We should talk about how 'middle class' is a fabrication. Either you sell yourself for money, or you use your money to buy others. Those are the two classes. 'Middle class' just means you're getting off relatively light on exploitation, but your position is not fundamentally different from the most impoverished person. You are still at the mercy of whoever you sell yourself to for sustenance.

@lvickers966

5 ай бұрын

I agree. It is basically the "have's" and the "have not's". Period.

@LilFeralGangrel

5 ай бұрын

You put something into words that I've had a hard time putting, thank you. This is why I get annoyed when people tell sex workers they're selling themselves, yes just like any other workers.

@birjisafroz8886

5 ай бұрын

Isn't the middle class a relatively new concept? I don't think it existed until the Industrial Revolution, during which time a lot of ppl from lower income families started to have more disposable income.

@cassettetape7643

5 ай бұрын

​@@birjisafroz8886Yes, which is precisely why it didn't stick

@jeffengel2607

5 ай бұрын

There is 'class' by economic role and 'class' by income status. If you keep track which you mean and the other party understands it the same way, you're fine. We're not fine when (e.g.) we need to be talking about economic role class and everyone's stuck thinking of income class.

I saw this video and my first thought was when Victoria Beckham was trying to say she was raised in a “hard working” family or middle class or something & David Beckham didn’t let her gaslight her audience like that and forced her to acknowledge the Rolls Royce her father drove her to school in & how she was absolutely VERY privileged.

@angelaayala296

5 ай бұрын

That clip in the documentary was hilarious. I say this as as someone who grew up the child of a postal worker on the night shift. He drove an El Camino in the 90s. My Dad was a hard worker. The wealthy aren't fooling anyone.

@got_glintsp963

4 ай бұрын

That was awesome… when has “working class” EVER equalled having a Rolls Royce? 😂

@monsterboomer8051

4 ай бұрын

in her stupid celebrity mind it works like that: her father was working so they were very working class family

@hollylockhart9423

4 ай бұрын

What's wild about their story is that both of David's and Victoria's parents were "an engineer and a hair dresser" but David's dad was the kind of engineer who fixed boilers and Victoria's dad was the kind of engineer who designed electronics during the computing revolution (entrepreneur in an electronic supply business).

@TheFelicia82

4 ай бұрын

⁠​⁠@@monsterboomer8051 ​​⁠ it’s not that she is a celebrity but that according to the British class system, her family was considered working class. Her parents had to work, weren’t part of the aristocracy, and didn’t rub shoulders with the aristocracy. The father had a career as an electronics engineer and the family ultimately owned a related business but to some of the class conscious in Britain that was still working class when she was growing up.

I worked a lot of part-time jobs in college, WALMART being one. Our HR would encourage and help us sign up for food stamps when we started at Walmart (this was in the 2010s) because anyone who is on food stamps that they hire (and they can back file up to 90 days) they got a tax break for because they were "helping" boost the work force. But then people would only be able to spend SNAP there because it was also the cheapest place to shop. So Walmart got to work people less hours so they could stay on SNAP, get a tax break for them being on SNAP, AND get ALL of their snap spent in store.

@sperosversis3678

3 ай бұрын

Thankyou for bringing this up. I learned about the Walmart-food assistance scam years ago. I work it into conversation anytime I'm able, I'm dumbfounde how many people have absolutely no idea this takes place.

@daisyafterhours

2 ай бұрын

Stop it right now 😭

@SnoozleTheWaterWizard

2 ай бұрын

I used to work for Walmart and I knew they were awful and did horrible things to their employees but I had no idea they did that, holy crap

@kiterafrey

2 ай бұрын

It was really bad in the early 2010s. I lived in WA at the time and WA & OR have a lot of programs to try and help people get off state funding, but big corps like Walmart used to take advantage left right and center. I haven't worked there since 2014 when I moved to go to my second Uni but I imagine in states with programs like WA they probably still do it. @@SnoozleTheWaterWizard

@lunatykica5636

2 ай бұрын

like a company store

In Brazil there's a saying "atrás do pobre corre um bicho" (there's a beast chasing after the poor). It's simply the truth. You just can't get a break when you're poor, there's always the next thing to keep you from being able to feel secure and relaxed.

@QoraxAudio

2 ай бұрын

In the Netherlands there's a metaphor called "zwaard van Damocles" (sword of Damocles). It comes from a Greek myth: it's a sword hanging from a tiny thread above the head of a king called Damocles. The sword could fall into his skull at any time. It refers to the road from poverty towards wealth, which could all be in vein out of the sudden due to some unexpected event or accident.

@Jamhael1

Ай бұрын

As a Brazilian, it PISSES ME OFF WITH NO END how BLIND many people are about its class status. IT DOESN'T MATTER IF YOU HAVE A DEGREE, A NICE HOUSE, A BIG CAR AND WINS 200 THOUSAND A YEAR! IF YOU HAVE TO WORK TO KEEP THIS, YOU ARE CLOSER TO THE POOR THAN THE RICH!

"Money is the last thing on any of our minds" - class privilege

@colagirl765

5 ай бұрын

😪

@lindakingsley9486

4 ай бұрын

It is who you know that makes you money.

@unbothered6357

4 ай бұрын

Those must be the children

@brigettelancome4063

4 ай бұрын

i think about it so often, especially now, i go to sleep thinking about how many more hours/days i have to work before i can pay rent and my bills, calculating groceries online before going to the store so i don’t overspend, skipping meals to have a day off bc i’m so tired but need to pay rent or gas to get to work to pay rent, all i think about is money bc i have to to survive.

@lindakingsley9486

4 ай бұрын

@@brigettelancome4063 Brigette. You are not alone I am a 70 year old who has the same problem and think about what you do everyday too. I just do my best to keep myself calm, find little points of happiness where I can see them, and just know things will work out somehow and breathe. I focus on my work( which for me is housework and pets) and I am ok. Just find the career that will make you happy and the money will come. Good Fortune to you with Love and Light to you and yours.

When Temu's tagline is "shop like a billionaire".....AMERICA, WE HAVE A PROBLEM

@MycolOG

3 ай бұрын

The reaction from my boomer, white privileged, petite-bourgeoisie family was that they wished they could spend like a billionaire for a day… When I replied that I could never be a billionaire bc I could not hoarde that that amount of resources they could not comprehend 😩

@ether4211

3 ай бұрын

I love Temu's message that Billionaires are all about wasting their money on junk that relies on low income workers, slave wages and destroying the environment....all to overconsume because that's what they think being 'rich' means.

@TheAwesomes2104

3 ай бұрын

​@@MycolOGmy reaction to my poor "trailer trash" conservative family being absolutely shocked that I won't become a landlord and rent my home out (that I was only able to buy because a landlord decided to sell) because to deprive others of an opportunity to own a home just so that I can extract easy money from their human requirement for shelter is wrong. Like, wtf are they so obsessed with defending landlords, I'm the first person in the family to ever own an actual house. They all shell out tons to their landlords, even if they own their trailer, they don't own the lot it sits on. There is no reason for this obsessive defense of exploitation except for the far-fetched a-hole hope that one day, they will be in the position to exploit others rather than the ones being exploited. It's so extremely sad that this is the state of humanity now. Being a caring, empathetic, selfless person is no longer valued. Qualities we once held as holy and the peak of the human experience are now seen as weaknesses and ignorance by most, even and especially the people hurt by the system the most.

@alrightythen2503

2 ай бұрын

So fucking true it annoys me every time I see those ads. Especially when you know there target demographic is gonna be low income people.

One thing that wasn't mentioned. Is how utterly devastating it can be to make a mistake when you are barely holding on. Or the fear that the wrong financial management can put you back into poverty that you left.

@luckystone2293

4 ай бұрын

This. Life in fear, which of course is detrimental to your health.

@ourmobilehomemakeover662

3 ай бұрын

Yes. And it’s worse when the whole society is telling you that your poverty is some sort of moral failing. You’re not allowed to make mistakes of any kind. And emergencies that literally happen to anyone are assumed to be somehow your fault.

@monique5356

3 ай бұрын

that was basically mentioned with the "escaping poverty requires almost 20 years with nearly nothing going wrong" article

@leslyrodriguez4870

3 ай бұрын

Don't be afraid to loose what you never had.... money is a vehicle, money is like a river it needs to flow and cannot be stopped, so you holding on to it with fear of losing it. You are more likely to loose it. I had a mediocrity mind too. I free myself from money.... that's the story you are sold so they can control you. Live is more simple then that. Let it go you'll be happier and it will come back to you easily and freely ❤

@jasmineshelton759

3 ай бұрын

You got it on the nose​@@leslyrodriguez4870

My dad was an immigrant working in retail management and able to feed our family of 5 on a single salary. He was able to buy a house and send 3 kids to college. Despite doing everything "correctly" (graduating debt-free, getting a job, getting married, and buying a house) I can never afford to be a housewife. The boomer/millennial wealth gap is greater than people realize. Millennials will never recover from the financial damage of the 2008 crash and Covid 19.

@katelyndefreitas2810

3 ай бұрын

100% I struggle not to give my kids as much as I got as a kid.

@MeryOnTheRun

3 ай бұрын

well, not only the millenials. We gen X before suffer that too. From the 90's on it was all downhill.

@morighani

3 ай бұрын

my mom and I are immigrants, when I was really tiny (pre 2008) she would send me so many gifts from the states… I thought she was rich!! When I moved in with her (parents were separated) in the states, she had a large home in a pretty neighborhood with an all american white husband. I thought I hit the jackpot!! especially considering where I came from. Throughout the years… we kept moving to worst houses, my parents were getting more and more stressed… nowadays she’s considering moving back to our country because it’s just impossible to afford to live here… she works her ass off day and night and barely makes enough. My all-american white stepfather is suffering of numerous health issues that really destroyed them financially. It was so sad to see the “american dream” being torn to threads right before my eyes, and coming from comfortably lower middle class to just straight up lower class. It absolutely is so much more expensive to be poor, and I don’t know if I’ll ever get to the level my mother was able to provide at that point unless I marry into wealth

@YourCapybaraAmigo_17yrsago

3 ай бұрын

@@morighani it's because there's no national healthcare here and people are forced to practically mortgage their home and give up a kidney to be able to afford rip-off healthcare insurance. It's very shameful. There are other things too that push huge numbers of people into financial precarity and/or poverty but that's a big one. There's a long list in fact and it's shameful and it shouldn't be that way, but I would say lack of a publicly accessible healthcare would be number one because it only takes one serious illness to wipe out once entire life savings, and it shouldn't be that way. It would easy be easy to provide basic financial security for every man, woman and child in this country but it will never come from Republicans or Democrats. They are two sides to the same duplicitous face. The "duopoly" isn't here to help anyone but themselves. The Dems are as profligate liars as the Republicans are. They claim they want to do all these wonderful beautiful things for average americans, and then the moment when they get into the majority where they don't have to worry about GOP obstruction, most if not all of them never come to pass. I've realized by now that's all part of the plan. I don't fall for their lies anymore. They've had 60 years to back up what they say and they haven't and I don't believe they're even trying. To continue to vote for these assholes after all these decades of intentional failure on their part, would be extremely naive and foolishness on my part. From I resolved to myself several years ago that the only people I will be voting for in any election, local state or federal will be independent candidates, hopefully from the Left. If there are none in any particular race then I just won't vote because as far as I'm concerned it won't make much difference whether it's Red or Blue who ends up taking that seat. The policies won't be meaningfully different.

@YourCapybaraAmigo_17yrsago

3 ай бұрын

@@morighani @morighani it's because there's no national healthcare here and people are forced to practically mortgage their home and give up a kidney to be able to afford rip-off healthcare insurance. It's very shameful. There are other things too that push huge numbers of people into financial precarity and/or poverty but that's a big one. There's a long list in fact and it's shameful and it shouldn't be that way, but I would say lack of a publicly accessible healthcare would be number one because it only takes one serious illness to wipe out once entire life savings, and it shouldn't be that way. It would easy be easy to provide basic financial security for every man, woman and child in this country but it will never come from Republicans or Democrats. They are two sides to the same duplicitous face. The "duopoly" isn't here to help anyone but themselves. The Dems are as profligate liars as the Republicans are. They claim they want to do all these wonderful beautiful things for average americans, and then the moment when they get into the majority where they don't have to worry about GOP obstruction, most if not all of them never come to pass. I've realized by now that's all part of the plan. I don't fall for their lies anymore. They've had 60 years to back up what they say and they haven't and I don't believe they're even trying. To continue to vote for these assholes after all these decades of intentional failure on their part, would be extremely naive and foolishness on my part. From I resolved to myself several years ago that the only people I will be voting for in any election, local state or federal will be independent candidates, hopefully from the Left. If there are none in any particular race then I just won't vote because as far as I'm concerned it won't make much difference whether it's Red or Blue who ends up taking that seat. The policies won't be meaningfully different.

