General Discussion

Marthe48

(23,034 posts)

37. I'm in the top 20%

Thu Sep 30, 2021, 11:51 AM

Sep 2021

Because my house and car are paid off, I have little credit card debt, and I have money in the bank. All of which most Americans don't. But by my own rating, I am not rich.

Did you notice the graph at the top of the artcle? How none of the items mentioned by Umair ballooned until the 1990's? When did having an MBA get popular? Prior to MBAs and entrepreneurs becoming the thing in business, we had family owned businesses that supplied us with our wants and needs. Now we have multinational companies who charge the same price in every market regardless of the endmarkets varitions in income. And the companies have made their products the ultimate status symbols, where if you aren't wearing those shoes, or that shirt, you don't rate. Not to mention we are FREE walking billboards for the companies we wear.

I couldn't live like that. And I don't. And I won't. Make good choices people-buy what you can afford, don't worry about what others think, and stay free.

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Do Americans Know What a Massive Ripoff American Life Really Is? [View all] FSogol Sep 2021 OP

This message was self-deleted by its author snowybirdie Sep 2021 #1

You obviously didn't read it. FSogol Sep 2021 #2

Here you go. BannonsLiver Sep 2021 #6

LOL. n/t FSogol Sep 2021 #7

LOL! Missn-Hitch Sep 2021 #64

Holy mother of God heckles65 Sep 2021 #66

That's because it's not really a patriotic song localroger Sep 2021 #79

+1 and thank you! Totally Tunsie Sep 2021 #92

He has an Oliver! A Real American man has a Minneapolis-Moline StClone Sep 2021 #115

Why so many people of color in that clip? Grins Sep 2021 #143

I tear up whenever I hear that song alittlelark Sep 2021 #155

I feel like a cat that just coughed up a hairball after listening to that and shutting it off again. NullTuples Sep 2021 #161

And this is why the problem remains. Aristus Sep 2021 #10

+1 KPN Sep 2021 #48

Wow! Love your response. It is the solution to what ails us! vishnura Sep 2021 #52

THIS malaise Sep 2021 #59

It has to be more difficult than shooting the messenger. soldierant Sep 2021 #131

I was born in the US. Grew up here. And have lived all over the US. róisín_dubh Sep 2021 #28

Cheaper???? Dublin? Paris???? Austria??? Denmark???? cinematicdiversions Sep 2021 #58

My place in England is 1 hour from London... róisín_dubh Sep 2021 #137

So you don't like the message so you want to kick the messenger. Get out of bubble much? Bernardo de La Paz Sep 2021 #32

Seriously? KPN Sep 2021 #54

This message was self-deleted by its author Celerity Sep 2021 #60

This message was self-deleted by its author Prof. Toru Tanaka Sep 2021 #134

It's not that easy DSandra Sep 2021 #73

Forum rules dictate that I not respond to this how I would like Ferrets are Cool Sep 2021 #76

Did you read it? NQAS Sep 2021 #77

👍 Joinfortmill Sep 2021 #91

You're obviously pleased with the current state of the country... tenderfoot Sep 2021 #80

Excellent read. And sobering. chia Sep 2021 #3

When my German friend comes over, she can't believe the price of food Mysterian Sep 2021 #4

And the cost of housing is insane PatSeg Sep 2021 #11

++ appalachiablue Sep 2021 #41

Americans are trinket rich, but equity poor. CrispyQ Sep 2021 #67

Oh yes, that is perfect! PatSeg Sep 2021 #99

Thats a good phrase leighbythesea2 Sep 2021 #129

it has shifted dramatically since Reagan. Evolve Dammit Sep 2021 #163

THIS !!!! ☝🏾☝🏾☝🏾 uponit7771 Sep 2021 #169

+1 Auggie Oct 2021 #173

Our "toys" are part of the problem. thucythucy Oct 2021 #199

Oh, that was an excellent rant PatSeg Oct 2021 #202

:-) Lemon Lyman Oct 2021 #217

This is one of my all time favorite clips. thucythucy Oct 2021 #220

It must be tough being that downtrodden. mahatmakanejeeves Sep 2021 #5

At no point did he claim to be downtrodden. He's talking about America's working poor and FSogol Sep 2021 #9

Do you Ad Hominem Barbara Ehrenreich, too? maxsolomon Sep 2021 #18

Elitist fuckwad living ivory tower lifestyle telling how the poors how poor they are? Fuck him Shanti Shanti Shanti Sep 2021 #21

"I lived overseas" BannonsLiver Sep 2021 #23

I lived in Greece, Thailand, the Phillipines, not London, Paris or Berlin, so I should shut up, eh Shanti Shanti Shanti Sep 2021 #26

