Oh, poor me...poor me !!!

[JDgreen227]

Our local paper has a story in the business section today about how factory jobs are no longer a ticket to the middle class. The man profiled in the attachment below (sorry for poor quality) is quoted in the story as saying, despite his new job where is is paid $15.57 an hour as a supplemental employee at Caterpillar: "I depend on my parents to help me make ends meet..."

Hard to feel sorry for the guy when he is pictured sucking on a cigarette...around here they cost close to $6 a pack. Maybe he needs to get his priorities straight?

 

[CBW1999]

Umm...cigarettes are closer to $9.00 a pack around here.

I think the bigger problem with the younger generation is the attitude of "you need to pay me enough for my lifestyle needs" vs I will live the lifestyle my income will provide for.

I saw an article or interview (can't remember). someone complaining that whatever cut back or additional contribution to insurance they now had to make "significantly decreased my monthly discretionary funds". Last I knew, discretionary funds was surplus money in your budget after all other expenses were covered. So this whine ***** didn't have enough play money.........

 

[rockinmywaypa]

A lot of youngsters are disallusioned if they can't start out in a home as big as what took their parents 50 yrs to get to, this goes with all the entertainment accessories inside too. There are lots of what a person could call a starter home around but it would be too embarrassing for quite a few youngsters to think of letting their peers see them living in one. So they whine and form unions to get more for not working or go to occupy movements and try to get my sympathy which will never happen. This touched a nerve since earlier today there was an interview on a news channel with a young woman that was at one of the occupy gatherings claiming that our society isn't working to their benefit. If I could have a conversation with her I'd tell her to try working and see if that if that would work.

 

[tcreeley]

Around here 13 / hour barely pays the bills- rent, food, insurance, transportation, gas, utilities, phone, etc- let alone an emergency or medical costs. Dumb to smoke, dumb to drink, dumb to do drugs - but 15 /hr is not a wage that will bring middle class status.

 

[JDgreen227]

Sad thing is that so many of today's workers have what is called an "Entitlement mentality" which is what rockinmywaypa describes as seeing in one of the occupy gatherings. Many of them want something for nothing and just don't realize that their parents worked for 35-45 years to get to where they are. HOWEVER, another sad thing is that for the current generation of workers there really are not the opportunities that were there for us 40 years ago. I walked in off the street with only a high school education and minimal skills and was hired on the spot at $3.35 an hour and full benefits. 31 years later I retired with a generous pension after moving up the ladder to a crew leader and making nearly $20 an hour. A good friend of mine describes the same situation at GM...walk in off the street with a HS education, put in your 30 years and get out with a pension. Makes me very grateful I had the opportunities I did.

 

[TripleR]

Sad thing is that so many of today's workers have what is called an "Entitlement mentality" which is what rockinmywaypa describes as seeing in one of the occupy gatherings. Many of them want something for nothing and just don't realize that their parents worked for 35-45 years to get to where they are. HOWEVER, another sad thing is that for the current generation of workers there really are not the opportunities that were there for us 40 years ago. I walked in off the street with only a high school education and minimal skills and was hired on the spot at $3.35 an hour and full benefits. 31 years later I retired with a generous pension after moving up the ladder to a crew leader and making nearly $20 an hour. A good friend of mine describes the same situation at GM...walk in off the street with a HS education, put in your 30 years and get out with a pension. Makes me very grateful I had the opportunities I did.

Agree completely, I had to go to college to get the job I wanted, but three of our four kids have degrees also, but will never see the pension plan and insurance my wife and I have. We were/are by no means wealthy, but our kids in all likelihood will not be able to retire at the age and with what we have. I really feel for the younger generations.

 

[CBW1999]

Around here 13 / hour barely pays the bills- rent, food, insurance, transportation, gas, utilities, phone, etc- let alone an emergency or medical costs. Dumb to smoke, dumb to drink, dumb to do drugs - but 15 /hr is not a wage that will bring middle class status.

The underlying issue is the belief that you decide on what you will spend on "bills" and then expect that a job will pay for it. What is a want vs a need? I strongly argue that, if most would calculate their budget based on needs, not wants- they would be able to live on much less.

You don't "need" your own apartment (no room mates) $750.00 (conservative estimate), $100.00 PLUS cell phone bill, $350.00 plus car payment (which also dictates insurance cost)......

 

[300UGUY]

Sad thing is that so many of today's workers have what is called an "Entitlement mentality" which is what rockinmywaypa describes as seeing in one of the occupy gatherings. Many of them want something for nothing and just don't realize that their parents worked for 35-45 years to get to where they are. HOWEVER, another sad thing is that for the current generation of workers there really are not the opportunities that were there for us 40 years ago. I walked in off the street with only a high school education and minimal skills and was hired on the spot at $3.35 an hour and full benefits. 31 years later I retired with a generous pension after moving up the ladder to a crew leader and making nearly $20 an hour. A good friend of mine describes the same situation at GM...walk in off the street with a HS education, put in your 30 years and get out with a pension. Makes me very grateful I had the opportunities I did.

You start at GM now at $14, move up to $16, no pension, no medical after retirement, obviously no 30 and out retirement.

 

[buck12]

No one made the guy take a $15.57 job. If wants to make more he should acquire a set of skills that demand more money. There are plenty of jobs that pay more.

 

[Deere Dude]

The underlying issue is the belief that you decide on what you will spend on "bills" and then expect that a job will pay for it. What is a want vs a need? I strongly argue that, if most would calculate their budget based on needs, not wants- they would be able to live on much less.

You don't "need" your own apartment (no room mates) $750.00 (conservative estimate), $100.00 PLUS cell phone bill, $350.00 plus car payment (which also dictates insurance cost)......

X2

Everyone needs to be responsible for themselves and stop trying to scam the system. This would leave more help for the truly needy and everyone would benefit.
It seems many people have given up, to where they are satisfied and pursuing living off the government in one way or the other and not even trying pay their way anymore. They are just existing and are getting used to it, and won't give up the wants or the habits.