Quote (InsaneBobb @ 27 Jun 2022 20:13)

And you're attempting to justify it. As I said, Mussolini would be proud.

Quote (18nomaUSEast @ 27 Jun 2022 17:20)

???

I'd love to see a revolution in your country

Quote (InsaneBobb @ 27 Jun 2022 20:30)

That does not surprise me. I do appreciate that you're more honest about your anti-American sentiment than other frequent posters.

Quote (El1te @ Jun 28 2022 03:03am)

Matthew's Law is pretty much the most proven and cemented social law in human history. It applies to absolutely everything because it isn't some metaphysical philosophy, it is purely statistical in nature.

Sure you can call it Matthew effect too. It comes from the gospel of Matthew.

Quote (18nomaUSEast @ 27 Jun 2022 17:36)

From the outside looking in, there's not much about america that is enviable. A massive portion of your population is in a state of perpetual suffering, I'd love to see that change.

Quote (InsaneBobb @ 27 Jun 2022 20:55)

Interesting. Who would that portion of the population be, exactly? According to the numbers, between local/state/federal governments we spent $2.4 trillion on social welfare in 2021. Surely with such incredible spending, amounting to $6,857 per man, woman, and child in our nation [assuming the ~350mil population figure, even more going by the ~330mil estimate] there's no possible way that we could have much suffering, no?

Maybe you're talking about some mental suffering or something? :blink:

Quote (18nomaUSEast @ 27 Jun 2022 18:17)

daily mass shootings: https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2022/06/02/mass-shootings-in-2022/

legal slavery: https://constitution.congress.gov/constitution/amendment-13/#:~:text=Neither%20slavery%20nor%20involuntary%20servitude,place%20subject%20to%20their%20jurisdiction.

"More recent data shows that somewhere between 50% to 63% of Americans report living "paycheck to paycheck,..." - https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2022/may/16/facebook-posts/though-many-americans-live-paycheck-paycheck-some-/

"In 2020, there were 37.2 million people in poverty..." - https://www.census.gov/newsroom/stories/poverty-awareness-month.html

clean water crises: https://time.com/longform/clean-water-access-united-states/

54.4% of the population relies on employment based health insurance (another form of slavery): https://www.census.gov/library/publications/2021/demo/p60-274.html#:~:text=In%202020%2C%208.6%20percent%20of,part%20of%202020%20was%2091.4.

paid parental leave, with forced birth on the horizon:
https://www.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/FT_19.10.28_PaidLeave.png

I could go on but I'd rather play
https://i.imgur.com/gX2DZrA.png

Quote (InsaneBobb @ 27 Jun 2022 21:38)

Fun post. I should simply give it the respect it deserves and ignore it, but it's just too fun to address.

First, legal slavery in the US? Surely you jest. Oh! I get it. You're saying those who commit crimes worthy of losing all their Constitutional Rights and being imprisoned over are slaves. That's a weird take, tbh. But if you'd rather that we simply execute murderers and rapists and child molesters and such, I'm on board with that.

Regarding poverty, that exists in every nation on the planet. Our version of poverty is much different than others. And once again, in 2021 we spent $2.4 TRILLION in social welfare to provide assistance to those in poverty. Honestly, that sounds like quite a lot of suffering mitigated, no?

Regarding paycheck to paycheck living, all I can ask is, "...and?" 25% of Europeans live paycheck to paycheck as well. What of it?

Your chart is funny. I've seen it before and it's both stupid and misleading. First, our federal laws regarding employer pay are contained in the Family Medical Leave Act. The fact is that FMLA dictates up to 12 weeks of maternity leave. Short term disability applies as long as you meet the hours worked and time employed by the employer requirements. Now, individual states can have laws that require employers pay it directly, and employers can opt into paying for it. But why should they, and why should anyone be entitled to paid maternity leave? You're literally paid by an employer to do work. When you don't work, you don't get paid. When I took time off work after breaking my hand (not a workplace related injury) I didn't get PAID for my time off. I simply wasn't penalized for it. Why should maternity leave be any different?

Employer provided insurance or group discount insurance is a benefit of being employed. Insurance is not a right, it is a financial service. You are not entitled to other people's goods or services. That is something you must pay for. Employers that provide group discount plans offer them as a BENEFIT to working for them. AKA if Employer A is willing to pay you $20/hour, and employer B is willing to pay $20/hour + provide an insurance plan that you normally have to pay $1000 a month for for $100 a month, that's a reason to choose to work or remain working for Employer B. That's not slavery. You still have a choice. And no employer offers "healthcare". Insurance is not "healthcare". Insurance is a financial service.

Enjoy your game. Hopefully you're more successful at Tony Hawk then you are at making a a point. :)

Quote (18nomaUSEast @ 27 Jun 2022 18:42)

at least nobody can take away that american arrogance from the last place :)

Quote (InsaneBobb @ 27 Jun 2022 21:51)

The fact that you believe you're entitled to the goods and services of others, and consider having to work for those goods and services as "slavery" says you're probably a socialist/communist. The fact that you believe that working for you want is slavery also says you are one of the very weak-minded individuals this topic is talking about.

Good for you though. Hope your game is going well. ;)