Good call. BannonsLiver Sep 2021 #27

So Greece is the lone European place you lived? Johnny2X2X Sep 2021 #31

Oh I just decided to stir things up, went to Walmart and got prescipt sunglasses for $94, I'm good Shanti Shanti Shanti Sep 2021 #75

I also lived for months at a time in Colombia, Peru and Brazil, yeah, Americans are spoiled, you bet Shanti Shanti Shanti Sep 2021 #85

Do their citizens have to start go-fund-me campaigns to help pay for health care too? tenderfoot Sep 2021 #106

What health care? Villiage doctors,drink water from the rivers, be lucky to have a toilet that works Shanti Shanti Shanti Sep 2021 #110

So our dirt poor are living large? tenderfoot Sep 2021 #127

Yep, all guilty, its OK though, civilization ends when the power goes out, its only a matter of time Shanti Shanti Shanti Sep 2021 #128

Uh huh. ShazzieB Sep 2021 #150

Probably RobinA Sep 2021 #39

Lol, this. Treefrog Sep 2021 #90

Debt crisis Greece is your sole European example? TiberiusB Sep 2021 #43

Fuck him because he is right? I've lived many years in USA and Canada. . . . nt Bernardo de La Paz Sep 2021 #33

He's got his whole "We're DOOMED! USA IS DOOMED, EUROPE IS DOOMED!" Schtick going for him, yeah Shanti Shanti Shanti Sep 2021 #102

Amazing what drivel is considered great analysis here grantcart Sep 2021 #50

You're comparing rent with purchasing? Where I live (SoCal) lower incomes can't afford to purchase chia Sep 2021 #87

There is much more volatility in rental markets so it shouldnt grantcart Sep 2021 #142

The US also has one of the lowest entry levels for first time home buyers grantcart Sep 2021 #144

You realize you need a sizable down payment, plus there's PMI until your equity is over 20% chia Oct 2021 #175

Agree with the drivel part, at least as it applies to this article. Equomba Sep 2021 #105

Drivel indeed wellst0nev0ter Oct 2021 #181

As I stated, it was the first source I happened upon, Equomba Oct 2021 #205

From your website wellst0nev0ter Oct 2021 #207

And? Equomba Oct 2021 #210

Seriously? Celerity Sep 2021 #57

I live in Germany Old Crank Sep 2021 #74

This message was self-deleted by its author Old Crank Sep 2021 #78

Spoken like an elitist with plenty for housing, food, fuel and repairs tenderfoot Sep 2021 #100

"Tell us how lucky we are in regard to affordable health care." ShazzieB Sep 2021 #152

There's a lot of people in this thread that make Ayn Rand look compassionate tenderfoot Sep 2021 #154

Sad but true. 😒 ShazzieB Sep 2021 #160

thinking the same thing Evolve Dammit Sep 2021 #164

This is supposed to be DU, right? wellst0nev0ter Sep 2021 #165

Sounds rather harsh. Equomba Sep 2021 #171

WTF? This is the sort of emotional, illogical, "patriotic" reaction that the Rs have relied on for KPN Sep 2021 #56

DOOMSAYERS, irk me , jibber jabber, thats all he writes Shanti Shanti Shanti Sep 2021 #114

Nice Screed Old Crank Sep 2021 #84

Thanks for bio. Guy knows of what he's talking about. Joinfortmill Sep 2021 #95

I follow him on Medium. smirkymonkey Sep 2021 #124

I recall a thread about dogs this week. JanMichael Sep 2021 #8

Dang, I pretty much knew all that, but it was still depressing Biophilic Sep 2021 #12

Statistics show we do well in cost-of-living compared to Europe. But Afghanistan is cheap. Hoyt Sep 2021 #13

I think that metric is incomplete Johnny2X2X Sep 2021 #17

Utilities, loans (borrowing to pay for things), etc., are included in "cost-of-living." But it is Hoyt Sep 2021 #20

Well, This Guy RobinA Sep 2021 #40

Yep. twodogsbarking Sep 2021 #22

COL index includes healthcare. New York and California are expensive the rest of the country isn't uponit7771 Oct 2021 #191

Food is cheap, but health care is hellishly expensive in US and not great unless you have gold. . nt Bernardo de La Paz Sep 2021 #35

+1, nice facts. Thx for this uponit7771 Oct 2021 #189

This is a must read Johnny2X2X Sep 2021 #14

"To not be poor, you need savings." tiredtoo Sep 2021 #36

This message was self-deleted by its author Chin music Sep 2021 #38

I've read Richest Man in Babylon Johnny2X2X Sep 2021 #45

Amen. Joinfortmill Sep 2021 #96

I Disagree RobinA Sep 2021 #46

Well it should be obvious if you don't have income you can't save. tiredtoo Sep 2021 #69

