Them that's got shall get, them that's not shall lose, so the bible said, and it still is news. Mama may have. Papa may have but God bless the child that's got his own...that's got his own. One of my favorite blues/jazz songs that Billie Holiday sang and one I like to sing if I go to a karaoke bar.
What makes some people have and some have not? What factors make people poverty stricken, poor, rich and anything in between? Why do some people succeed to own big corporations, hotel chains and the like... and have lots of money and others barely scrape by or live on the street? Money doesn't usually just fall into your lap unless it's an inheritance.
When my ex came to this country from Czechoslovakia, (first he went to Austria for five years)...he came with literally nothing but the clothes on his back. He received no government assistance whatsoever. He had received training in the machinist trade back in Czechoslovakia. He did not speak one word of English, basically but finally managed to get a job, not that high paying at that time, but decent enough. He was not familiar with anything much in America. He took a citizen ship course and passed the test to become a citizen fairly early on. He worked very hard and has always worked hard. He scrimped and saved, made some good choices with investing, (which he was certainly no expert on) once he saved up a little money and while not rich, is quite comfortable and while we were married, we were also quite comfortable. He's also been very generous and helped out people we knew who didn't have enough to eat...many times over.
We met several Czech friends, one couple with two kids who lived near us and we became good friends. These people also started out with absolutely nothing when they came to this country and also had not one iota of help from the government. (things are a lot different for Europeans than they are for some other immigrants and different policies these days) They worked very hard, were careful with their money and wound up buying a small house. Then they sold that house and built another....a little more expensive house. They did it again and again and got quite well to do. She worked at Boeing and he was also a machinist. So nothing that remarkable about their professions.
My ex always said, when people can't get out of a hole of poverty, "This is America. People don't have to be living in poverty." He can't understand it when he compares people born here to himself, who came here with no advantages, no rental history, no credit....it was tough getting credit. He did have his trade, but not even able to speak the language. I think he does realize there are exceptions....circumstances which are beyond our control that cause terrible hardship. He does and talks about the economy now, he talks about people at his part time job having a terrible time. But in general, he thinks this is, or at least was...the land of opportunity. Not a free government ride, but opportunity.
What is it that makes some people successful financially and others not? Is it all about fate or circumstances? Personality? (determination, drive, self esteem, intelligence, desire?)Or are there too many factors to even be able to say?
What makes some people have and some have not? What factors make people poverty stricken, poor, rich and anything in between? Why do some people succeed to own big corporations, hotel chains and the like... and have lots of money and others barely scrape by or live on the street? Money doesn't usually just fall into your lap unless it's an inheritance.
When my ex came to this country from Czechoslovakia, (first he went to Austria for five years)...he came with literally nothing but the clothes on his back. He received no government assistance whatsoever. He had received training in the machinist trade back in Czechoslovakia. He did not speak one word of English, basically but finally managed to get a job, not that high paying at that time, but decent enough. He was not familiar with anything much in America. He took a citizen ship course and passed the test to become a citizen fairly early on. He worked very hard and has always worked hard. He scrimped and saved, made some good choices with investing, (which he was certainly no expert on) once he saved up a little money and while not rich, is quite comfortable and while we were married, we were also quite comfortable. He's also been very generous and helped out people we knew who didn't have enough to eat...many times over.
We met several Czech friends, one couple with two kids who lived near us and we became good friends. These people also started out with absolutely nothing when they came to this country and also had not one iota of help from the government. (things are a lot different for Europeans than they are for some other immigrants and different policies these days) They worked very hard, were careful with their money and wound up buying a small house. Then they sold that house and built another....a little more expensive house. They did it again and again and got quite well to do. She worked at Boeing and he was also a machinist. So nothing that remarkable about their professions.
My ex always said, when people can't get out of a hole of poverty, "This is America. People don't have to be living in poverty." He can't understand it when he compares people born here to himself, who came here with no advantages, no rental history, no credit....it was tough getting credit. He did have his trade, but not even able to speak the language. I think he does realize there are exceptions....circumstances which are beyond our control that cause terrible hardship. He does and talks about the economy now, he talks about people at his part time job having a terrible time. But in general, he thinks this is, or at least was...the land of opportunity. Not a free government ride, but opportunity.
What is it that makes some people successful financially and others not? Is it all about fate or circumstances? Personality? (determination, drive, self esteem, intelligence, desire?)Or are there too many factors to even be able to say?