My favorite answer to "If you are so poor why don't you get a job?" (I got that a lot.) was "Because I already have three!".

@Gumbier_Than

5 ай бұрын

You're down to one now due to grave fortune, right? 🥺

@VideoCesar07

5 ай бұрын

That ignorant question/solution always irritated me. Many poor people work a lot harder than many upper management in a large corporation ever will and yet they simply choose to ignore income disparities, job and education opportunities, the simple fact that shit happens that is way beyond your control. Even so they will still respond with some crap like "Well, you should have planned for that." Thier insistence at acting like everything is in your control is just infuriating. Now I don't mean that you shouldn't reflect on yourself and never take responsibility, but some things are really out of your control. You can be the best qualified candidate for a job, present yourself in immaculate business attire, ace the interview with flying colors except....the employer had already decided on who was going to fill that position and the interviews were just a formality to cover their asses with HR and fair hiring practices. Some will still say that was the candidate's fault cause they could have done more and gotten the job. 😡

@elinat2414

5 ай бұрын

Yes! Exactly, and then some counter it with 'well why don't you just get a better job?'. As though it's so simple to just waltz into one of the abundant higher paying jobs out there without the right connections and qualifications.

@RadiantStar8997

5 ай бұрын

@@VideoCesar07 It's a big drawback for people who have no network because they've never had the opportunity to build one. Also, if people don't have parent's with connections to other people who hire in an organisation. Those are two big reasons why ethnic minorities have less opportunity for jobs. Then, there is the glass ceiling for promotion for women and ethnic minorities.

@amorepsyche808

5 ай бұрын

Start SAVING

I grew up poor but managed to slowly build up a business that now nets a decent amount every year. But every two years when I think I'm pulling myself out of the hole of poverty, something big happens that pulls me back in. I got diagnosed with a rare functional biliary illness when I was 21 (and uninsured.) Back in the hole. I broke my spine last year which caused me to have three spinal surgeries. Back in the hole. COVID hit my business. Back in the hole. We have to move every few years because we can't afford a home. Back in the hole. Every time I think I'm close to crawling my way out, something else comes up that requires a $10k+ payment. I try to be proactive and save a significant emergency fund but it's exhausting.

@aic0809

5 ай бұрын

I just wanted to say that I really appreciate you sharing your experience. I’m so sorry that for every step you move forward, circumstances conspire to set you back 5 steps. I hope you know that what you’ve already accomplished is monumental. I hope that you and your business continue to maintain success!!

@Echo81Rumple83

5 ай бұрын

add having ASD and general anxiety/paranoia to the mix, and bob's your uncle TTwTT i gave up, but you're still here, and that's a lot better response than mine. i hope your business will keep on growing!

@DrSpooglemon

5 ай бұрын

Not gonna lie, when I started reading your comment I thought it was going to be one of those spam threads advertising some investment scam.

@TheImperfectReader

5 ай бұрын

Stay encouraged.

@satyampatel8402

5 ай бұрын

Sorry that you keep getting knocked down as soon as you get momentum. It’s amazing that you keep getting up. I continue to struggle too and am just praying for a breakthrough

Health insurance is what slapped me in the face in college. Everyone was like “oh I’m covered on my parents plan until I’m 23” and I was like, “oohhh, um, my parents don’t have insurance…so…I don’t have it either, lol”

@ludwigvonmiseswasright4380

3 ай бұрын

MEDICAID

@NaturalLifestyleLounge

3 ай бұрын

not available in all states. I know I was an insurance agent in Florida with no health insurance

@kenjiPhoenix61

5 күн бұрын

Medicaid is great for the very basics. Have something severe, good luck! I remember that feeling when you don’t have insurance and have to get the University insurance. It barely covered anything! Now I have to spend thousands to save my teeth.

Okay as a former teacher, may I just say that Ashley just PERFECTLY summed up the difference between teaching in a super wealthy community versus any other context, but I’d never been able to put words to the feeling before.

@theboyisnotright6312

4 ай бұрын

25 years ago I was talking to my sister, a grade school teacher in California, about how management was trying to take our benefits away. She replied "you should have finished college like me and have a profession and that wouldn't happen.". I said when they steal all they can from us workers they will come after you. I made her eat her words about 2019 or so when her union went on strike because they were doing the same to them

@vonydavis1150

3 ай бұрын

@@theboyisnotright6312What a rotten thing for her to say.

@suzbone

3 ай бұрын

​@@vonydavis1150super rotten.

I really relate to the college-student. Being surrounded by children of wealthy people who are "totally broke" from spending all their money on festival tickets and skin-care, while myself actually being broke broke :p Frustrating

@brigettelancome4063

4 ай бұрын

literally!! i’ve never been to a concert or disney or out of the us or to a festival, my whole life is survival, skipping breakfast or lunch to pay rent.. i’m now 22 and just tired man… when do i get to live a little? when do i get to be “soft”? get to take care of myself?

@pas9ify

4 ай бұрын

I can relate. I was poor in college, as in broke. However, it was difficult to listen to her! She needs a speaking course!

@ry.0

4 ай бұрын

I have parents who has some money and still skipping meals and all kind of social thing. Well I'm insane lol you don't need to understand this no-sense

@chanela.7786

4 ай бұрын

Same being broke using the last of your money on basic needs isn’t the same…

@sailorVenus225

4 ай бұрын

@@ry.0 not all parent with money help their kids out of course. I'm not talking about people like you :) you didn't spend your money on Spring break to Mexico and then complain about being soooo broke I assume

Being married and having one steady income and your health insurance paid for is absolutely huge

@evav1633

4 ай бұрын

A huge privilege and a blessing

@AmanoJack

4 ай бұрын

Health insurance is a criminal enterprise that prevents people from escaping slavery.

@mountain85

4 ай бұрын

Its not huge ! its basic ! bare minimum , wake up !

@mamasimmerplays4702

4 ай бұрын

Health care is a human right. If your government isn't assuring your rights, you need a better government.

@gordongekko2781

4 ай бұрын

@@mountain85 Healthcare SHOULD be a basic right, but it's not in the US. And, most people are not married to a spouse with a sufficient income to cover all household expenses. In fact, half the population isn't married at all.

Never heard it mentioned but the SHAME which is attached to growing up in a low income household is real. And no one wants to indentify as working class either because of the shame attached to it. Part of the reason working class people vote for political parties that directly work against them is the pride in refusing that implied shame for being born at the bottom of the heap and destined to stay there.

@AmandaabnamA

3 ай бұрын

America is so twisted

I love how this show appears on its surface to be about making good financial decisions and then every episode immediately comes out of gates swinging on actual social and economic issues

@auntiemame7076

21 күн бұрын

I really appreciate that. Because many financial issues people face are systemic problems. Not all, but an awful lot.

I got about 4 expired meter parking tickets totaling ~$160 in one month that I couldn’t afford to pay when I was in college. I was parking in metered spots so that I could attend class because I couldn’t afford the school’s student parking pass. I had just spent all my money on tuition and books. The fines eventually doubled and my license was suspended because of the unpaid fines. I got stuck at a DUI checkpoint one day and that’s when I found out my license was suspended. They impounded my car and because I couldn’t afford an Uber I walked 3 miles home in the winter. Took me a whole month (and two payday loans that amounted to more than $1,000) to get my car back. Talk about a snowball! If I had parents who could have helped cover the parking pass, none of this would have happened.

@gokiburi-chan4255

5 ай бұрын

That sounds rough. I'm glad you're out of that situation

@LHS427

5 ай бұрын

@@gokiburi-chan4255 me too. What a nightmare it was.

@qjtvaddict

5 ай бұрын

I refuse to drive into their traps

@qjtvaddict

5 ай бұрын

I refuse to drive into their traps

@itsoktobehappy461

5 ай бұрын

It also would not have happened if you had enough grit to quickly make the money to pay off the tickets and actually be responsible

Ugh the college clip was too relatable. I remember hearing wealthy kids always talking about how broke they were all the time and then showing up with the nicest luxury backpacks and clothing, in addition to all the tech gadgets their parents would get them for school. Always made me feel like I was in the wrong school.

@chazhoosier2478

5 ай бұрын

Haw, our best friends in graduate school always commiserated in our worries about money, but years after the fact we found out that his parents were paying their rent. 😆

@gannibalof21st

5 ай бұрын

We all need to understand that the rich teaches their kids to confidently convey that they are poor and loudly. Those in poverty are, in actuality, are ashamed of their class status. Thus, they are quiet or hidden among the droves of students. You can then connect why the rich continuesly receives scholarships over someone who actually needs it. The point is, the rich play the system, they have resources to know the loopholes and the social programs. Meanwhile, the poor has no idea of any social programs available to them and are unaware that the rich cheat the system and you have zero resources to cheat like they do.

@geminate3997

5 ай бұрын

Same and I went to a state school

@-Gramps

5 ай бұрын

My son was a scholarship student at TCU, based on SAT scores & grades, #1 in class of 1,500, etc. He actually had fellow students claiming poverty, just before they borrowed dad’s corporate jet to go to an “away” football game! He would pull $40 out of the ATM for weekend cash, & his peers were complaining that daddy limited them to $2,000 per weekend. This was in 1995. He left TCU, accumulated $250k in student loans during medical school. He has now WORKED to pay off that debt. Before you talk about extravagant physician salaries, he’s a pediatrician, lowest paid MD @ $180k/yr average nationally. THAT is working your way out of poverty.

@jasminl8742

5 ай бұрын

@@geminate3997 same here!

I'm from a developing country and since I was in school, we were lectured on and on about the American dream. Hearing that US is becoming a developing country is WILD; I cannot believe it.

@anthonynelson6671

4 ай бұрын

I'm a USA citizen from birth, and I still don't know what this American Dream is.

@creditczar6979

4 ай бұрын

We imported our development by exporting jobs overseas and allowing the influx of illegals.

@cm8291

4 ай бұрын

​@anthonynelson6671 its a reslly dumb thing. That means because you are here, you will have a house with a white picket fence, a dog and 2.5 children. Youd be married and have a good paying job and live happily ever after. If your a man , you have the job. If your a woman youd be in the happily being a house wife raising children. You dont have extended family near you like other countries do. Its a total fabrication. I think people assume if they do all that right their kids go to college just fine and get their own jobs. But what does that lead to. Jealousy of others, competition for greed. What if your a woman and you want to work and the trad wife life makes you miserable. Ala the movie 'road to perdition'. Life isnt a cookie cutter situation. Some people have a big ego because they want that cookie cutter life, they wont take their kids to get evaluated if they have autism. Then that kids needs were neglected for the desire of a perfect life. Parents wont have serious conversations with their kids and also allow them tonexpress themselves for fear of being out side of the cookie cutter. When truely human nature is something natural, we all have needs and desires and we can talk about it and live outside of the trappings of the 'american dream' immigrants coming to the us for the American dream, are looking for a good paying job to support the family. They already have a culture of ' it takes a village to raise a kid' so extended families live together. American families assume they have to live seperate in their own empty giant house fort and usually force an at home mom to do child raising by her self... forcing her to be exhausted, taking breaks with excessive screen time/ and on some cases heavy emotional neglect for the child. This child can grow up to be massively depressed. Overworked mom has no energy left for Love. Instead its about escaping from her child. I think school shooters have this situation. They are usually white and from a stable home. Anyway the american dream causes greed between people. Makes people do immoral things to get rich. Fuck it

@KpopZuko

4 ай бұрын

@@anthonynelson6671 a husband with a 9 to 5, a pretty, quiet stay at home wife, 2.5 kids, a dog and a white picket fence. I think the only use for the title of “middle class” is the distinction between I need help right fucking now, and I probably will end up needing help in a few years.