No, there is a whole Karma13612 Oct 2021 #176

Have no intention of arguing the point but tiredtoo Oct 2021 #201

The infrastructure requiring car ownership IS the trap Effete Snob Sep 2021 #70

That's a huge factor Johnny2X2X Sep 2021 #71

Europeans are pissed because they ain't got a Starbucks on every corner.... and 3Hotdogs Sep 2021 #15

America does not believe in helping its citizens. Irish_Dem Sep 2021 #16

Not "America." Republicons. Big difference. JudyM Sep 2021 #166

Recent events show us it is not just the GOP. Irish_Dem Oct 2021 #188

What do you mean? The whole Democratic Patty is Both Sides because of a few people? betsuni Oct 2021 #194

IKWYM but they are outliers, not representative of the Democratic party, at least IMO. JudyM Oct 2021 #203

Yes, Americans have been deluded with propaganda while corporations take in enormous profits dlk Sep 2021 #19

This all started with raygun Casady1 Sep 2021 #24

Yup Joinfortmill Sep 2021 #97

++++++++++++++++++++ not fooled Sep 2021 #167

No Mad_Machine76 Sep 2021 #25

I don't want to be like EU Calculating Sep 2021 #53

Well, in the few urban centers of Europe I have been, driving is not a thing... Moostache Sep 2021 #98

$8 a liter for gas is appx. $2.11 -sorry, this post should be trashed. haele Sep 2021 #120

1 gallon about 3.8 litres, at $8 each $30 nt msongs Sep 2021 #138

Not Close ProfessorGAC Sep 2021 #147

This is right on. Not only are you being ripped off... LakeArenal Sep 2021 #29

Back in April, at the age of 65 iwillalwayswonderwhy Sep 2021 #30

Since you are 65 you would be covered by Medicare. former9thward Sep 2021 #107

that covers about 80% Skittles Sep 2021 #172

Not on a hospital visit. former9thward Oct 2021 #177

that is not all you are charged for Skittles Oct 2021 #179

Under Medicare you still have to pay for the ambulance and burrowowl Oct 2021 #180

"Free" has a cost. former9thward Oct 2021 #182

The US and UK have burrowowl Oct 2021 #215

How long are we going to blame our problems on long dead people? former9thward Oct 2021 #216

The problem with these articles is it is hard to trust anyone. Steelrolled Sep 2021 #34

Totally Biased RobinA Sep 2021 #47

Correct grantcart Sep 2021 #51

+1 uponit7771 Sep 2021 #170

A little digging on the author Dukkha Sep 2021 #145

Europe is more expensive to live than the US (COLI Link) uponit7771 Oct 2021 #192

I'm in the top 20% Marthe48 Sep 2021 #37

I agree with much of the article. cate94 Sep 2021 #42

K&R bluewater Sep 2021 #44

Shorter article Loki Liesmith Sep 2021 #49

Depressingly true. Dems should burn the whole system down Roc2020 Sep 2021 #55

I don't know what it costs to live in the states anymore LittleGirl Sep 2021 #61

We pay so much for healthcare so we don't have hundreds of thousands dying of treatable issues IronLionZion Sep 2021 #62

We still have one of the greatest propaganda machines in the world OldBaldy1701E Oct 2021 #187

He fails to mention how lobbyists buy the politicians to enact the laws that protect them, and bucolic_frolic Sep 2021 #63

US ranked 17th in overall quality of life rankings. Jon King Sep 2021 #65

Median Household Income in the US varies from $67.5k to $79.9k, depending on source Martin Eden Sep 2021 #68

He said average income Old Crank Sep 2021 #82

"Average" could divide the total population by total income Martin Eden Sep 2021 #111

Could be Individual v Household Thew Sep 2021 #86

I totally disagree with the idea that life is immeasurably better in Canada. BobTheSubgenius Sep 2021 #72

Thank you! Duppers Sep 2021 #133

My grandparents homesteaded on the Saskatchewan prairie in the early 1900s. Grasswire2 Sep 2021 #146

I guess the price would depend, as the price of all land does, on location and quality. BobTheSubgenius Oct 2021 #213

You are more than welcome....and thank you, as well! BobTheSubgenius Oct 2021 #212

A bit of an over simplification, of course. RVN VET71 Sep 2021 #81

Further to this post, watch Michael Moore's "Where to Invade Next" OMGWTF Sep 2021 #83

