How many American's have reached a state of economic hoplessness?

at 55 how did i get to the spot i'm at? pretty exceptional parents.
worked at being middle class citizens.. i worked at something since
13, gas station, farm work etc. too wild for college- couldnt sit still.
4 years of high school contemplating being drafted didnt help..
but misadventures ensued. as stupid wild as say-raising arizona..
the steel mill shut, all the plants moved to mexico or shut down.
marriage didnt work..i drifted around..wasnt good at being a criminal.
got an attitude adjustment for a couple years courtesy of the state of florida.
went on to be involved with providing services for the seriously mentally ill.
not much money ever, but always interesting. i paid lots of dues.
4 years on the locked ward..then riding herd on them out in the community.
tricky business..had some nice girl friends..had some other side jobs..
trouble began about 50 - arthritis-prostate-hernia-shingles..shingles
for more than a year..cant work- nerve damage, fibromyalgia symptoms
generally shot to #..been trying to get ssd for more than 2 years.
luckily i sold my home before the crash, so i've been able to skid along-
but no more imported dark beer, sigh- back to pabst blue ribbon..
an old girlpal that takes in strays lets me hang around the house.
i gave her my truck and help out a little. i did get food stamps and some free health coverage i am thankful for. even if it is socialistic enslavement,its better than nothing.
i see a mental health counselor- because believe you me -i am not happy about
my condition..i do not see much cause for optimism. i am well medicated but
still seething mad..the quintessential disturbed loner on the Hunter s Thompson
diet plan..so there's my dire straits to navigate.
no more girlfriends- no more rock bands-motorcycles- adventures..
just the 24-7 guantlet of pain that is all in my head-misfiring in the
anterior cingulate so i gather- everything interpreted as pain.
this is year number 4.. no end in sight.. suicidal?- you bet.
do i feel like hurting myself or others?- all the while..
Then factor in the state of the world around me-
sucking on the shotgun seems an option..
I watched the road and it was sufficiently bleak.
and when i ever do get enough pills booze weed
in my system there's a doped state that i so savor
for then- i have become comfortably numb. which helps
when all and all, your just another brick in the wall.

If you are poor: Do you see any way out in the near or long term? Have you given up trying? Has anybody given you a reason or motivation to keep trying?

No, I don't see any way out of this for myself. But, I will never give up until I am dead. Myself, because I can't stay still, I can't give in, I am too proud and too strong, and I will not admit defeat until the best of the best admit defeat, then I will, too.

If you are unemployed: Are you still looking? Will you have to take a job where you are still poor?

Yes I am still looking, as well as earning my degree online, so that I may have something that most applicants won't, will it help? Who knows? But, it couldn't hurt! Most likely I will have to take a poopoo job that will still keep me in bitter poverty!

I am libertarian, IDK if one could fix it, but let's face it, the Dems and repube's haven't so it wouldn't hurt to have a new perspective!

Does anybody see a serious "out" to this? Or are we just trying to convince ourselves that we can recover? Otherwise, what's the other option?

No I don't see a serious out to all this crap, only a deeper s**** HOLE! I don't even try to convince myself there will be a recovery anymore! The other option? IDK I say let the SHTF and get rid of all the a~~wipe money grubbing hoarders!

[edit on 17-8-2010 by ldyserenity]

reply to post by dreamwalker74


Sorry, just now saw your post.

Not sure if I believe in anything anymore...not enough to lobby the pigs who run this country anyway.

And about moving to advance...one can't do that around here without means, one doesn't have the means if they're already stuck at a job that only pays enough to survive. It's Rock-and-a-hard-place, USA in just about every direction from me right now

...so I guess all I can do is log on to ATS and b@#ch about it til I feel less than homicidal!