[grandgnu]

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So if you're below average, you're poor? Hardly. You need to learn some facts before you make these wonderful claims. The average income in the US is WAY above the poverty line.

And are you further claiming, that an economy is good only if everyone has the same amount of assets/income? Why is that necessary? I don't begrudge rich people what they have. I'm happy with my lot in life. (tip: average and median are different concepts, you might want to investigate further [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

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If you're below average, yes, I would consider it poor. Here's why:

1. The government determines what the "poverty" line is, and in my opinion, it's set way too low. Hell, the majority of people making an average income have difficulty affording to purchase a home and live a life free of enormous debt (but some of this is due to our overconsumption and greed, and people just having trouble managing their finances effectively)

2. I believe that a lot of our goods and services are priced based on the average income, so that means that if you make less than average, you are unable to live an "average" life based on inflation, and thus are "poor" because of it. This does not tranlsate into being homeless, or penniless, just a more difficult problem of owning property and being able to make reasonable purchases without resorting to credit (which just pushes you further into poverty)


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In all three examples, you don't have to buy the product. If you get "ripped off" more than once, it's your fault.

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Companies tend to copycat one another. If Company A is reducing their costs by giving you 42 in a box instead of 50, other companies are going to go along and do the same thing. Even with all the choices out there, you're still stuck dealing with it, and not purchasing the product or service from ANYONE isn't going to help the matter unless enough people do this.