many people who came here with nothing and have worked very hard at relatively meanial jobs and amassed hundreds of thousands of dollars.
It’s unusual for wealth to last more than a couple of generations.
I seem to know a lot of people who have trust funds and liberal arts degrees from good schools in the northeast and never really had to worry about money. Most of them are clearly the last stop for the family money. I often wonder how their kids are going to make it when they aren’t learning to be hungry.
Sort of like how kittens don’t learn to kill if they aren’t raised by a hunting mother.
“I know many people who came here with nothing and have worked very hard at relatively meanial jobs and amassed hundreds of thousands of dollars.â€
Is hustling considered a menial job? 🙂
By dirty_hipster on March 21, 2011 1:11 PM
i drank the most delicious beverage i’ve had in a while on Saturday.
Galliano Ristretto
This is a perfect example of Americans’ and their reckless spending and consuming patterns
“I bet if the average great great great grandfather of the average park slope resident could be brought back to life in 2011 to listen to the kind of bullshit that his great great great grandson was complaining about he would smack him senseless.”
Actually, that average Park Slope forefather might have been a young adult in Europe during the revolutions of 1848, or perhaps an abolitionist here. Perhaps they would find the degree of income and wealth disparity we have here today something to be up in arms about.
“Do you know what the reasons were behind the generations that followed that lead them to become less wealthy??”
Yes, Gem, they were in a similar very rich minority.
Yes, I’m pretty clear about that. It was classic downward mobility, and poor management of the money. Risky investments. In particular, the great depression, then the court case, and then the stock market crash in the 70s—where my gr. parents/and parents lost a great deal of paper money.
“My father was the product of a broken immigrant family who had to leave school after the 9th grade to support his mother. He never had more than a laborer’s position, but was able to raise 4 kids in a very modest fashion, but in the scheme of things we were well-provided for. He and my mom had tremedous self-discipline.â€
Benson, just so I can use as ammo in some later discussion, was your dad in a union? 🙂
I say BULLSHIT on no one being able to attain middle class status. The American consumer has a buy, buy, buy mentality, can’t understand credit card debt and is generally irresponsible.
I know many people who came here with nothing and have worked very hard at relatively meanial jobs and amassed hundreds of thousands of dollars.
aha m4l – there was a woman who called in who was basically up to her eyeballs in debt, low income, and wanted to buy some 10k Chanel purse.
It’s unusual for wealth to last more than a couple of generations.
I seem to know a lot of people who have trust funds and liberal arts degrees from good schools in the northeast and never really had to worry about money. Most of them are clearly the last stop for the family money. I often wonder how their kids are going to make it when they aren’t learning to be hungry.
Sort of like how kittens don’t learn to kill if they aren’t raised by a hunting mother.
i drank the most delicious beverage i’ve had in a while on Saturday.
Galliano Ristretto – basically like Kahlua on steroids (and no fake artificial sugar taste)