They keep raising prices, stating that it’s due to inflation, but then they keep having record profits.

Meanwhile, the average American can barely afford rent or food nowadays.

What are we to do? Vote? I have been but that doesn’t seem to do much since I’m just voting for a representative that makes the actual decisions.

  • harsh3466@lemmy.world
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    6 months ago

    I mostly agree with you, but I think it’s naive to suggest people under financial hardship can just up and move. Moving is a huge burden in both time and money. It also doesn’t consider finding new job(s), uprooting a family, and that while moving to a cheaper area lowers cost, it generally also lowers wages.

    It’s also naive to suggest everyone has $50-$100 a week they can spend on food. There are lots of people who don’t have $50-$100 a month to spend on food.

    The people who are suffering most under these economic conditions are the people who have the least ability to take themselves or their money elsewhere.

    Edit: grammar

    • qwertyWarlord@lemmy.world
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      6 months ago

      If someone doesn’t have that little money for food then they have real budget issues to work out. I’m not saying it doesn’t happen but finding a solution to that for them is far better than turning to thieving or rioting

      Moving is different for everyone but obviously it can be done. Look at the people trying to come here from South America with nothing but the clothes on their back. They’re not angry thieves or rioters, they’re not mad at corporations or rich people or anything else, they just want an opportunity to work and live a modest life and they’re leaving everything behind for the chance at it

      Here in America you probably have a car already, some basic essentials and maybe some money to your name. That’s more than those migrants have so I know it’s possible. My grandparents immigrated to Canada from Austria to flee the war, built their own farm by hand and scratched out a living. My parents moved us every few years for work to make sure we were fine. I moved myself from East Coast to West Coast to escape a bad social life and restarted completely with an unpaid internship, working my way back up. None of it is easy, of course not, I can’t give an answer on where to go or what to do for work but at least try because all this other nonsense people are saying is just not helpful and at worst will land people in trouble

      • harsh3466@lemmy.world
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        6 months ago

        Again, I agree, but also disagree.

        I agree that using a budget can help people make their money work better for them.

        The issue is that people can’t budget their way out of not having enough money to cover basic living expenses. No amount of sitting around and trying to allocate money you don’t have to cover expenses you have to pay will make that money magically appear.

        And yes, people under constraints can and do do hard things every day. But it doesn’t always work out like it did for your parents. Investing limited resources into moving is a big risk that isn’t guaranteed to pay off.

        I’m not saying you don’t have good points. You do. I don’t know if you mean it this way, but your comments make it seem like you’re taking difficult, multifaceted problems and reducing them down to, “Just make a budget and if that doesn’t work, just move.”

        That oversimplification is just as unhelpful as the suggestions like “steal” that you’re criticizing.