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stug76

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  1. I think that I'd be unable to discount C, and agree with B in the context of religions. Sent from my SM-G960F using Tapatalk
  2. How did God get it so wrong in the first place? Sent from my SM-G960F using Tapatalk
  3. Why are you expecting to have a sensible conversation with someone who believes in made up stories? Sent from my SM-G960F using Tapatalk
  4. What did actually happen? Sent from my SM-G960F using Tapatalk
  5. I think you should consider stepping away from your keyboard for a while. Sent from my SM-G960F using Tapatalk
  6. Yes. there are some people who are poor who deserve to be, those that have squandered all the opportunities they've been given and have done nothing to improve their situation. There are some people who are poor and happy. There are some people who are poor who are a success. Sent from my SM-G960F using Tapatalk
  7. 'ridiculously naive' - you're a classy chap aren't you!! I'm going to guess that the poverty threshold as defined by the IFS report wouldn't correlate with my view of poverty. Also, if you refer to my post, I'm suggesting that having a job isn't the only factor, it's also how you behave when you have the job and what you do with the money. Unless you are going to audit all those under the 'poverty line', I my reservations about such thresholds. As alluded to, I think that food banks are probably the worst way of pointing at a system to highlight its faults. It's like a free bar at a wedding. Of course, there are people who are genuinely unlucky, who do work hard and dont get the breaks. Who get knocked down and keep coming back for more but don't get the rewards of their efforts and I can live with that, there's an element of chance in everything we do. They're probably the sort of people who will take their benefits and make the most of them, in the way that they are intended, not sit back and moan about how unlucky they are. High crime inner city estates, probably much harder to get out of than the leafy suburbs, and yeah I guess that's the lottery of birth, but dont look down on them, patronise them give them pat on the back and a few handouts. But also, don't criticise or resent those that have been lucky. Accept what you've got and do what you can to make your life better. Treat all people with respect and you'll get your rewards, the fair society that you want. Sent from my SM-G960F using Tapatalk
  8. It all goes back to what I said before, about what your personal beliefs are. If you analyse the reason why people are stuck in renting and using food banks I bet it isn't because they didn't have the opportunity to be educated, I bet it's not because we have had 100% employment for the last 20 years, I bet it's not because they can't afford their medical bills. My guess is that they've been let down by their family and their friends, that they have been led to believe that it doesn't matter how hard you work at school or in your job. My guess is (guess - not backed up by anything other than my own personal life experience) that they all had the opportunity to have 'better' lives but have made decisions along the way that have lead them to where they are, not because society has let them down. If you make the wrong decisions, if you take a different path, within reason, you'll get what deserve in life. You show me the person who tried hard at school, got good grades according to their ability, has turned up and done a good days work everyday, who is polite fair and decent, who has prioritised the necessities in life before the luxuries and who hasn't ended up a success and I'll show you the 0.1%. Its too easy to blame a system that offers so much before taking an honest hard look at why the system hasn't worked for you. Sent from my SM-G960F using Tapatalk
  9. So you agree with the sentiment, it's just the source you object too? Sent from my SM-G960F using Tapatalk
  10. If we're not careful we'll end up chasing ourselves round in circles, but I do appreciate your response. We're probably, ideologically speaking, coming from a different place and unlikely to agree. This is my last post, so I'll try to wrap up as much as I can from my point of view, but excuse me if I dont cover all your points. I don't think that the top .1% earning more than everyone else, and society not working for the remaining 99.9% are mutually exclusive events. I would say that society works for the majority of people. We pay a proportion of our income in tax and we get a lot for our money. My son was rushed into hospital last week, thankfully nothing serious, society worked for me that day. We all get educated, we all get looked after, we all get welfare when times are hard and for 99.9% of the population the system works, it really does. There are a few outliers at the bottom end who have no interest in being part of society, who don't want to work, who commit crimes who try to ruin it for everyone else (I've had my workshop cleaned out 3 times in the last 6 years), but as a society we have to accept that you cant please everyone. It might not all be plain sailing. Everyone wants more money, of course they do. Sometimes you have to ride your luck, but if you make good decisions, consistently and work hard then society works. If you can pay your bills at the end of the month with a few quid in your pocket then you're a success. If you keep looking up at those who have bigger house, nicer cars, you'll never be happy because there's always someone with a 'better' life than yours. A 'wealthy' person, is probably less a drain on society than you or I. They probably educate their kids privately, have private health care, don't use public services but you want them to pay proportionately more of their wealth on society. I can see it, t on some extent but they will almost certainly be wealth creators. If they employ people who pay tax, should that be offset? It's like going down the pub with your mates and sharing the bill according to who is the wealthiest. Which would actually be a good idea in my circle of friends! I appreciate the link, I might take a look later, but I'm assuming it just reinforces your point, and for balance I'd then have to dig out one that supports my point of view then you're back on that cycle of peer reviewed papers and articles that seems so popular these days. Have a good weekend, wont be long until the football is back and we can occupy ourselves with something more worthwhile. Sent from my SM-G960F using Tapatalk
  11. There will never be a level playing field, never in a million years. It would be crazy to suggest it. If I work hard to give my kids opportunities in life and you don't, should my kids miss out? If I spend time with my kids helping them learn and grow as good people, to have a good work ethic and attitude and you sit yours down in front of the TV every night how would you level that playing field? It's all too easy to hide behind 'systemic failure', than to look inwardly and be honest about why success hasn't come your way. I've employed several people who have moaned about their lot, have gone to the doctors and got pills for this and that all because they couldn't face the reality of their own failings, and the system will let them do it. Sorry, got a bit side tracked! Anyway, you'll more often than not get what you deserve from life. Usually that's because of the decisions that you make and that will determine whether you're a 'success' or not. Sent from my SM-G960F using Tapatalk
  12. I made no comment on the merits of it, just that it's not a surprise that people who have historically demonstrated success (if you measure success as a function of income), continue to do so. Do I think its good? If you don't offer rewards for excellence then you impact opportunity, innovation and motivation. Everyone could be 'successful' with the right attitude. There are countless stories of CEO's who have worked their way up from the shop floor. It's very easy to blame 'the system' because there are lots of people willing to accept it as a valid excuse. However, I understand that there are people who dont share my views! Sent from my SM-G960F using Tapatalk
  13. More successful people being more successful. Who'd have thought it? Sent from my SM-G960F using Tapatalk
  14. Fleming park? Sent from my SM-G960F using Tapatalk
  15. I'm not an evangelist for vegans. You get a feeling for when and where it's appropriate to have certain conversations. Quite a few of the more frequent posters here are stupid and will steer a debate a certain way. To give you the benefit of doubt It's just not going to happen. Nobody is going to push the big green vegan button and there'll be a need to slaughter the whole stock of animals. It's a stupid argument. Sent from my SM-G960F using Tapatalk
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