@mamotalemankoe3775

4 ай бұрын

​@@KpopZukoForgot the two cars and 2 vacations a year.

I’m a single mom, public school teacher helping to put my daughter through college on my own. Every time I get my teeth cleaned around December and then in the summer, my dental hygienist asks me if I’m going anywhere for vacation. Every time I have the same answer, no. I cannot afford to take a trip somewhere. She goes on vacation at Christmas and in the summer and it sounds lovely. It just gets old getting the same question and having to answer the same way.

@melmclaughlan8837

4 ай бұрын

You’re amazing and I’m sure your daughter is so grateful for you. I believe you will get your dream vacation one day x

@starr234

4 ай бұрын

@@melmclaughlan8837 thank you!

@nmc1859

3 ай бұрын

My (former) dentist only asked where I was vacationing to. Every time. Then he'd continue to talk about his plans.

@ludwigvonmiseswasright4380

3 ай бұрын

@@nmc1859 Yeah... because silence is awkward, and your mouth was open (because you're at the dentist).... He could have talked about religion and politics, but that probably would have caused even more offense. You're too touchy. Did he do a good job on your teeth?

@starr234

3 ай бұрын

@@ludwigvonmiseswasright4380 this is before any dental work is being done and it is a woman. I'm just noticing the difference in income levels and expectations. Many people expect others live like they do. They aren't trying to boast or rub it in. They just are ignorant to the fact that not everyone can live like them.

Even with changing class you can still go back to being poor and living in poverty with life circumstances... A family member gets sick or passes away or a divorce. These things can change your financial situation rapidly.

@hypatiakovalevskayasklodow9195

5 ай бұрын

ithinkthis is something people don't realise about "middle" class. if you're few paychecks or a major life even away from powerty- you're working class

@KimraLuna

5 ай бұрын

​@@hypatiakovalevskayasklodow9195 You lose the assets you spent years building during a divorce, and one person always gets the worst end of it, and it is not always protected by pre-nuptials... if you don't come from generational wealth and don't have family to fall back on, you are down to the bottom of the barrel. Generational wealth is the only thing that prevents a person from going into poverty.

@millsykooksy4863

5 ай бұрын

so true

@AmericaShrugged

5 ай бұрын

​@@hypatiakovalevskayasklodow9195 You raise an interesting point: I would say if you are one "event" away from poverty, you ARE working class. There's an argument to be made that the Middle Class is gone and 95% of us are working class, though we're not told that.

@hypatiakovalevskayasklodow9195

5 ай бұрын

@@AmericaShrugged That's exactly what I said. There's no real middle class. That's why I put it under apostrophes, sorry if it wasn't clear this way. I go over this with my husband frequently. We're both pretty class-aware. Together we do make a nice montlhy payment and f]we're both full time employess - however we don't have any generational wealth, we actually have generational debt. We spend a significant amount of time and money supporting our parents and fixing their bad financial decisions. No bigger purchase is a no-brainer to us, we debate it with ourselves for weeks and months. If one of us lost their job and couldnt find a new one for some longer amount of time, we would have to change everything. And I dont know how our parents would handle. We try to stay humble, only get what we need, neither of us is a shopaholic or a big spender, i buy second hand, we make our own food, sometimes travel for like a weekend which in europe is not really expensive and we do low cost options... Sometimes I look at people around me who I know have much smaller paychecks and I see them wearing designer clothes and constanly traveling, always buying new fancy clothes for any occasion, whilst having two kids, and i gullibly ask myslef how is it possible that I try so hard to be frugal and i still can't make it to a savings fund to amount of my one monthly salary? And then I remember that the person I am comparing myself to has had their apartment bought by their parents and their parents are adding to their financial situation, not taking away, while we couldnt get a loan for a smaller apartment. Not to sound like we hate our parents, if we did we wouldnt be supporting them - it's just that generational thing where it just goes back generations on having security in family to rely on.

As a low income student, I've decided to pause college because I can't afford to pay the cost fafsa didn't cover to be able to register for the next semester. All throughout my college career I've had part time jobs, working up to 35hrs + going to school full time. I was never able to join clubs and enjoy academics because of the looming thought of "this is a waste of time, i need money". And all that hard work has left me physically disabled and still have to get a job because I'm living in an overcrowded pest infested apartment with toxic family. Must be nice to have parents money to fall back on, or to be able to just focus on getting an education.

@amylee9

4 ай бұрын

Do all you can to get a good degree even if it takes you longer to finish. Try to go to a low cost university. Maybe a local university where you commute. Get loans for what you need while you finish your degree. I was able to pay my loans once I got my first job.

@sandycheeks1580

4 ай бұрын

🎉Please look up Vantastic Velocity Banking!!! You can leverage credit to get out of debt fast and give yourself a raise. It’s better than the Dave Ramsey debt snowball! I like that she explains how to do it slowly . It just makes like easier.😊🎉

@MyVanir

4 ай бұрын

I hear good things about community colleges as a way to get an education.

@evav1633

4 ай бұрын

I’m sorry 😞 I’m doing the same thing. I’m desperate to finish

@bolognajack

4 ай бұрын

@@MyVanir I've heard that, too. But that only works if the community college you go to offers a Bachelor's degree in the subject you want to study. Not all states allow this, and even if they do, they often have restrictions on the degrees that a particular college is allowed to give out. My 2-year Associate's degree never landed me a job. In fact, many job applications don't even let you select "Associate's degree" from their dropdown.

When I was a small child, we were poor. Meatloaf for Thanksgiving and homemade clothes poor. After my father left us, our financial situation stabilized. I was fortunate enough to get into UCLA, and enlisted in the Army after college. I worked really hard to, really hard, but I was also extremely lucky. I was lucky to join the Army at the right time, so I had a pension instead of the current retirement plan. I was lucky to have the opportunities that were extended to me, and I was lucky to be born resilient and strong and healthy and intelligent, and with physical features which opened doors for me.

@hayleymadisonllc2180

3 ай бұрын

I don’t think it’s luck .., you made a difficult decision to take the chance fight for your country and it paid off because you survived. Thank you for your service!

@suzbone

3 ай бұрын

​@@hayleymadisonllc2180 that's literally the definition of luck, though. OP makes a point I believe is criticality important: to give yourself credit for your hard work, but never forget how random luck can be life-changing... positively or negatively.

@Cephrain

3 ай бұрын

​@@hayleymadisonllc2180"Escaping poverty is easy, just risk your life in a warzone for several in years!"

@lisapalmeno4488

2 ай бұрын

Thank you for your service.

@1Letter23Numbers.

Ай бұрын

He didn't mention he fought in any wars. So basically he's welcome for the money towards an education, the pension, and that he didn't get any scars to marr his pretty face. Just lucky, I guess.

Oh my gosh, what Ashley Ford said about the poorer parents worked together for the common good of the students and community, whereas the wealthy don't need a collaborate aid. The wealthier parents fought for their children only. They were in competition against each other. That is a huge insight on why the mega wealthy couldn't give to hoots about anyone else.(30:33)

“I had once believed that we were all masters of our fate--that we could mold our lives into any form we pleased... I had overcome deafness and blindness sufficiently to be happy, and I supposed that anyone could come out victorious if he threw himself valiantly into life's struggle. But as I went more and more about the country I learned that I had spoken with assurance on a subject I knew little about... I learned that the power to rise in the world is not within the reach of everyone.” - Helen Keller

@shabariism

5 ай бұрын

Wow!

@rob_see

5 ай бұрын

"not within the reach of everyone" yeah, because most dont have it in them to keep pushing regardless of the environment. most people are not willing to forego life's comforts to get what they want and be smarter with the resources they have. the common denominator of every experience in your life is YOU, the environment changes. take control of your life and stop being a victim. its sick

@adamcorfman573

5 ай бұрын

@@rob_see Yeah! Just like forgo the comforts of sleep and food, ... and shelter, yo!

@rob_see

5 ай бұрын

@@adamcorfman573 all the people smoking and drinking well into their thirties and complaining because they cant afford anything would like to know your location. btw, sleep is necessary, it isnt a comfort like sugar or alcohol. this video has the most asinine shit posted in it lmao

@SchlichteToven

5 ай бұрын

I know people like that - people raised in relative poverty who now own their own relatively large and modern home and occasionally let slip how annoyed they are that other people don't just obtain what they have through hard work. They seem to conveniently forget the government assistance they had for decades that other people don't get because they don't have kids, the marriage that provided them with a dual income, the free labour and free cars they got from relatives who felt bad for them, and the fact that they were just the right age at the right time to buy their house for a pittance, and at just the right point in their life and in history to sell for 10x what the house was worth when it was bought and move to the boondocks where they could buy a much better house for way less and live off the proceeds. But in their minds, they "achieved" this house and lifestyle solely through hard work and sacrifice. The ironic thing is that the people who get those things often sacrifice others to get them. They abandon their elderly parents to be cared for by a sibling who doesn't have that money, and they abandon all the friends and relatives who gave them financial assistance and free labour while they were at their worst. If their circumstances change again for the worse, and they're the introspective sort, they might begin to realize other people have obstacles they didn't, like chronic ill health, family responsibilities, and so forth. If they aren't introspective, they just bemoan the unfairness of their lives and request more assistance from others.

I grew up in an extremely upper middle class blk family in the 1960's and 1970's. We were (one) of the 3 blk families living in the community. I grew up not really knowing anything about racism or racial discrimination. All of the children in my neighborhood played with each other. I was always at their houses and they were always at my parents house ( probably because we had a pool and a basketball court in our backyard😂. All the parents had BBQ parties. Everybody did sleep overs. When I moved to NYC. I was shocked to discover that so many people of (all) races and backgrounds, strongly believed that (all) blk people were poor and uneducated. Even to this day. The majority of all my closest friends are Caucasian and people still think I work for them when we're together 🥴

@user-ny6qq8xz6o

5 ай бұрын

It sounds to me like you grew up upper class (top 20%), not middle class (middle 60%). Then again, maybe pools and basketball courts were more accessible luxuries in the 60's and 70's?

@allisonsampson-anthony8185

5 ай бұрын

Poor kid.

@___Truth___

5 ай бұрын

@@user-ny6qq8xz6o you really think so?

@ebonylo.

5 ай бұрын

People need yo realize America is run by classic not race

@VG-qu3vb

5 ай бұрын

When strangers come to my house to drop off packages etc they think I’m not the homeowner. It’s obviously bc I look young. It’s probably how you carry yourself that makes people believe you’re lower class

This video resonates on SO MANY LEVELS. I was born "tar paper shack lost in the mountains" poor. Now I'm "California Bay-Area Lower-Middle Class". I've gotten lucky SO MANY TIMES. And the whole periodic culture shock of "oh, so THIS is what it's like to not be _______?" is a real thing.

I stay at my job now because I make over 100k - I grew up poor and lived in an RV. I’m terrified of struggling like that again but this fear also keeps me trapped in a corporate job I hate. I feel like money has controlled my entire life

@imhotep_lukata

4 ай бұрын

Then why not start controlling money??? I don't get the thinking behind the supporters of this video's rhetoric

@Fyndh3678

3 ай бұрын

Same. I don’t love my job but I’ll never risk going back to poverty. I’m the first in my family to have a retirement account that wasn’t cashed out in the first year. All I can do is save money and try to enjoy the evenings/weekends

@lisapalmeno4488

2 ай бұрын

Save and invest. Start your own business. Look for another job. You can do it. Don't get stuck.

@tealkerberus748

21 күн бұрын

Do you have kids? The thing about generational wealth is that it takes generations to accumulate. If your kids are objectively better off than you were at their age, then you're winning, even if you win by doing a job you hate for your whole life.

What Ashley said about exposing kids has affirmed my decisions. Grew up poor with an alcoholic dad. I dont drink. My brother is an alcoholic who abandoned his wife and child. I took on the financial burden for my niece so she and her mum never have to worry about food or school. I also try to give her some exposure. This weekend we went to the museum and she just took her first flight at 8 years old.

