If you don’t want to be poor, then learn how to not be poor

The poor definitely think they are of lower status, and they go out of their way to ENSURE THAT THIS IS TRUE. I employ several “poor” people. I try to treat them as equals. I hate being called “sir”, but nobody will use my name. In my country it’s disrespectful to use ‘sir’ (the language is not English, but we have a roughly equivalent word) to refer to someone you know.

About half of them respond to this like normal human beings. The other half respond like helpless children. I’m endlessly hearing things like “I didn’t know” when things go wrong. Well, look, it’s your JOB to know. I’ll tell you some things, but the rest is up to you. Go and find out. Read a book. Read the internet. Ask other people. Don’t just sit there waiting for someone to tell you what to do and what to think.

I know a guy who has just been granted a piece of land under CARP. But he won’t go and collect the deeds from the bank because he has to pay for it (who knows why, but hey, this is the Philippines – rich people are always asking for handouts). He has the money, or can raise it. It isn’t a lot, even for him. But he just won’t.

So I’d say the poor get EXACTLY what they deserve. If you don’t want to be poor, then learn how to not be poor. It’s hard work, obviously, but since when did anyone “deserve” an easy life?

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