The article that I chose for my third blogpost is 4 Common Morals Designed to Keep You Poor by John Cheese. This article was also found on Cracked.com. (sensing a theme, anyone?)
#4: Being Rich Makes You an Evil, Greedy Bastard
In this segment, Cheese makes the argument that there is a conception that if you are rich, you are an evil, greedy bastard. So, if you're wondering where Cheese got this inference, it is from every movie ever. Period. Rich = evil greedy bastards. The end. After giving this about .2 seconds of thought, I agree with this inference. Cheese notes that there is this notion that money corrupts people. It is not a desired thing because once you are rich, you are automatically a dick. It's the causality of said dickishness that Cheese argues. His point is that money doesn't corrupt you. If there wasn't any money, people would find the next most desired thing and fight over that.
However valid Cheese's point, he does delve deep into the psyche surrounding the notion of these rich, evil, greedy bastards. He says that it is so ingrained in our minds that wealth is an undesirable goal because too much money is a bad thing. This moral serves the purpose of warning the to-be rich of their future corruption, and also reassuring the non-rich that they should stay exactly where they're at. Because non-rich = non-evil greedy bastard.
I question this moral slightly. Slightly. It is possible that I'm not completely on board with this idea because one day I might not hate being one of these evil, greedy bastards? Hmm... But I do agree that the portrayal of being rich or 'too rich' goes hand in hand with the portrayal of being an evil and greedy bastard. So, why is this? Is it that rich people have shit on poor people in the past or done some shady things that actually make them evil greedy bastards? Have they exploited others for their own personal gain? Is it fair to assume that because one super rich person is a super greedy, evil asshole that all super rich people are greedy, evil assholes? Maybe. But maybe not. Could this portrayal have possibly spawned from jealousy? I mean, how can you not be jealous of the super rich. Their only real problems are that everyone thinks that they are evil greedy bastards. I'll take that any day over a mortgage and loans that I can't afford. But as the old saying goes - you can't have your money and rub it in people's faces too. If you are rich, then you must have some flaw somewhere. Being ugly or sick just isn't enough. It needs to be a really deep internal flaw that no one will ever be able to spot in the non-rich, but everyone can see it in the super-rich. Yup. I see it. That's the unmistakable glowing aura of an evil, greedy bastard. I knew it!
#3: Haggling Over Debts Makes You a Dishonest Piece of Shit
Cheese explores debt in this segment. Ugh. Debt. Such a pesky and recurring topic. Cheese says that there's this idea that you are responsible for your own debt. Well, yeah, but... There is this common conception about feeling responsible for your debts and a duty to repay them at whatever interest rate you agreed to. Haggling over this interest rate and inflated amount owed makes you sound even poorer. Which is exactly the boulder chained to my ankle that I need when I'm already drowning in debt.
Cheese makes an interesting point that the rich don't seem to feel anything when they are haggling over debts or trying to compromise a lower amount of money owed. But somehow it just feels wrong and shitty if you really don't have the money to pay all of your debt. Cheese explores the truth that most loan companies will work with you to lower your debt a little or reduce interest rates and erase late fees. So why do the rich save money doing this while feeling nothing, and the poor who could really use a break pay premium debt balances and interest rates because we feel guilty about haggling? Well, I'm not sure. I've always felt that the rich have some leverage because hey, they're rich. I think this in particular when referencing any financial institution because if the rich have enough money at stake in that institution, then they get a bigger say on how their account is managed. However, if you've only got debt and no money (therefore no power, it seems), then what is your bargaining chip? How is it possible that the rich have lower interest rates than the poor who already can't afford whatever it is they need to purchase on credit? Sure, they have higher credit scores. They're rich. What did you expect? But doesn't it seem a little odd that we are giving premium interest rates to poor people who are already in debt and setting them up for failure? No? Well, ok then. Carry on, loan sharks.
#2: Asking for Help Makes You Weak
In this portion of the article Cheese looks at the way asking for help can hinder you. (and who would ever have unfair misconceptions about the poor? Oh, right). The hindrance comes at your from two angles, the internal and external. As if asking for help doesn't make you feel like a piece of crap on the inside, the people that you ask for help are probably judging you just as harshly. Or so it seems. Cheese says that when someone gives you something, it's all good and that person probably feels awesome about doing so. But when you ask for something, you could get a completely opposite reaction like you are some sort of leech looking for handouts. Cheese also argues that if you do need assistance from government programs, you should take it. If you are in poverty and you can't control all of the financial obligations around you, take the help. As much as you want to be self sufficient and not need it, you are only digging your hole deeper as you accrue more debt.
So why is asking for help so difficult? Is it feeling inferior to those who are giving you help? Or are your own stereotypes keeping you from getting the help that you need to eventually not be in this situation anymore? Are you 'too good' for government programs? It's possible. Being in a spot where you literally can't afford to live definitely comes with it's own bag of feeling shitty about yourself, but how else will you get your life back on track? If you already can't afford your rent, bills, food, etc. then how will adding more expenses to continue living help you get out of debt? The answer is that it won't. It will get worse. Unless you win the lottery. Then good for you. But, on the off chance that you don't win the lottery - you need a plan to get ahead. So, my final question is which is worse: asking for help and possibly feeling like a shit-bag while you're climbing out of debt, or not asking for help and eventually getting your utilities shut off, evicted, and then having to ask for help? Personally, I'll take feeling like a shit-bag for a while over homelessness and on-the-fly 'I need money now' never-live-this-down kind of feeling.
#1: Saying No to Requests for Help Makes You an Asshole
In the final segment of this article, Cheese makes the argument that you can't give money to someone that you can't afford not to have in your own pocket. Seems reasonable, right? Well, it is easier said than done. It's hard to say no to someone's face when they have nothing and you do have the money they are asking for, even if you need it for something else. Especially family. But, Cheese makes a great point that by feeding into the circle of debt you are only digging yourself deeper. Only when you are able to stabilize your own finances and have extra left over, is when you will be able to loan money and not feel the deficit in the near future.
I don't think this one is that hard. But only in theory. Sure, it makes a lot of sense that you can't loan someone money you don't have. Even if you know you're going to need it. But if someone needs it more than you, and they're staring into your generous face with their stupid needy eyes, it can be pretty tough to say no. Especially if other people are watching. Then you have to come up with a lie because the truth that you really need that money and can't part with it implies that you too are financially unstable. And according to point #2, we can't have that, now can we?
Thanks for reading!
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