@YourCapybaraAmigo_17yrsago

5 ай бұрын

I'm so sorry your brother repeated the same mistakes your father made. I hope he gets some help and can find his way to sobriety. It's never too late!. God bless you for being there for them!! That's the true meaning of family! If only family cared for each other, even if they couldn't afford much, love doesn't cost a thing- SO many problems could be avoided. Unbelievable how some people treat their own flesh and blood to me. In my mind, only true heartless people, people who are evil at heart, and/or are narcissists could put people through the stories I've heard and to some extent have experienced myself. Those in government could always be doing better by us, but if we don't love each other or look out for each other than DAMN I mean it's a sad sad world and a sad day. A very sad day.

@riunikii

5 ай бұрын

@YourCapybaraAmigo_17yrsago thanks. I do hope he finds his way, my brother. I have offered to pay for therapy/rehab, but I'm told he has to want it for it to work.

@dagmarvandoren9364

4 ай бұрын

Herrlich. Richtig gemacht...thasnk god I was raised in afte r war GERMANY...so lucky....clean food...clean cloth. Middle class was.a Kashmir sweater....pearls.....2 good skirts. A warm winter coat...you knew how to knit mend your clothing. And wash it....an oriental carpet. A small apartment....some good books from the book club. ..porcelain cups and saucer for cafe in the afternoon....silverware....and white bread o. Sundays.....apron over dress when eating.....helping in the home and balcony or little garden....etc....that was.fir me Middle class. That made and formed me. Small famelies.....etc.

@mirjamenny

4 ай бұрын

You are doing such important work. I know this from experience because my aunties saved my life; they are my biggest heroes in the world. I grew up in a dysfunctional family where I was neglected and abused, and my mom's sisters are the only reason I managed to thrive instead of merely survive.

@YourCapybaraAmigo_17yrsago

4 ай бұрын

@@riunikii of course he does. Thank you so much for caring tho. That's more than my bizarre trash older only brother of ten years (I'm now 40, he's 50) ever did for me. I have very dysfunctional narcissistic (I think) older parents (weird sad very bizarre backstory there) and I wouldn't know what a friendly, kind or loving sibling was if it slapped me in the face. I think I'm a pretty decent person, I have empathy for others and have always worked hard. I'm by no means perfect, but I've never ever felt an instinct to harm another person or even say something cruel. I will never understand why my own blood hates the ground I walk on. They are just so confused... It's unfortunate for me because the older I get doesn't seem to helping me understand it any better. It's such a waste. I'd like to know what a nice, reliable, stable, rational, caring non-dysfunctional bio-family feels like before I die, maybe I will someday; just not mine I'm sure. I really appreciate you being there for your brother. My only living sibling has treated me like absolute trash and feels no guilt about it so I can't even fathom what it would feel like if I had somebody close to me that not only didn't treat me like trash but was actually kind??? Wanted to give me help was actually there for me if I had a problem? I mean what is that?? I have literally no idea what that feels like. Yeah not sure how I would react to that bec I don't know what that is. The parent situation is a little bit more complicated, I would say in my adult years they have been there for me a little, a very little, but yeah, that's the sibling situation. Maybe I appreciate it more than he even does. Who knows what the future will bring? It's never too late to make a positive change. Thank you so much for being good. I hope it's not too rare.

Something that most people don't realize about social programs like disability are incredibly difficult to obtain, but also limit your assets to $3000. In total assets. That means you can't own a car, a home, or even a very nice wheelchair if you need it and still be on disability in America.

@listeningatwork8719

5 ай бұрын

That explains why a friend of mine lost her car and her house to poverty before she was able to qualify for senior/disabled housing where she currently lives. 😢 if she had been able to sell her house before moving, she would have a somewhat easier life in her current home. But instead, it’s a constant struggle to make ends meet.

@LovesNeverEnding

5 ай бұрын

Your primary car, house you live in, and a wheelchair are not counted as an asset for those programs. While those programs are very limited and keep you living in poverty and are decades behind what they need to be, this is factually incorrect.

@lisalikesplants

5 ай бұрын

@@LovesNeverEndingwhile technically incorrect, I would never ever own a home if i couldn't have more than $3000 in savings. How would they pay for repairs? A new roof? Plumbing problem? They can't borrow with no income. Even having a car with no savings means that is going to be the last car you own.

@youtubename7819

5 ай бұрын

@@LovesNeverEndingno, that is not true. You should put all assets like that in a trust to keep your services if you are a disabled person. People please please do not take this persons advice and check with a financial consultant in your state. This is very bad advice.

@YourCapybaraAmigo_17yrsago

5 ай бұрын

@@listeningatwork8719 sounds to me like she should have tried to sell the home to someone and then put the money in a separate account and just not tell them. They're not the eff bee eye I doubt they would have any legal right to go searching through her financial records.

One thing that would drive me CRAZY was in college when fellow students that got money from their parents would complain about how they don’t have “time” to study or do things. Their only job was being a student. It’s like “hey I’m working 38-40 hrs a week to pay for rent and feed myself all while going to school full time. You can figure it out.”

I always would cry when I'd get rejected from universities. I can't volunteer or do internships. I need to work to support myself. I guess these schools don't think I'm a "well-rounded" student.. really, it just means I don't have wealthy parents or the comfort of being able to take out predatory student loans that WILL make me homeless if I can't pay them back.

I was doing an art project and was told that I should shop at a dollar store for supplies as a way to save money. I walked in and was appalled. Sure, it looked liked the supplies were cheaper if you only glanced at the price tag, but they weren’t. For example Modge Podge cost almost nothing, but you got barely any, making it a complete waste of money. I could buy a ton of little bottles to get the amount I needed, but then it’d end up costing more than if I’d just gone to Walmart and bought the larger bottle. I’d literally be saving way more money buying the larger, more expensive, product at a regular store. Same with trash bags; yeah a box of trash bags looks cheaper until you realize you get far fewer bags for the price. And that’s just comparing identical name-brand products. When you start comparing generic products, like paint brushes, you realize that you’ll get a lot more use from a pack that’s more money but better quality than the pack that’s cheaper in both price and quality. You’ll be spending more replacing the crappy brushes than if you’d invested in a better, be it pricier, set. The dollar store is where you spend more for less. What’s tragic is that some people cannot afford to shop at better stores. Sure, they’d save money in the long run, but their paycheck doesn’t allow for them to make the investment. The system is corrupt and actively works to keep the impoverished in poverty.

@savethenacktschnecke

4 ай бұрын

Reminds me of the time I participated in an art contest at school. The teacher liked my design but insisted that I use better crayons than the barely pigmented cheap ones I owned. I had to borrow good crayons from my classmates, who soon got annoyed at me. So i stopped borrowing and just accepted I wasn't going to win. This is one of many little experiences that impact you as a child.

@Bl4k3.

4 ай бұрын

there is a common story about a man who only has $99 and needs a new pair of shoes. the ones that last 10 years cost $100, and the ones that last 1 year cost $50.

@AR-ln7ip

4 ай бұрын

The Terry Pratchett "Boots Theory," paraphrased: The rich man could afford a nice pair of boots for $50 (adjust for inflation) that lasts ten years. A poor man could afford a $10 pair of leaky boots that lasted only a year. After 10 years, the poor man would pay twice as much for his boots and still have wet feet.

@johnwalker1058

3 ай бұрын

reminds me of "Boots Theory"

@Nierez

3 ай бұрын

My mom always says, being poor is expensive.

I work as a canvasser, who knocks on 350 - 400 doors/week with a petition to raise minimum wage in Georgia. At $7,25/hour you'd have to work 109 hours a week just to get an apartment. People tell me that if you work hard you'll be paid what you're worth, which is so untrue. More than likely you'll have more work piled on you at the same pay rate. People also think service jobs are staffed by people who will only be there less than a year, so it's not necessary to pay them a living wage. I've even had someone say, "If I could pay them less I would." In addition to what you were saying about how expensive poverty is I'd like to add that it's also very time consuming. Being on public transportation, getting health-care at a charity hospital, working 2 jobs, having to keep an eye on your checking account (if you even have one) to make sure you're not overdrawn, constantly reapplying for benefits, commuting a long way because you can't afford to live where you work...

@frida507

5 ай бұрын

And when employers don't pay a living wage part of the cost for their business is passed to the tax payers (benefits), so they can make a profit on their expense ...

@Andre-qo5ek

5 ай бұрын

(=7.25*109) $790.25 for an apartment. that won't even get you a rented room in my city. 109hr ... that's nearly 3 weeks of "regular" work weeks. it is incredible, that their is an older generation that actively say how they dont understands these kids now-a-days.... it takes a min wage worker 3 weeks of pay to JUST get housing.... but they came from a time that 1 weeks pay , paid their housing for the month.

@Little_Lepus

5 ай бұрын

If hard work made you wealthy, then mules would be rich.

@darkshadowrule2952

5 ай бұрын

​@@Andre-qo5eknot to mention a lot of places demand you have proof you make 3x your rent in income, so you just can't even get a place without a roommate, but that means needing bigger than a 1 bed 1 bath or a studio, so even more money and you better hope your roommate always pays their share or you're fucked

@mariawesley7583

5 ай бұрын

​@Andre-qo5ek I encounter this every day. These same people judge the younger generations for not marrying, buying a house and having kids, all of which aren't practical when you can barely cover your bills.

Great video. Another thing that doesn’t get mentioned that much is that working class people are held to a much higher standard than elites. CEO’s can tank their companies And get huge bonuses, our Secretary of Defense just left work for like 2 weeks without telling his boss, still has a job. If you worked at Wendy’s and didn’t show up for a week you damn sure wouldn’t have a job. But the guy in charge of our whole military can peace out during a time when bullets are flying and people are dying, No big deal. It’s a ridiculous double standard.

@youtubename7819

Ай бұрын

You should look into why landlords are called landlords in america. You are noticing the aristocracy and how princes are allowed to just be princes. America has royalty by design. We just don’t call it royalty.

When she said that we had been devalued, our education has been reduced, that hit me hard and that hurt. It is so very accurate.

My husband and I are cash-flowing a portion of our middle daughters college and we send her $300 a month for food and incidentals. I never really thought that other middle class parents might not be able to do that. 😮. We also saved for her college and she’s on her second year debt free. My mom was super poor and wasn’t able to help me out in college so it was my goal to be middle class enough to get my kids through college debt free or with minimal debt.

@liajackson7486

5 ай бұрын

This is a huge achievement and I congratulate you!!

@rayf6126

5 ай бұрын

My parents were middle class and capable of paying for college based on income, but didn't put that money into a reserved account because it would be purpose restricted, college retirement, medical payments. My parents got me through ovarian cysts and recovery from my hysterectomy instead of college. Sometimes, wealth building tools are geared toward having no emergencies.

@lindakingsley9486

4 ай бұрын

That is a big key. Your child is considered well off and able to speak the language to get a good job that can carry her to the next level. Many do not have that and Alternate Intelligence is going to make that climb worse. I hope she is one that will not get replaced. In less than 5 years, as computers like ATMs, auto checkouts, and other areas replaced me, they may replace her. I hope not.

@ARandomDonut

4 ай бұрын

Just finished college debt free thanks to combined work between my parents and myself. They paid my way through college (I still worked a part time job for supplemental income) and I chose a cheap state school and graduated in 3 years. That's 15,000 saved right there. I'm now in my own apartment and living comfortably. I think it also depends on where you're living. I wouldn't have been able to accomplish this on the coasts, but it's pretty easy to save money when you live in the north central US.

@lindakingsley9486

4 ай бұрын

@@ARandomDonut I am glad you are doing well. Good Fortune to you.

So I am not American I am from the Caribbean but this really resonated with me. One time a friend asked me what is the definition of the working poor. I told her me. In my country my salary is considered middle class but I don't make enough to get a mortgage but I make too much money ($150 over the limit) to get the national food card allowance worth $250 which would allow me to qualify for a mortgage.

@extremeresponsibility4325

4 ай бұрын

It's sickening to hear these privileged people talk about how unfair it is. Yet they are in college, living a great life. WHY: They are doing the work. They feel inferior because they compare themselves with other people. That is pathetic person behavior.

