Originally Posted by JeffLV

Not all societies do, some don't know how, and some have to worry too much about their kids, their family, and their health to take the risks needed to rise above.

Speaking from second hand experience, a friend of mine, black woman so I'm still kinda on the same topic, wants to quit her minimum wage job to complete her massage therapy training and find a lucrative job as a massage therapist. She's been trying to do this because she has a kid, a husband and herself to think of. She will lose her medical coverage, and her son suffers medical problems so she can't lose her insurance by quitting her job... pre-existing conditions you know.

Now you could say, well if she just worked hard enough she could do it. Perhaps, but come on... we can do better than this. We don't have to make people climb mt everest to get ahead. A little support for her and her son and she would be well on her way to a job where she could really afford to take care of her family instead of scraping by trying to take care of the medical bills for her son. Would you say this is one of your examples of society "encouraging" her? Or is this society not giving a crap about her and her family. the sad thing is it goes both ways... if she did have a better job, she would be paying more in tax and contributing more to society. Her husband could afford to quit his job and look for another one and contribte more himself. And of course their son would have a better shot than both of them. Instead, in the name of "if you really wanted to, with a bit of effort you could", both her family and society itself are worse off because of this particular situation.

I was fortunate to come from a well off family and have had all the luxuries of life I could have ever wanted... but getting to know some of my old friends, I have an idea how it can be on the other side of the block. There are certainly people who take advanage of the system, and we should take action to correct this... but sometimes society is better off working togather.