Bums

God mustve endowed some people with the littlest, tiniest, most insignificant, comedic, neutron-like Ambition to succeed.

Look at the fat bum walking the street. He’s got an ass so big it resembles two HUGE watermelons put together.
He hasnt showered in…weeks? Months?
IF he has a job it’ll be the same skill hes had for the past 30, 40 years - bagging groceries.
He’s invariably dumb. He’s someone who, had he ONLY had the ambition while he/she was young, he/she would have succeeded in life. Alas, their ambition consisted of the same grocery bagging, crap eating, nacho chip diet he’s had for as long as he remembers.

On the other hand we have successful people. These people took upon themselves to study hard, work hard to get to where they are today. They’re successful CEOs; they’re successful Mil Servicemen in the Marines, Air Force, Navy, Army, Coast Guard; they’re pilots; they’re doctors; lawyers.
They’re in great physical shape. They’re intelligent; they have values, morals, ethics; they have balls. They’re the leaders.

…they, on the other hand are and will forever be the followers…

Is it genetic? While some of us just HAVE TO strive for something big, do others have so little ambition that they dont reap any satisfaction from being successful, having a hot girlfriend, being financially stable, being a leader, being smart…
What drives these bums to live the lives they do and not move ONE damn finger to change it?

Most of us fall somewhere in between the two ends of the spectrum. But a few of us are in the extreme low end of it. I cannot imagine living my life being one of these losers. These are people who couldve worked to stay in shape, but lacked the ambition for it. They couldve worked to get an education and a good career but lacked the ambition for it (dont tell me funding’s a problem either. Even with kids one can get handsome financial aid for even a cheap college. The military is always available for those who qualify. There’s tons of opportunities for those who seek them). Then obviously, once youve failed at all these things, its a downward spiral. You work for minimum wage, are ridiculously out of shape but thats the least of your problems, havent had sex in 15 years…

Anyhow, it just strikes me how some people can allow themselves to sink so low, when they had the same opportunities and the same capabilities - only they never had the same ambition.

you’re very naive judging by the comments you made. Take time to figure out both sides of the field. Read NATIVE SON for example and learn things like: Nature VS nurture…

that almost read like parts of “mein kampf”

Diesel,

Good post. You pose and interesting question that I've thought about before. I wish I knew the answer to it.

dime,

"that almost read like parts of "mein kampf""

No it didn't. You see Diesel's post made sense, was coherent, and was basically the truth. If you've ever read any of Mein Kampf you'd know that "book" is a nonsensical mess that is an insult to even a 6th graders writing ability.

Dustin

Diesel - some people are dealt bad hands by the people around them. My uncle, for example, has been married twice. Before he married these women, they were great. Marriage hits, they turn psycho. Basically, both marriages ended in shambles, with him getting screwed because they were lying bitches. He’s 48 and has barely any retirement fund because of these horrid women. It’s not his fault at all.

Now he’s met this awesome woman who everyone likes, and he seems truly, truly happy. He’s starting a PhD program, and doing real well.

So sometimes, it’s not just a matter of yourself, but those you associate with.

Some people are not raised in economicaly good families. Getting an education is hard thing and sometimes impossible. It is hard not to judge others butjust imagine it happening to you.

sure, but there a just as many good jobs that DON"T require that much college. Backhoe operators, welders, ironworkers, aircraft plants, construction workers and many other jobs. Why not one of them?

like I said guys…all about NATURE VS NURTURE…NATIVE SON!!!lol

Sounds like somebody needs a healthy dose of Marxism… :wink:

i forget what book it was, and i forget the author, but he said something to the effect of: every bum, at some point, had the choice between the tootsie roll and the piece of shit, and they knowingly chose the piece of shit. chew on that.

Ever heard the song “What It’s Like” by Everlast?
Things aren’t always so simple.A lot of homeless people have mental illness.
Don’t be so judgemental until you’ve walked a mile in someone elses shoes…

You do realize that a large portion of the homeless people in america are not right in the head, right? It’s hard to be ambitious when you’re insane. Wait, no, it’s hard to be successful in regards to your ambitions if you’re insane. (with some notably infamous historical exceptions)

Dustin,

Mein Kampf was in German. That’s why it was so hard to read.

Ha ha. Just kidding.

They just did a udercover report here in Houston, and found most of these (bums) are not really homeless or handycapped…in fact the drive nice cars and live in nices houses. Makes ya think some work hard for there money while others stand on a corner collecting it…

It’s almost comedy for me to hear someone rant like this.

Those who work hard for it get to keep their honor and impress those hot chicks, while those who stand on the corner get to keep nothing but their money.

Again, Im not ranting about those who suffered setbacks and had bad luck. I am referring to those who COULDVE used what was available to them and didnt simply because they didnt care. It WAS there, and they COULDVE learned a trade, improved themselves physically/mentally…but they didnt care to move a finger, even though they didnt suffer any setbacks.
THEY’RE the ones that make me wonder, not the honest hardworking middle class man.

Read Into the Wild by John Krakauer. It documents the last years of a brilliant guy (kid really)named Chris Mcandless who had graduated college, met all the obligations to his wealthy parents, then became a rogue vagabond who strove to be anything but an active member of society. Dude ended up dying in the bush of Alaska after a foolhardy attempt to live off of the land.

His type is few and far between though. He had ambition and drive, but it was to be what everyone else in society dispised. It’s a very interesting read, although it blurs the line that Diesel has drawn.

Good thread.

B.

With the economic downturn in this country since 9/11, I know quite a few successful, educated, ambitious people who are BARELY holding on. How do you know that those you are putting down didn’t do everything they could to succeed, but had the cards of life stacked against them?

On the flip side, how many successful, educated people in the world have absolutely no ambition and never did anything to get where they are today, but happened to be born with a silver spoon in their mouth?

I agree with paulybruce. Don’t judge until you’ve been there.

I think I’ve read somewhere that a large majority of homeless people actually have psychological disorders that prevent them from integrating well with society. And unfortunately, there simply are not enough resources to help them.

Another thought: there are quite a few homeless people that are veterans. Most of them became traumatized during war conditions and so when they came back they couldn’t cope. So if you think about it, these people when they were 18, 19 were young and eager to succeed. But then they were put in a situation that they were not prepared to handle and so now they are still dealing with it.

I’m sure that are also quite a few homeless people that are lazy bums, but let’s not stereotype all of them that way.

Diesel, I’m wondering how you feel about the fact that a large number (a very significant number) of those you call “bums” were Vietnam Veterans?

I know of at least 10 in downtown Portland, and I’ve seen their military ID cards, or their gunshot wounds, etc.

Very few people want to be homeless. To argue otherwise is ridiculous.