He has a point Joinfortmill Sep 2021 #88

What happened to DU? Loge23 Sep 2021 #89

Because RobinA Sep 2021 #101

+1 chia Sep 2021 #113

Did you see my thread about the average family owning a DOG? Thtwudbeme Sep 2021 #117

That was actually funny reading the comments... radicalleft Sep 2021 #122

Jesus, you aren't kidding. Thank you Thtwudbeme Sep 2021 #126

EVERYTHING is more expensive radicalleft Sep 2021 #130

Agreed, there's a huge "love it or leave it" response traitorsgalore Sep 2021 #151

Absolutely. This country is one giant corporation that chews up and spits out its citizens budkin Sep 2021 #93

Lol this thread WhiskeyGrinder Sep 2021 #94

Umair Haque publishes many deep and dark articles a week - I read them on medium.com erronis Sep 2021 #103

Veilikovsky sold a lot of books on the DOOMSDAY scenarios too, Worlds in Collision Earth in Upheaval Shanti Shanti Shanti Sep 2021 #112

K&R BlueJac Sep 2021 #104

I tried to read the piece and got the following response Ford_Prefect Sep 2021 #108

Still works for me. n/t FSogol Sep 2021 #109

Tried another browser, SRware Iron to Firefox, and it worked ok THX. Ford_Prefect Sep 2021 #135

The statistical analysis is skewed and his facts are weird Sympthsical Sep 2021 #116

We have a two bedroom house in Podunk, NC Thtwudbeme Sep 2021 #119

Even with that, you're well below his averages Sympthsical Sep 2021 #132

Many in the South Thtwudbeme Sep 2021 #156

Very accurate and depressing article. And the sad thing is NOTHING will ever change here beaglelover Sep 2021 #118

K&R spanone Sep 2021 #121

Yes and no. Act_of_Reparation Sep 2021 #123

Archiving leighbythesea2 Sep 2021 #125

I guess I have it pretty good. CaptainTruth Sep 2021 #136

+1 betsuni Sep 2021 #149

Umair has made SO many mistakes in logic that I'm beginning to believe it's on purpose. Equomba Sep 2021 #162

I'm pretty sure everyone has an agenda, wouldn't you agree? ChubbyStar Oct 2021 #204

Sure, I guess you could say that to one degree or another everyone Equomba Oct 2021 #218

$100 or less for heating, electricity and gas? Don't know if I paid that little in 1983... chia Oct 2021 #178

We pay that now Sympthsical Oct 2021 #183

Perhaps you can help me make sense of this. Equomba Sep 2021 #139

some relevant information presented hysterically by an elitist. nt msongs Sep 2021 #140

three words: temporarily embarrassed millionaires Dukkha Sep 2021 #141

Yes, perfect, one of many contributing factors Auggie Sep 2021 #168

Play stupid games, win stupid prizes. onecaliberal Sep 2021 #148

That was a great read. LiberatedUSA Sep 2021 #153

Because Republicans politicized religion and created a media empire to spread their propaganda. betsuni Sep 2021 #157

America is a great scam if you can pull it off. Crunchy Frog Sep 2021 #158

Thes are the facts Progressive dog Sep 2021 #159

Pointless to compare the US with undeveloped countries Johnny2X2X Oct 2021 #197

America is part of the developed world Progressive dog Oct 2021 #208

I guess he's never been to Tokyo, London, Singapore, the Emirates, Dubai, or Disneyland. marble falls Oct 2021 #174

Carefully selected statistics and vague generalizations do not describe ANY country accurately DFW Oct 2021 #184

+10000000000000000000000000Thankyou. betsuni Oct 2021 #186

+1. n/t obnoxiousdrunk Oct 2021 #209

A couple of comments on article Kaleva Oct 2021 #185

An economy driven mainly by greed moondust Oct 2021 #190

I remember several years ago posting here... Takket Oct 2021 #193

Actually...You're Being Screwed In More Ways Than You Realize DAngelo136 Oct 2021 #195

Actually...You're Being Screwed In More Ways Than You Realize DAngelo136 Oct 2021 #196

When I first spotted this thread yesterday unsure where it was going lambchopp59 Oct 2021 #198

People have a visceral reaction to criticism of America from an outsider, so I understand that FSogol Oct 2021 #200

Michael Moore's movie "Where to Invade Next" kskiska Oct 2021 #206

I read this post yesterday Marthe48 Oct 2021 #211

Unfortunately, the US is a failed state. BeckyDem Oct 2021 #214

At this point, I should start exploring moving back to Europe. Mr. Scorpio Oct 2021 #219