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1

CoveyIsHere t1_j9v23n1 wrote

Dystopian things in feel-good packages.

When a country's citizens have to pick up where its government has failed, it is a clear sign that the system is flawed

172

alexr_tk t1_j9v2c7p wrote

We probably shouldn't have built an orphan-crushing machine in the first place eh.

142

jezra t1_j9v4zav wrote

once again, socialism for the win!

27

webgambit t1_j9vife2 wrote

Replying to CoveyIsHere (#1,973,235)

How has the government failed in this situation? Individuals are responsible for saving for their retirement. And we know very little of this person's situation other than his rent was increased.

−47

fieldredditor t1_j9vm2sq wrote

Nothing uplifting about this. Janitor shouldn’t have to come out of retirement in the first place. This country is fucked.

111

blueskies1800 t1_j9vygx3 wrote

where do students get that kind of money?

−9

SwivelingToast t1_j9w6d0k wrote

Can we get some uplifting stories that are organic? This sub is so dark "some people did something great for this person, who got totally screwed by some system or other person". I might as well watch the news.

23

Jenetyk t1_j9wpg3j wrote

Thought I was on r/aboringdystopia for a second.

20

SoraUsagi t1_j9wstyv wrote

Replying to webgambit (#1,976,335)

I know why you're being downvoted, I just wish you weren't. I tend to agree with you. Many people believe social security is your retirement fund. It isn't. It's a supplement to it.

−21

seataytle t1_j9wtefk wrote

Replying to SoraUsagi (#1,984,298)

Save? When medical bills can take your entire life savings in seconds? Save? When rent goes up astronomically each year and the housing market is so inflated that the only people that can afford them is corporations? Save when food prices and gas prices are higher than ever? Yeah ok. Lets just save for retirement. Most americans dont have much money to save anymore even for emergencies, let alone retirement.

20

FireBrentVenables t1_j9x7cec wrote

Replying to alexr_tk (#1,973,280)

I love all the myopic enlightened redditors who comment this while ignoring the janitor who just Got a small fortune and are frothing at the mouth because he came out of retirement.

What would you like, for him to deny the money?

−54

SoraUsagi t1_j9x8yh6 wrote

Replying to seataytle (#1,984,388)

I get where you're coming from. I really do. However, I've had a different experience.

My girlfriend and I moved in together when we were 20. I was working quasi part time, and she definitely part time. We had our first kid a year later. By now I was full time working at Walmart, at minimum wage. We never applied for food stamps. We had our second kid two years later. I got fired form my job (totally my fault, unfortunately) now my wife and i were both working "part time". We bought our house in 2013, and I was diagnosed with Crohn's disease the same year when i almost died. (that was a fun 13k bill)

My wife and i didn't do anything special. We showed up to work every day, we worked hard, and we went home.

I have a hard time getting people to show up for their shifts now. People complain about money, but when I offer them extra shifts, they don't want the hours. 4-5 hours a day is the most I can get out of them. "8hrs is a long day..."

So I have a very hard time listening to "how do you expect to save money in this economy?!". There are absolutely things wrong in the world. Corporate greed is definitely an issue. But this pessimistic look on life isn't helping either. You want free healthcare? Maybe young adults should actually show up to vote in all elections, local up to federal. You know who does show up to every election? The "fuck you, I got mine" generation.

−24

FireBrentVenables t1_j9xcdyi wrote

Replying to BoringWebDev (#1,987,285)

I wish we could end world hunger but I’m not gonna get pissed when the local restaurant offers free meals to homeless people. reality doesn’t usually match up with what we want.

Is receiving $250k a bad thing?

−43

GingerMau t1_j9xly79 wrote

Wow...about as uplifting as that story about the 80yo woman who was arrested because she couldn't pay her rent.

Great job, America!

5

BoringWebDev t1_j9y1gi4 wrote

Replying to FireBrentVenables (#1,987,472)

People getting shitty would be actually being mad at the kids raising the money or the man accepting it. They are mad at the reality of the situation. Just because you don't like when people acknowledge reality when feel good stories like this are posted doesn't mean those people are being shitty.

10

InvisiblePhilosophy t1_j9y9tww wrote

There’s not enough info (intentionally) about why he has to come out of retirement.

One cause was because his rent increased $400, yes. But what else? Did he have insufficient savings to have entered retirement to begin with?

Or did he spend more than expected? A victim of elder abuse (theft)?

−2

FireBrentVenables t1_j9yluzp wrote

Replying to BoringWebDev (#1,991,142)

It’s the same boring sophomoric observation made by equally boring and vapid people. No shit working at 80 sucks, what does that have to do with this man getting a quarter million dollars in response?

Here’s a news flash for you: nobody forces a fucking 80 year old to do anything, if he really didn’t want to work he would’ve said so.

−2

petertotheolson t1_j9z3eo6 wrote

Replying to FireBrentVenables (#1,996,223)

The point is he shouldn’t have to rely on the generosity of children. He worked his whole life, retired, and the system fucked him over. It’s not that hard to say we live in a terrible economic system if it values a number over the livelihoods of millions of people

2

ScottEATF t1_j9zarcf wrote

Replying to webgambit (#1,976,335)

Governments are formed to provide for the general welfare of their citizenry, among other things. 80 year olds being forced to work to keep up with rent is a clear societal problem that is negatively impacting the general welfare of the citizenry.

Not rocket science. Even if you just want to look at it from an economic angle you don't want older people having to work for longer and longer as you're bottlenecking jobs for younger people.

4

webgambit t1_j9zdm3w wrote

Replying to ScottEATF (#1,999,713)

Thank you for answering my question. I can see where your reasoning makes sense when you believe what you do for why government exists. I wish you were correct, the United States would be a better place if it actually was formed to provide for the general welfare of its people.

0

Bamanec t1_j9zxsxo wrote

Replying to SoraUsagi (#1,986,914)

Asking for more money and instead of giving them a raise you decide to make them work more hours.

Our lives shouldn’t be about working 90% of our lifetime.

And using your experience to compare many millions of others who don’t have those outcomes is gross.

You sound like a young boomer or an older GenX who were both raised saying that hard work leads to so and so l. Overall it is simply not true, or else the most hard working people wouldn’t be struggling in life

3

mcjohnson415 t1_j9zy7uk wrote

Doing a Go Fund Me for one guy doesn’t change the world. Voting for UBI does. Spread the love folks.

1

SoraUsagi t1_ja0cj66 wrote

Replying to Bamanec (#2,003,593)

I would love to give people a raise. I'm not allowed to. People have abused "merit raises" in the past, so now no one gets one. I'm not asking people to work 90% of their life. How about just 20hrs/wk?

I'm a millennial, not that it should really matter. While my personal experience is absolutely anecdotal, we did nothing special. I didn't have family get me a job/car/house. I applied for and secured a part time job, and showed up every day.

There are absolutely struggles out there. But they aren't insurmountable.

1

theblacksmith__ t1_ja20bgh wrote

Replying to bathshebat (#1,974,642)

It seems that way sometimes. It's hard to see, but it's actually slowly getting better.

Before social security it was pretty common for old folks to just starve or be homeless. SS was established in 1935. There are people alive today that could probably tell those kinds of horrible stories.

That doesn't make this man's situation any less awful.

It's possible to build a world where the benevolence of children isn't required for an old man to retire. But it's going to take time and effort to get there.

Look for the helpers. They actually need more help to bring about meaningful change.

4