Reply #16: He does have part of a point at least. [View All]

[TheMadMonk]

It's not that 99% have a refrigerator, or 9X% having a washing machine and/or stove.

It IS the very significant proportion who have AC, and other power guzzling convenience/comfort appliances. Who have wallet draining subscriptions to cable and gaming services. (I will even allow an internet connection as a near necessity in this day and age, but a "pipe" capable of delivering video in real time and lag free gaming? Really?)

I used to do garrage/yard sales on a regular basis, and just as regularly I saw "poor" families disposing of perfectly good but outdated gaming consoles, televisions, VCRs, DVD players, Bread makers, Pizza ovens, etc. And as likely as not, if you asked why, the answer was an unembarrassed, "We've got something better/bigger now."

Meat and three veg for 1/2 the price of a fast food meal is very easy. Pasta meals are cheaper still.

A whole cryovac rump is not that expensive, cut it into steaks, a couple of roasts and put the trimmings through a food processor to make mince.

A good part of the problem today is that many do not know how to cook a meal, make minor repairs. And a good many who flat out will not settle for anything less than the latest and greatest.

And yes I am fully aware that another big part of the problem is that the world around these people and the people themselves have been deliberately re-engineered to make them skill poor, dependant on external services and demanding of worthless luxury. However, beyond a certain point these people have to actively cooperate in their own plight, nether the clown nor the colonel are holding a gun to their heads.