@AlkisGD

4 ай бұрын

That is so unfair, and it's what happens when lawmakers don't care about the people who are in the spaces between laws. It's the same here in Greece, if not worse. Our tax laws change pretty much on a weekly basis and you're screwed if you can't afford a good accountant who cares.

@rohiniguiland4873

4 ай бұрын

@@AlkisGD WOW here too tax specialist cost like $500 and if they manage to get you a tax return you have to give them 10% of it.

@katadam2186

4 ай бұрын

Get your employer to offset get the card then get the mortgage then readjust… negative

@rohiniguiland4873

4 ай бұрын

@@katadam2186 It might be a good idea but it won't happen employer is the state

Wealth gives you the privilege to make mistakes and have bad luck. Thank you for covering how the wealthy and middle class never need to worry about getting behind, about having fines pile up, and how they can buy things so much more cheaply. The liberal ideal, steeped in Protestant work ethic, that you are individually responsible for your own success, that America is a utopia of opportunity and equality is very much propaganda to keep the "great unwashed" in their place and docile. By manipulating the self esteem of the workers, the wealthy ensure that no one will challenge a system that steals the profits generated by the working class.

Once i got old enough.. 18-20 i couldnt watcg a TV show or movie and not talk about how "how does that family of 5 live in tbat big house, nice neighborhood with 3 kids and the mom is a stay at home mother and the dad is a high school teacher" you see it in every tv show or movies

@goobersguide

28 күн бұрын

same!

I probably earn more than most of my peers, but because I grew up in poverty, supporting other family members etc, I still don't have their financial stability or lifestyle. I feel like even though I'm earning more, I'll never catch up with my friends who got a little leg up. It's way harder than people think to move up an economic class even if you do everything 'right'. I don't know how I'd of survived if I didn't get the job I did. We'd be destitute.

@user-po9ne6tx1c

5 ай бұрын

Can relate 100%. So tough and frustrating at times

Woaaah "if you don't need anything from each other then the only thing to connect you is competition." That's such a great insight!

@amandah2935

4 ай бұрын

I experienced this. We bought our starter home in a cute Seattle suburb neighborhood (that house has more than tripled in value since then and we would never be able to afford that “starter” house now). It was very much a middle class neighborhood. We all borrowed tools or whatever from each other for house projects. If you didn’t have something someone else did. Our kids all played together. It was such a feeling of community. Fast forward to new jobs that took us out of state. We moved to an upper middle class neighborhood and it was the most passive aggressive competitive place. I hated it so much. If you had something others didn’t have instead of borrowing pretty soon everyone else had it but the newer shinier model that was better than yours and they made sure you knew it. People didn’t rely on each other. The moms were super gossipy and snarky. New jobs again took us to a new state and I was so grateful.

@shanejones578

4 ай бұрын

@@amandah2935if you get the chance check out Omaha. Sounds like you spent time on a coast or Iowa LMAO. Omaha is the most down to earth place I’ve been in the country, and affordable. Some people are on drugs but crime is not rampant like a regular Midwest city. It’s really a good experience, and I’ve been to 40+ states for at least a few days most a couple weeks.

@amazinggrapes3045

29 күн бұрын

What about emotional intimacy??

About two days ago I was journaling about how across social media and traditional media platforms the richest and wealthiest people tend to build the biggest followings perpetuating the message that individuals fail because of their own shortcomings and not because of systemic failures designed to punish or reward certain characteristics. Came across this video and just had to watch it.

I'm the only single mother out of my group of mom friends and it is astonishing how different our lives are. They mean well but really have no idea what it's like. It is SO expensive to be poor. Im actively trying to better my financial circumstances but damn, it would be GREAT if I wasnt constantly compared to people who have dual income/dual figurehead households. I don't want hand outs or to be pittied, and Im working on bettering my finances to support my child better, I just dont want to be compared to people who have been vastly more lucky in the lotto of life than I have along the way.

@ludwigvonmiseswasright4380

3 ай бұрын

Being a single parent isn't pure chance. Choices brought you there. And choices keep you there. Re-marry. "Settle" for an average guy. They are definitely out there. Working men, who would be honored to step into the role of father, and hopefully have children of their own. They are generally of modest means, although with your support their simple income might go much further than it is now.

@jborrego2406

3 ай бұрын

Unless u were married or her poor husband passed away. That's on u for having kids without a partner

@slchance8839

2 ай бұрын

1.only 4% of single mothers are widows 2.but 80-90% of women initiate divorce 3.women make a HUGE joke about falling for the "bad boy," "wrong men," and "knowing better, but doing it anyway," (It's fun!) 4.most people dont properly vet their partners before getting married or having children...they just "fall into it" or get married because "that's what they're supposed to do." It's very likely that your circumstances are the consequence of a series of decisions made by you and you alone.

The amount to which you are willing to share about your personal finances, both the good and bad, is a gift. Your transparency is one of the most helpful parts (of many) of your channel.

@erikaarnold4780

4 ай бұрын

It is refreshing.🏝

im definitely bitter about how so many people believe they have worked for their positions in life... gaslighting is the perfect word

@epbrown01

5 ай бұрын

The truth is that a lot of them did. Jeff Bezos may have started higher up on the social ladder, but he still climbed quite a bit. Anyone that has worked around the wealthy can tell you that most of the people with the same advantages don’t amount to much. Trump’s family spent over a billion to make him a millionaire in the 80s.

@ynraider

4 ай бұрын

@@epbrown01 Jeff Bezos just had to be smarter than Elon Musk(a low bar) to be successfull. Their circles ALWAYS lead to wealth. It takes skill NOT to take advantage of opportunities when their families are ALREADY WEALTHY.

@Kathi-pd7dx

3 ай бұрын

@@epbrown01 Nope you are wrong. I have seen this in person, and I can assure you they will climb either way. Some rich people are hardworking, most are not. They are though all ruthless and are extremely well connected.

@faultedcoyote2657

3 ай бұрын

​@@Kathi-pd7dxthat's extremely toxic to say, bud. Careful. One doesn't need to be "ruthless" to achieve comfortable living or what's considered wealth. With that mindset, you're excuse for being in debt or what not will be "I'm just too kind to get anywhere, life is unfair" Bro get off ur bum and manage your money, make careful financial decisions. You don't need to get out a loan to buy a brand new car like many people do "not sayin you are" Obviously, you can't get rich instantly, but exercise patience and manage your money, it'll build over time. Not that a big pile of it will make you content in life, it won't. Wealthy people lack contentment as well

@Kathi-pd7dx

3 ай бұрын

@@faultedcoyote2657 Naive aren't we? You don't know anything about me and you tell me to work harder. I am quite certain I am richer than you actually. I am also quite certain I do indeed work harder than you. I invest, I work, I have my own house and a vacation condo. I work for what I need and want. Unfortunately you are quite obviously NOT rich like Bezos or Musk, neither have you worked in a corporate, neither have you ever had the chance to meet truly rich people. They will plagiarize you, steal your ideas, have better lawyers and fuck you over in a heartbeat if it means profit. It's not WHAT you know, its WHO you know. Student's from Ivy do better because in our schools, you can meet children of other rich people, you can meet companies, you can probably afford to do unpaid internships etc. We have better credit score at 21 than you will have in your 30s, because of our parents . I know people who have fucked their way up, literally slept with the boss and work as the department spy. This is the REALITY of rich world. People will backstab you, will steal your ideas to get promoted over you, will fuck the upper management to get a raise etc. Rich people marry other rich people for assets and to look good. Your wife will probably be a socialite who will cheat on you and you will cheat back. These are not my ideas, but this is how the rich live by. Work hard all you want, you'll never make it to the top without the right connections. Also Jack will always be chosen over you, no matter your hard work, only because his father is richer than your father. You can reach a certain level of wealth by being smart and working hard. You can't make it to Bezos, Musk, Beyonce levels or rich without having a degree of ruthlessness and narcissism. I agree with your idea that you don't need a big pile to be contempt. I disagre with the other comment where they claim, children of rich people don't do better simply by being rich. They absolutely do actually, and they will get things handed out to them and absolutely people will forgive their mistakes while eat your soul out if you make a mistake. I am saying how the world works, and how thinking the world is a fair place is naive and delusional. Simply by being born and raised in a wealthy country you will do better in life than someone in Nigeria, or Iran. People exploit other people for resources. Why do you think the war in the middle east happened? If you live in the West you are profitting of that oil. Thinking that some people don't have it better in life, is naive at best.

I'm so glad I found this channel! As a working class kid who wanted to be a writer and artist while I was growing up, I found out that to follow my dreams would be a huge (perhaps stupid) risk that would likely end in poverty. Now I wonder what will happen when the only artists and writers who can afford to hone their craft are people who grew up rich. What does that mean for our culture? Probably nothing good.

@abbyabroad

3 ай бұрын

Pretty sure that’s how it’s always been. Which is why, despite being a writer myself, I think the excessive focus on artists, musicians, and actors in Hollywood films comes off as out of touch 😂 (I mean how a lot of their films are set in NYC or CA & focus on people with those professions even though most people who aspire to those jobs cannot realistically afford to pursue them).

@MoonBratStudio

3 ай бұрын

Kind of an outlier here, but I am from a "below poverty" family of writers and "artists" (always sounds so pretentious, but I guess it's just accurate) and am an "artist" myself. We're "poor," financially, but have a good quality of life because we're extremely careful with money and blahblahblah. So I guess, just saying, don't worry; it's not ALL just rich people. And if you ever want to go back to writing or art, it's not impossible. Just say goodbye to name-brand products, unless they're on clearance. Haha

@jeancadwell6544

3 ай бұрын

Support rent control for live/work warehouses!! When only the rich can afford to make art, the result is total cultural control.

@tealkerberus748

21 күн бұрын

The majority of authors, musicians, and artists start out with a day job and write in the evenings and weekends, wantonly neglecting whatever family they live with. Some of them get successful enough to quit their day job. Most don't. I used to live with a musician. He had a pretty good day job but he was shit to live with.

I'm only 11 minutes into the video, but this is so refreshing: Someone going over the fact that they worked really hard, but also acknowledging what help they got along the way, help that is not always extended to all people, and how those priveldges tie into the lottery that is luck in life, and how it can shift it in your direction.

What Ashley Ford had to say about people not wanting their wealth/poverty fantasies broken was really profound. Well said, I've been in similar conversations and it's quite frustrating

@youknowjuno145541

5 ай бұрын

Fr!!

@jeffengel2607

5 ай бұрын

We need comfort. Most comfort is expensive. Fantasies are free in any direct sense. So the belief that you COULD get to a secure wealth status or that there's some sort of fairness in where you are can be one of the few things you can have and keep to feel better and it's not something to give up easily, especially if all you're getting out of it is truth.

@TheGallantDrake

5 ай бұрын

@@jeffengel2607it’s a harmful fantasy. There are better fantasies that don’t make a person work against their own self interest.

@amethystdream8251

5 ай бұрын

​@@jeffengel2607Lies have a way of crashing down eventually in this realm we live in. Truth therefore makes for sturdier foundations to build on. I guess it depends on your concept of comfort. I personally like a sturdy foundation and peace of mind, which makes truth valuable and comfortable to me

@KnowledgeSeeker78491

5 ай бұрын

Could you timestamp it please

Prosperity gospel is the height of gaslighting.

@5353Jumper

5 ай бұрын

Reading the story of Jesus and coming to the conclusion that the Money Lenders and the Roman's were the role models we are supposed to emulate.

@grmpEqweer

4 ай бұрын

It means God hates the poor (and you should too.) 🤬

@Alexandriafrancescakiel

4 ай бұрын

Jesus literally says “blessed are the poor, for they shall inherit the earth”. Not to mention “it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than a rich man to get into heaven”. Jesus doesn’t hate anyone - poor or rich - but the moral of the story of the Bible is definitely not that we should be more like the Romans aka the people who enslaved His people and murdered Him.

@katielarsen2630

4 ай бұрын

Muslims have mandatory charity (2% of disposable income/wealth), but if your income isn't more than your expenses by a certain amount you don't have to pay anything, and there's no guilt. It always bothers me when I see poor Christians paying tithe.

