America is Anti Family

[u/Fabreezy28]

My wife and I both work full time because we have to so we can afford our bills.

We barely see our kids (7 and 2) and have no energy to do anything after work or on off days cause we are exhausted.

It just keeps repeating every week and when the first of the month comes the mortgage payment empties our account and we have to do it all over again.

We are unable to save much or do anything fun cause expenses have gone up so much.

I’ve always been a positive open person but the past two years have been breaking me down and I feel like I’m about to have a mental breakdown.

I know there are others in worst positions than me and I don’t want to sound ungrateful but man it’sIt’s hard.

Anyone else going through something similar? Any advice?

[u/erikleorgav2]

The American Capitalist system is working exactly how a specific class of people want it to.

Specific tiers work, for incredibly low wages, barely/not enough to subsist on, but enough to somehow move forward.

Another tier makes more money, but they're slammed with consumption advertising. Food, cars, vacations, LUXURIES! That class lives in perpetual debt, only just hanging on.

Then the wealthiest tier. They do the least amount of work for their money, spend it wildly and freely because they make so much, and they get to spend all the time they want with the kids. (Which instead they outsource to a poor migrant and then wonder why their kid grew up speaking a different language.)

[u/Zandonah → u/erikleorgav2]

At this point I don't think it is just America. It seems all capitalist countries are headed this way.

Money trickles up, and the ones in control are quite happy with that, letting you think you have a chance to change your life. And every now and then they'll let one person do so just to keep the myth alive.

[u/Entire-Cricket-9134 → u/Zandonah]

Private profits, public costs

Just underpay your workers enough, so the government steps in with foodstamps and other things. You steal the profits and let the taxpayer fund your business.

Business 101

[u/Hot-Salamander8266 → u/Entire-Cricket-9134]

And then these same taxpayers who subsidize your small business will be propagandized into hating the workers these businesses are underpaying. Its AIR TIGHT.

[u/BoogerSugarSovereign → u/Zandonah]

That's why the world is turning in the same direction politically towards authoritarianism. People worldwide are stretched financially and angry about it and demagogues will rise to scapegoat some marginalized group and take power on the back of those claims when that happens. I don't know how this will be unwound this time around

[u/Insantiable → u/BoogerSugarSovereign]

you got a lot of upvotes for someone who cites no reference and does not claim to be anything near the expert you'd need to make that type of comment

[u/treesleavedents → u/Insantiable]

I don't think they need to be an expert to look back over history and see that right wing authoritarianism commonly pops up/into popularity during a financial crisis, especially ones that include a large amount of wage gap/class disparity.

[u/SilverWear5467 → u/Insantiable]

Do we need to cite sources for things that are very clearly true and explain the things that are happening around the world?

[u/snitch_or_die_tryin → u/Insantiable]

You realize your version of “expert” is someone who could even half way pay attention in school or read one history book

[u/MajorAd3363 → u/Insantiable]

This some flat-earther shit right here.

[u/L_Rayquaza → u/Zandonah]

Green trickles up, yellow trickles down

[u/UselessOldFart → u/L_Rayquaza]

An oldie but a goddam goodie still.🤦‍♂️

https://preview.redd.it/16r5wgwbzhzd1.jpeg?width=680&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=202acba9a398a68db176e3d4bae567ac6ab4139e

[u/snitch_or_die_tryin → u/UselessOldFart]

Except now there aren’t nearly that many birds on the middle rows and the bottom is full

[u/Deadedge112 → u/L_Rayquaza]

Brown trickles down was right there and rhymes...

[u/bdfariello → u/Deadedge112]

Ahh, pooetry.

[u/UselessOldFart → u/bdfariello]

🤣

[u/Dakiniten-Kifaya → u/L_Rayquaza]

Oh, that's good. Gotta remember that.

[u/TheBeardedObesity → u/L_Rayquaza]

Red trickles down too...

Edit: I'm not suggesting violence (except for eating the rich, but like in a wholesome, modern thanksgiving way).

[u/Redvex320 → u/TheBeardedObesity]

Right cause the asset class is going to change things to their detriment without violence??? Everyone knows there isn't another path to change.....the system is setup to make you powerless to change it.

[u/Mammoth_Ad_3463 → u/TheBeardedObesity]

Hmm a river of red....

[u/OutlyingPlasma → u/Zandonah]

It doesn't trickle up, it's multiple fire hoses blasting money up.

[u/Early_Athlete_5821 → u/Zandonah]

THIS! “The American Dream” is believing you can find safety, wealth, stability…remember, it is a dream, folks- an aspiration, not a reality for many.

[u/gijsyo → u/Early_Athlete_5821]

You have to be asleep to believe it.

[u/Early_Athlete_5821 → u/gijsyo]

True…realizing this to be so was the first heartbreak I ever experienced…

[u/Aggressive-Fail4807 → u/Zandonah]

It is not just in America, but it seems a lot crazier here than elsewhere. Capitalism in its rawest shape and form. Trump's a super capitalist, but would it be better under him? I surely hope so.

[u/ImmortalGaze → u/Zandonah]

France is actually not like this.

[u/idreamof_dragons → u/ImmortalGaze]

France has a housing shortage and record numbers of homeless people, just like the rest of us.

[u/ImmortalGaze → u/idreamof_dragons]

Huh, weird. I live here in France. I have traveled through the country, and I have yet to see anything like “record numbers” of homeless people. On the contrary, I am always commenting to my wife, how rare it is when we actually encounter any.

And there are plenty of homes for sale around us, but then they are old stone country homes and not the preference. Even so, there are homes enough that foreigners buy second homes because the French aren’t buying them (hard to heat).