@Window4503

4 ай бұрын

@@AlexandriafrancescakielOr the Pharisees, the Jewish religious leaders who loved money even if it meant ignoring parts of the law of Moses they claimed to obey.

I related to the college student. I was around a lot of upper class people who didn’t understand why I didn’t have money. They would say: “Just call your parents” or “the ATM machine is right there”

@carolynshull4841

29 күн бұрын

True story. Mortgage lender: "What about getting a bigger down payment from your trust fund?" Us: "We don't have trust funds." Mortgage lender: ---------------------

There is no such thing as "Self-Made." Nothing happens in a vacuum. Massive wealth can only be achieved through the exploitation of others

@abdullahinoor3972

4 ай бұрын

It is one way

@thetinaexperience7000

4 ай бұрын

Exactly. Self-delusion is a mother...

@michaeljohnson2470

Ай бұрын

Well, of course, there are also individuals who invent real game changers that improve the lives of others. Sometimes, those people get wealthy. You cannot escape having to use discernment when making judgments.

@AraP24

26 күн бұрын

Wrong! With that attitude, you will never get anywhere in life.

@justintime19891

25 күн бұрын

This 100%. You have to be willing to step on others. I went to school for eight years after high school and got the six figure job. But I will never advance. I just can’t treat people like that.

Without meaning to, you highlighted one of the most important predictors of wealth accumulation over a lifetime--your partner (or lack thereof).

@Feliciations

5 ай бұрын

@@rob_see I don't have the solution, but maybe look in other places (church, school, work). There are a lot of good single women out there. Don't focus on looks, but instead on shared values and personality.

@rob_see

5 ай бұрын

@@Feliciations “dont focus on looks” “if you are shorter than six feet swipe (whatever direction is rejection, i dont know since i dont use these apps or dating services)”

@rob_see

5 ай бұрын

@@joeybarszcz7717 it is not an excuse, its reality. i have women who i speak with and can have sex with or hang out with. the issue is none of them are wife/relationship material, and the one who i probably could have a good relationship with a party girl drunkard at 37 who refuses to improve herself, so its basically a no go for me, since i am basically on the upward path in terms of health and finances. dhe treats me like im nothing since her phone isnflooded with men trying to get with her. this doesnt me i dont out effort. every day i work my ass off and do my best. the truth is this current situation is straight up fucked because women have too many options, and they are basically irrational. corporations/governments are benefitting from this social chaos

@rob_see

5 ай бұрын

@@joeybarszcz7717 im just sharing facts so other men can read it and learn

@pinhead8030

5 ай бұрын

@@rob_seeoh no wonder you’re a troll, you’re a lame ass dude

Being a dual income couple is an absolute must these days. Both my wife and I grew up in the 80s version of middle class. We never went without but never had luxuries upper middle class kids had. It was clear in high school and college which group you were in. We are more financially successful than our parents but we realize this likely won’t be the case for our kids.

@IntrospectiveHousewife

4 ай бұрын

You can get away with one income if you live frugally in a rural town, especially in the Midwest. You need to have some traditional beliefs in order to survive or even thrive.

The scariest part is getting out of poverty and then the crippling fear of returning due to one simple mistake...

Commenting on the stark difference between the parent groups of the wealthy and middle class schools, and how the parents of the latter worked together while the former were there only for their own child, this highlights the different mentalities that are often found within those two groups. For example, middle and working class communities tend to work together and usually have community-centred morales and values; such as helping others in need, staying humble, being empathetic and conscientious of your actions, etc. Whereas, the wealthy (especially those who have multi generations worth of wealth), tend to have a more business, individualistic, and competitive mindset; where “values” tend to focus on bettering the self over community which can make someone feel more at ease when stepping on others in order to get ahead. As a nurse I’ve worked with both the rich and the poor and these are just some of the things I’ve noticed throughout the years. However, one anomaly I’ve noticed is that when the poorest people become patients and receive care, food, medicine, etc., at no cost (I’m Canadian), quite a few people become the “stereotypical rich person;” snapping their fingers, being demanding, having little to no compassion or empathy, being rude, etc. It’s almost like because the rolls have been reversed and the poorer people have someone “under” them to help them, they take the behaviour they’ve had to tolerate and they place it on the heads of those they feel are now there to serve them.

Employer "Money isn't everything. " so no living wage. Me "Then why do you keep so much of it?"

I really like how open you are about the fact that your success is an outlier and you were really lucky. So many people who manage to cross class boundaries just fully buy into the meritocracy myth.

@kowboy702

5 ай бұрын

Have you seen the other comments on this thread. The meritocracy brainwashing, my goodness

@limbiclove9487

5 ай бұрын

Complicity to the secrecy code of misused and ethically challenged truthfulness in class is a form of entrapment.

@nikkijohnson5147

4 ай бұрын

I appreciate it also. Far down the road my young adult son may have a great success story but if he failed to acknowledge many fortunate circumstances, including knowledge and talent in a field that is challenging, and the help of us, I’d be greatly disappointed. He’ll graduate debt free with two degrees in May and hopefully go on to earn a PhD in Physics. Certainly he’s worked very hard and he will continue to do so but he was fortunate to have family that believed in his ability, encouraged him, and also been able to help him (somewhat) financially.

@ynraider

4 ай бұрын

IIRC, it's related to the Monopoly Game Fallacy; people given an unfair headstart in a game of monopoly, later dismissed the advantage when they won... YIKES!

@Lili-ey1nd

4 ай бұрын

No she said she worked really hard and everyone she knows in her field dos the same😂 you people are sad the way you lie to yourselves , sure luck and who you know is apart of it but that’s not a secret anymore you still have to earn it

One thing that was noted in this video was how Chelsea has moved to the left as she's gone up in wealth and income. Honestly, I'm the same way. Libertarian-ish cringelord in my early 20s, standard liberal later in my 20s, and now drifting towards a socialist viewpoint in my 30s. And I think for me, a bit of that comes from a bit of a sense of resentment. Now that I'm at an income level where I can afford a car, I can afford my own place, I can take vacations and travel, I can get whatever medical care I need, etc., I feel a tremendous degree of resentment towards the way our society hates the poor. I mean, I don't live some sort of fancy lifestyle, I don't own a massive house, I don't drive luxury cars, I've never even been on a yacht, and yet I'm incredibly comfortable. How is it that the rich need to acquire so many resources then? Why do they need wealth that grossly exceeds anything I could ever gather in my lifetime? And it's not like it's a zero cost thing to allow the wealthy to build massive wealth. We've kept taxes low for the rich to promote that wealth, and in turn, we've deprived a lot of schools, we've shredded public transit, we've created a massive health care gap, and we've collapsed our social connections in pursuit of directing more wealth to the super wealthy. I don't think it'll change any time soon, but we need to move away from such an unequitable system.

I wanted to comment about the (implied) anxiety the student was talking about regarding forms required to quantify and qualify for assistance or support. I realized i was Autistic at 45 years old. Suddenly, my life made sense. And yet... Back tothe topic... Forms: This can be a dishabilitating event. I struggle immensely with this 😟 The Process and finding out of All The Steps to achieve this ONE step in The Task of applying for Random Assistance is utterly exhausting. It basically completely incompacitates me. If you read this, take it to heart that one of your friends might be struggling with this. They're not lazy, they're mentally paralyzed by The Task ❤ And if you are struggling, it's okay. Maybe see if a friend can help. It's okay to ask for help ❤

Being married grants tremendous privilege to start a business and not having to worry about bills, food, etc

@DullardGuy

4 ай бұрын

yes, dual income is great especially if in an upper income hh

@thetinaexperience7000

4 ай бұрын

Sure, as long as your husband or wife are not poor and you are not poor.

@benas_st

3 ай бұрын

And as long as one of you doesn't file for divorce, halving your assets

Living in a different country than the USA, some of the wanting to believe that if you work hard you can improve your standing in life is true here too (mostly because it WAS true in the 50s and 60s), but most folks believe as a general rule that if you are/get rich it's because you're cunning and shrewd, not because you are smart or hard working. So the whole "looking up to the rich folks and wanting to be like them" thing exists but it's mixed with a moral ambivalence, because it's also expected that being rich (like, not comfortably middle-class but "more money than you could spend" rich) means you are a selfish a-hole.

@drpepperman2765

2 ай бұрын

If it's any consolation, most younger people in America are recognizing this. Most people I know don't want to be rich so much as they just want to be financially stable, which basically requires you to be rich in America but I think it's an important signifier of how disillusioned young people have become with the American Dream

Wow this video is incredibly eye opening. My personal thanks to Ms. Ashley Ford. I don’t have a college education but I have always been a student of our world. I’ve met people from all parts of the wealth spectrum. Her words at the end there where she talks about her own experiences really struck me. Specifically the line about having the letter but not the jacket. I actually teared up hearing that because that really was how I felt when I was younger. I too wanted to know and learn soo much and also hit wall after wall. It’s sad and so disheartening. Thank you all for sharing this perspective with me.

What about the insulting RAISE OF PAY (2.5-3%)... Which as soon as you get that raise, the bus rate go up and the price of bread goes up!!! 😢😢😢

I'm a 77 y.o. white male who endured an abusive mother unable to handle her own burdens (absent Navy father); who went to 20 different schools as a child (no ability to hold a relationship so gave up trying); dirt-poor (coal miners and laborers, farm hands, etc.) family history; went into social work (1st in my family line with a college degree) as I could see the need/pain; burned out just short of 30 years... There is so much going on below what our "system" will allow addressing or even seeing. As a fundraiser I saw the difference in attitude between the wealthy and working people. It's pretty ugly, but predictable where we are merely consumers at each other's throats as a life mission. Kinda duh!

Thank you for this. We certainly have enough personal finance youtubers peddling the lie that all it takes to ascend the socioeconomic ladder is to live in Financial Purgatory until you're worthy of entering Middle Class Heaven, and I'm glad someone is choosing to be different here.

@maqclark

5 ай бұрын

*cough*Dave Ramsey!*cough*

@knocknockify

5 ай бұрын

@@maqclarkRice and beans, beans and rice

@VideoCesar07

5 ай бұрын

Amen to that. I swear many of these financial advisors are paid by the wealthy to continue spreading this lie. Some of the well-meaning ones may honestly want to help others pull themselves out of financial distress but have also been completely brainwashed into the thinking that "with hard work and strict financial discipline ANYONE can succeed and move up the social ladder."

@acbrand03

5 ай бұрын

Right!!! Thank you! 🙏🏾

@AD-dg3zz

4 ай бұрын

You've reminded me of the saying, 'Working class Americans don't see themselves as working class, they see themselves as temporarily embarrassed millionaires.'

Just found your channel a couple weeks ago and I'm beyond impressed with your speaking/presenting ability as well as your level of knowledge in these topics. You're not a "money" channel. You're really getting to the root cause of a lot of the disparities we're starting to become more aware of as a society. You're very eloquent and to the point despite the length of your videos (all info, no fluff). Full of facts and citations, interesting and academic - great guest speakers. Bravo! And thank you for bringing a much needed woman's touch to the broader financial conversation

I worked at a high end of town even though I was so poor. I had a girl at work trying to explain I just needed to get my driver's license and a car, and all my problems would be fine because I could get a better job. When I started explaining how I couldn't afford it, she told me I was just making excuses. She just couldn't understand I'd have to pay for classes to learn to dive and come up with money to get a car and insurance while I was living paycheck to paycheck and had to keep my hours low to keep my sons state health insurance because he had health issues and needed regular care. Is was just stuck, and she didn't see it that way she pretty much called me lazy and walked away. I've finally got on my feet and made middle class but I had to get married to someone with great insurance and we was in a car accident at just the right time to get a huge down payment on a house. We could have died in that accident, and the pandemic had the interest rates low enough to buy a home in our budget

Oh, please, oh , PLEASE do one on Reagan. I'm almost 70, and he has been a shadow over my entire adult life. There are not words to describe my disdain for him. Your words and storytelling are better than mine.

I have a friend who grew up very comfortable with wealthy parents. He said to me one time that he thought it would be fun to be poor! I was like wtf, I'll trade spots with him instantly! He just doesn't get it.

@faultedcoyote2657

3 ай бұрын

My parents are technically in "poverty", but we've all been happy. Being in need draws us together. As someone who has lived this way all his life so far (just graduated last year), I would agree it would be fun to be poor. I love the idea of working together in a loving circle to get by. Money ain't what's got it Lol. To be fair though, I am religious and that is a huge part of it. I want to be as dependant on God as possible. He's never neglected us in our time of need. Truly speaking, even the wealthy aren't content with their lives.. money isn't going to fulfill yours. The only contentment you can find is through God's gift-His son's sacrifice

@Gillsing

3 ай бұрын

When I play computer roleplaying games I often start out with very little, and end up with way too much. And I generally enjoy the first half of the game more, when loot and rewards feel like they mean something. Not everyone is the same.

@Cephrain

3 ай бұрын

​@@GillsingMy dude, it's a bit different in a video game vs. real life where failing means getting evicted, going without dinner, or just never affording a better education.

@_iarna_

3 ай бұрын

@@Gillsing Games are designed to be fun. Hundreds of people worked thousands of hours to try to ensure that was the case. Life is not.

@AmandaabnamA

3 ай бұрын

If he really thought it would be fun he woulf forgo his family's wealth. He's scared actually, but they refuse to accept that

7:31 but teachers are one of the wealthiest professionals in retirement. Like engineers and Doctors. They don't get paid a lot, but they do get benefits, and they're required to save a certain percentage of their income for retirement. Exact numbers are usually meaningless with regards to conceptual understanding of payment. Like $15 per hour used to be a living wage a decade ago, but pushing for a magic number in either salary or hourly wage is mostly useless because these numbers won't mean anything in 20 years.

I remember when TFD first started out when I was always watching back in college around 2016. It’s been a few years since I’d tuned back in, but wow, it’s awesome to see just got much it’s grown. Love these long form essays and the incorporation of guest speakers. AND it’s awesome seeing you still doing great work, Chelsea! 🎉

"everyone is privileged" is what they really want people to believe...when a teen who had a miscarriage is about to go to trial for MURDER?! They make me so sick

I also wish we talked more about community wealth! I did not grow up wealth (probably working class economics wise until my early teens), but I had parents who went to college and grew up in fairly well off families and VERY rich family members. That not only gave me access to certain things and helped me navigate everything from how to get into college and get scholarships to later jobs and help investing. And on the most basic level, even if my parents had issues financially my sibling and I would never have to worry about having enough food or a house over our head because we had extended family (and family friends) who would be able to help support us all. And I know a lot of people in my life who didn't have the larger community access I had and it made huge difference in their lives, and is another reason why generations wealth and wealth segregation is so impactful

@sd-ch2cq

5 ай бұрын

Yeah, those connection outside the nuclear family count hard, and are often a big reason behind a 'poor' person working their way up. My mom was poor but my grandmother was relatively rich, and just knowing that we *could* ask for money already made a lot of difference.

@morighani

5 ай бұрын

i grew up with my parents not even bothering fixing my immigration documents, which resulted in me not being able to work or own or put my name in literally anything until i got married and could fix it via my husband. they also never asked me about higher education or what i wanted to do as a job. i’m fine because i’m smart but it took a lot of struggle to get where i am that could be avoided with parents who gave a shit. that’s the reality for a lot of people, some of us start off in bad footing while others don’t even need to crawl

@ltiya75islearning82

5 ай бұрын

@markevans8206 Same. When my father would get layed off, my uncle who owned his own business would give him a job temporarily until he got a called back to work.

@happycommuter3523

5 ай бұрын

Not just wealth, but social capital. My parents were working-poor, but they had a number of social advantages, including church and other social memberships, local friends, etc. This meant, e.g., getting referrals for competent tradesmen who would do good work without charging exorbitant rates. They also got leads on things like jobs and cars. A businessman friend loaned them money; another one helped them get their house. My siblings like to believe they "worked their way up," when in truth, we had a ladder of community support. On top of this, we were white and Christian, native English speakers, our parents' marriage was intact, they were homeowners, not renters. Nobody in the family had addiction problems or had been in prison. These are HUGE advantages. I love my siblings, but sometimes they need a serious reality check.

@brigettelancome4063

4 ай бұрын

this!! i grew up w the opposite and it’s definitely what was missing, i didn’t have anyone to show me anything or tell me anything and my parents didn’t care really, never asked me about colleges or anything so i didn’t know anything or anyone really (we moved away from family before i was born) so it’s just been me (the blind) trying to lead my younger sis (the blind also lol) and figure things out for myself. now i’m 22 and am trying to build that for myself! community is how we make it! i’m hoping one day with me working hard and community i can make it too!

For the most part…old money is nothing but an idea. If you only knew how many dirt poor Appalachian people were descendants of royalty and rich founding fathers, you would forget about the idea of old money.

I think it's important to point out that wealth in and of itself is not some evil malicious entity. It's when extreme wealth and extreme poverty exist so close in proximity like they do in America that it becomes a huge social issue. "Why can both of those things exist within the bounds of a single city?" is the perplexing question. The solution is not to disallow anyone from being wealthy, it's just to make sure both extremes are tamped down a bit... Or a lot in America's case.

ashley's final comments were so beautifully stated. i related to and feel the grief she describes for her young self and how tied by limitations she felt, of not even being given the opportunity to enjoy the brief escapism of reading a library book at home. "because we had been devalued, our education had been reduced" should be a battle cry.

Unearned income (money made off of assets, as opposed to labor)--more than anything else--is the difference between the 1% and everyone else. The wealthy live off unearned income, while everyone else relies on earned income.

@jtowensbyiii6018

3 ай бұрын

And for some reason unearned income is taxed LESS than hard labor, it's fucked yo

@aaronjjacques

3 ай бұрын

Whose fault is that? Even macdonalds let you take up to 50% of your pay in stock. And they will match the first 6%. A janitor at Microsoft retired with almost 7 million in shares just maxing out employee contribution.

3 ай бұрын

There is nothing stopping less wealthy and even poor individuals from investing. Many high yield savings accounts and money market accounts require no minimum balance. 99% of people can afford to start a savings account putting in just $50 and adding as little as $10 to $25 per month. It has to start somewhere.

@beleden1215

3 ай бұрын

Or they just don't pay people money or pay taxes 🙃🫠

@beleden1215

3 ай бұрын

Money. Money stops them from investing. Food or investing? Rent or investing? Paying off debt or investing? Saving money for an emergency or investing in a bad economy. God forbid they are also laid off and it had nothing to do with their merit

The beginning of the video seems to imply that the American Dream is to have a 50 million dollar mansion and a Lamborghini. This is disingenuous. It meant that you could get a job, buy a house, and raise a family. I don’t think the exaggeration is needed to bolster the other points about inequality or difficulties in getting ahead. Yet, a couple of examples are given of people who did improve their lives and wealth. It was hard for me to get a start on a career and took a lot of work and sacrifice of what a lot of others seemed to do or have, so I tend to assume it’s difficult for most people. I find the bit about “stealth wealth“ interesting. Ultimately, the excessive wealth displayed isn’t necessary, but is the message that we’re going to aspire to this higher standard because we’re being exposed to it? So much of social media is toxic, and here’s another example.

I am from India. I used to think America is so rich, even in the times of struggle, like shown in Seinfeld and Friends series, you can have a decent life. Wow, cannot believe how it was a utopia created around American life and it's richness with the help of TV series.

So, we taxpayers are paying part of the wages that Walmart should pay to their employees. No wonder they got so rich.

@bethanycreativeside4326

4 ай бұрын

This isn't true. You know Walmart is a good employer. They don't have bad insurance and I never had to be on welfare when I worked for Walmart I had six kids and a disabled husband in fact, I didn't qualify for welfare and I was the only one working. Also you can be poor without having a father who's in prison or a mother. You can have a mom and a dad that they're just their life circumstance makes it so they're not rich and it's your mindset. They get you out of being poor not being mad at the rich you could think if they can do it I can do it too

@jtowensbyiii6018

3 ай бұрын

​@@bethanycreativeside4326false, your lies are bullshit, walmart is famous for having a year where they paid LESS into taxes than the tax benefits they benefited from

@bluefire10169

3 ай бұрын

@@bethanycreativeside4326so did I, upward mobility to different positions in the company I was qualified to do was based on favoritism not work ethic. I was poor working there and couldn’t afford the insurance.

This video is really hitting me. As someone who grew up poor on a farm in TN, it is such a cry from where I am now. We weren't in poverty but we didn't have money. Now my husband who also grew up quite poor, even more than I did, and I are middle class. We're still kind of broke sometimes, but we have luxuries and privileges that we never had growing up. I made it my personal goal when I hit 17-18 (precollege) to change my circumstances with education and good choices. In many ways it has paid off. But I was dreaming to think I could do so much more. We just elevated ourselves a little bit. It is a complete dream.

@lessimcdowell9897

5 ай бұрын

Ashe, can you see my post about socialism? It disappeared

@imbuffysummers

5 ай бұрын

@@lessimcdowell9897not sure if this helps but I don’t see it if it was supposed to be in reply to this comment

@lessimcdowell9897

5 ай бұрын

@@imbuffysummers yeah I spam a lot so it must be flagged but here goes again, socialism is a business model called a worker cooperative, the history of the co op is fuzzy but all you need to know is that the workers were attempting to break away from the owner class/ employers during the French Industrial Revolution and own their own capital and control the distribution of their own surplus. What is surplus value? It is the profit made from labor, if it only costs 15 cents to produce a good, and that product then sells on the market for $10, than the surplus value is $9.85. What is capital? It’s 3 things: 1 natural resources or the raw materials it requires to produce goods or provide services, 2 the machinery to extract natural resources or produce goods or provide services, and 3 property. A worker cooperative is usually organized by local low skilled workers that pool together resources to start a private for profit business. There have been occasions in history where there was hostile socialist takeovers of businesses, mostly in the early days where only a few people owned capital and commerce was scarce. Private companies like co ops do not accept outside investors. a worker cooperative goes a step further than this by making the workers the only major investors. This explains why the janitors get paid same as the harder jobs, both invest the exact same money. The mission objective of a co op is not only financial independence but job security. Each member of the company owns an even percentage of the business, so the more co owners there are, the less personal profit each co owner will gain. Sometimes production cooperatives outside cities or populated areas will share their profits with lower valued service workers so they have access to services, these are called sister co ops. Each co owner also receives one vote on the board of directors, they hire and fire managers and co owners and vote on production and service schedules, this is like voting for how much money you want to work for and everyone works together to achieve this goal. The managers make about 4 to 5 times more than the other co owners, but they also own an even share and 1 vote on the board. Ties are broken by the managers vote. Socialists make profits only from production and services, their brands are not publicly traded or owned. Think of it like a corporation of trust fund babies with even shares but they actually work. This is socialism, the workers owning the means of production and distributing the surplus evenly(except for managers unless self managed.) many people are taught in capitalist countries that socialists support dictatorships but the original socialists advocated for people’s Democratic republics and that makes sense because they also advocated for democracy in the workplace.

I tried to escape poverty. She’s right about nothing going wrong being the only real way out. I became a scientist. Top of my class. Did that for a decade. Made six figures. Then I got laid off in 2016. I have never recovered. I’m not even a scientist anymore. Been outta the game too long. I’ve been hopping from job to job. Anyone who will take me. Now I’m in a commission only sales job and using my 401k to pay bills. That will be gone in two months and then I don’t know what I will do. Become homeless, I guess. I cannot even begin to describe how devastated I am that this is how my life has turned out. I worked so hard for so many years and it’s amounted to absolutely nothing. I don’t want to be here anymore.

"The difference between these two parent communities was so stark - The working class and middle class parents work together they're all working together for the whole student body. But everybody on the wealthy end was there trying to work for their kid specifically. Because they don't need anything from each other. And when you don't need anything in a community - which a lot of people strive for for some reason(?) - but what essentially ends up happening is the only thing to connect you is competition. That's it - So the parents are in so much competition with each other that they can't build a community that's for the good of the school." THANKS for MAKING this EXCELLENT VIDEO! The Entire piece is really great and eye-opening but this section where Ashley Ford speaks about the difference in Community Approach to Education was extra profound and revealing to me. THANKS AGAIN!

I loved this line --- elite schools are laundering tools in turning class advantage into meritocracy. It feels so criminal, like money laundering! It's just as deceitful! I need that line on a billboard.

Thank you for making this video. I've spent the last 20 years of my life working with people like me, lower middle to working class people, none of us have degrees and most of us aren't making it out any time soon. The things you are talking about in the video took me years to begin to notice and even now are difficult for me to articulate, but the phrase "hard work isn't enough." Is a good summation of it, specifically what bothers me is that most people I work with are seemingly clueless about all this. Without even realizing it people are raised in a system that really isn't all too different from the antiquated notion that royalty was born better and deserve better things. Our current situation is honestly worse in some ways because now what used to be seen as an unchangeable factor of a person's birth has become a flaw in the person's character, a reason the person is "bad" and doesn't deserve the comfort and ease that rich people are handed from minute one. It IS possible for someone to raise their class, but if you aren't there to begin with than you simply are not equipped to do so, and as a result the knowledge of that possibility becomes justification. It's the stuff that drives one group of low wage workers to mock another if they have the nerve to demand a living wage.

@milt0n290

5 ай бұрын

I preach this in every workplace and I ask every day am I the crazy one. It feels like no one takes what I say any more seriously than Q anon or flat earth. I’m communist and it kinda shows but I think people instantly starts thinking I’m asking for the bad stuff China or North Korea is known for instead of the positive things we can learn from. I always talk about unionizing then crickets. I just want social safety nets, decomommodified/ government starter housing (or first time home interest rates/ primary home interest rates with high interest rates or taxes on investment properties) and democratization the work place

@asho345

5 ай бұрын

I think more people should be thinking about longer term strategies for class mobility, like setting their children up for success so that each generation gets closer to the top. It feels like the hope of going from working class to super rich in one generation is an extension of our desire for instant gratification.

@SpringSpark

5 ай бұрын

​@@asho345If you die without seeing the results of your labor, it's straight up no gratification. 💀

@bmay282

5 ай бұрын

Thank you for sharing your thoughts. Yes! I'm so glad you have this insight, I agree and experience the same thing. Our society has taught us that poverty and inequality are "one's own fault"... and they use education and positivity thinking to turn us against each other, but perhaps worst of all ..to turn us against ourselves.. like if you're poor, it's because you didn't work hard enough or should have gone to school.. totally ignoring the way power and money actually work.. it makes so many people invisible, burdened by shame, and stops everyone from looking at what is actually happening.. the powers that be took the value of our wages from us and financialized everything, they spend money on stupid crap that benefits almost no one besides themselves.. and justify taking money from our government but fighting against anything that benefits working class.. but it's "our responsibility" to work hard.. as tho the the poor & less wealthy are not already working very hard. At the very least, lower class people should not be shamed for the conditions of their lives, on top of so many other hardships, when they are in reality the profit centers for wealthier people..

@asho345

5 ай бұрын

If the results you expect is to move up an entire class in one generation, then yes, you would get no gratification. But if I were able to set my children up where they were able to earn a living wage, and THEIR children were able to earn a degree that moved them into the middle class, I would consider that progress. It takes time to accumulate the skills and knowledge to move up. It is a form of generational wealth.

Talking about her relationship with her husband growing up wealthier than her i can see a lot of parallels with my own wife who is from Nicaragua. We both grew up poor in single parent households but that means different things in both of our countries, I still managed to have a lot of experiences that she never had, like playing an instrument in school, having traveled somewhere by plane once as a kid.

I died when you said “libertarian cringe lord”😂😂 That aside, I absolutely loved this video and that you featured Ashley and Amanda and Sam. I have to follow them too. I particularly loved when you brought up the tax breaks the ultra rich get and how a majority of members of congress are millionaires. I also liked how Ashley said there’s this fantasy about poor people to rich people and rich people to poor people

The more I learn about class disparity, the more it angers me. I grew up middle class, and am privileged in some ways (though despite having stocks and inheritance from wealthy grandparents, my daily income is pennies. I still live with my parents, which gives me some financial freedom, but I can't afford to move out).

@stoodmuffinpersonal3144

5 ай бұрын

I get that. It's like Limbo. I see people without their parents support, or facing other barriers and oppression. I don't have it as bad. But. I tries to work hard. I tried to do my best in school. And yet. I'm 30. And. I can't move out. I'm locked in with my folks. So. Even If I wanted to help others, some of my options are limited. Cause I'm struggling to help myself. It's weird to be so destitute in my personal finances, because I don't make much money. But. Other people in my same income bracket are often getting it WAY worse. Because, they don't have the support of their folks. And that's before we get into race or other things. Like. It feels absurd.

I went to school and had classmates from all around the world which meant they were loaded. One girl, who her father owned an electric company in South America asked me “why do you work?” Unreal the perspective and it’s so genuinely innocent too

@annabelconstantine1241

4 ай бұрын

Should have told her to mind her business

@giu941

4 ай бұрын

as a south american, our bourgeoisie are the worst

@Ikaros23

4 ай бұрын

She should have asked why you just don’t eat cake 😂

Beautiful video! I admire the thoroughness in your work. Thank you for that.

Thank you for this video, Chelsea! I'm not American, I'm Russian, but it's still very interesting. I think it's not only about USA, it's kind of worldwide tendency... Also I like Ashley C. Ford, very impressive and inspiring woman, thanks for inviting her.

There are ONLY two classes: The Working Class and Capitalist Class. We further divide ourselves by thinking we're "middle class", If you have to work to make a living and don't own or control any means of production, guess where you are? Abolish capitalism.

@Mysticbladegod

5 ай бұрын

Amen. Capitalism is a freaking scam.

@rachelk4805

5 ай бұрын

Abolish capitalism to save democracy.

@epbrown01

5 ай бұрын

I don’t think this mindset works for the Information Age. There’s no gatekeeping to the “means of production” when you can buy equities and other investments using your phone and a free brokerage account, and you have free access to tons of financial information (like this channel) to teach you.

@terriblefrosting

4 ай бұрын

"Abolish Capitalism", that's cute. I mean, agree, Capitalism is SUPER bad, but Communism is just as stupid. And how would you "Abolish" it? Democratic socialism is the way to go, with a limited and highly regulated free market to encourage mobility and innovation.

@obits3

4 ай бұрын

@@rachelk4805The problem isn’t capitalism. You need private property and free market pricing on most things to avoid catastrophic resource issues. No, the issue at hand is the rich manipulating the laws and public discourse to create advantages, making the market an oligopoly and not truly free.

My parents absolutely refused to help me with college tuition after my brother wasted their money and soured their attitudes on school. And I couldn’t afford to take on loans, so I just didn’t go to school. And now with a full time job, I’m not sure I have the time and resources to ever try going back to school. Not without extreme burnout. My only real paths out of the working poor are joining a union or teaching myself skills till I can bullshit my way into a career

@whitneyfullerton4897

4 ай бұрын

Sorry to hear! My parents never helped me either

@imrunninazoo1115

4 ай бұрын

Let me give you an idea go work for a public university or college in your state. You will be consider a state employee working for a public state university. You will get great benefits such as a pension, medical insurance, and free college tuition for you or any dependent children if you have any. I work for one it's amazing you get all those perks

@slayfaee

2 ай бұрын

Look into WGU an accredited online self paced and afffordable university that lets you accelerate. Its the only reason why i’m able to go back to college while working full time

Thank you. This is very well done and puts into "plain English" things that some folks struggle to verbalize and/or understand. VERY MUCH looking forward to that Reagan video.

Traffic fines are the most egregious injustice (of course there are much worse…Im making a point😅). The fact that people are PUT IN JAIL for traffic violations proves that they say one thing and do another. There used to be debter’s prisons for people who owed a debt (usually taxes, or rent), and folks would rot in there because naturally, they were still poor, even after being punished…shocking. Eventually, they said, “Debters jails are inhumane, and a violation of civil rights…no more of those.” Then turn around and arrest Wesley Snipes for taxes. My license was SUSPENDED over a debt. I was sued by Geico, and they basically put a “lien” on my damned DL! I couldn’t believe it was legal. Dealt with the rudest lawyers ever and got it handled, but it was a really creepy feeling to know that a corporation can extort a normal person by hobbling them. I felt violated af. Ominous, insidious, and malicious are words that come to mind. The reigning class shows us in a million ways just how much they despise us. Nothing they do shocks me anymore.

I am so embarrassed because medical bills to get my kid, and medical bills after my kid was born has devastated my wallet. Also I am in a volatile career so I work contacts. And so I go from job to job. I have periods where I dont work. It is so stressful and I feel so ashamed. I work so hard but I am sinking. This makes me feel less like I am failing and helps me understand. Thank you

@neilaniani

5 ай бұрын

I wish I had more to add, but I want you to know you shouldn't feel embarrassed at all, but I know it's really hard and what you feel is natural. I only mean to say that you are not the problem. It's actually very brave of you to admit that you are struggling in this way; many people cannot be that open with themselves, let alone publicly. I hope this video and the comments help you see that you are not alone and you're not a failure; in fact, you sound like a strong person to me! Also, if you are able, deep breathing can help with managing the anxiety/sinking feelings that can come with these big challenges. It will not solve everything, but hopefully it will help ground you a little but and bring you back to the present so that you can continue on. I am wishing the best for you and your family.

@katelyndefreitas2810

3 ай бұрын

We’re all in this rocky boat trust me

When I was in undergrad, my family was in such a bad financial place that all of the $15k in student loans I took out went straight to them. I got so much financial aid that the university paid me (yay Pell grants). I'm still paying off those loans and my family still can't help me pay them off. In fact, even ten years out from graduation (and another 12k in graduate school loans), I am still contributing to them so they can pay their rent. Medical emergencies are devastating.

@Starfish2145

5 ай бұрын

That awful 😞 your parents should not be mooching off you!

@grmpEqweer

4 ай бұрын

If we had universal Healthcare, like every other industrialized country, we wouldn't be faced with this.

@vanguard6937

4 ай бұрын

​@@grmpEqweeryou're 100% right, just imagine if we were like Canada. Not only would you have to wait 8 more months, but they'll just tell you to commit medical self deletion. Or in the UK where you'll just die waiting

@sandycheeks1580

4 ай бұрын

🎉Please look up Vantastic Velocity Banking!!! You can leverage credit to get out of debt fast and give yourself a raise. It’s better than the Dave Ramsey debt snowball! I like that she explains how to do it slowly . It just makes like easier.😊🎉

@theboyisnotright6312

4 ай бұрын

​@@vanguard6937yes because its so much better to die because you cant afford the care. Quit slinging 🐂 💩

I grew up with Gilmore Girls. Because of that, I wanted to go to the Ivies. I wanted to go to Columbia or Yale for English. I started doing volunteer work, mainly at the same places we were getting help from. Like we'd need to go to the food bank so that Saturday we'd been going we'd take the bus early and I'd work there the whole day while mom sat and read then we left with our box of food. I started this around 8 years old. I had amazing grades. I got lucky and got into a program called running start that let me go to community college in high school and get my AA. Our CC gave free bus passes so I was able to work part time, go to 3 college classes, and do a half day of high school classes. I made it to that phase of getting acceptance letters. But even if I could manage a full ride scholarship, which are unlikely to happen, I still couldn't afford to go because of the cost of living (and or travel back across the USA to home) during winter and summer breaks, nor afford anything not covered (because full rides don't always come with food plans, school supplies etc.) nor the cost to travel because I'd have to move or replace all my dorm needs. I realized no matter how good my grades were, no matter how hard I worked for my whole life (giving up most childhood norms) and no matter how talented I was, it meant nothing when it came to achieving my dreams. That I was born behind and would spend forever chasing the impossible. Now, I did class jump. I paid my way through state college working and taking part time classes. It took almost 10 years but I have 3 degrees and work as a legal editor during the day. I am middle class for my area. But, none of this was my dream, it is just the best I can do with what I was given.

I just came back from Canada. While it’s not perfect up there, a regular truly middle class couple can raise 4 children and send them to college; of which the child can actually pay for by working because the tuition is $3000-$4000 per semester. That’s not cheap, but it’s DOABLE.