B) Why giving them a better life than living in huts is a bad thing.
Oh christ I'm not even going to get involved in this.
Yeah, no. I can't not get involved. Too much ignorance to ignore.
So, you're Africa, living in your apartment on World Street. You don't have a big income, so you don't get a cable package or an internet connection. You've got an old radio you listen to for entertainment now and then, though honestly, most of your entertainment comes from visiting with your friends and family. Some of your neighbors look at you as stupid, backwards, dirty, whatever... but you find plenty of happiness the way things are. That, and you're making things better for yourself every day, at your own pace.
Then one day, one of your neighbors shows up at your door. It's one of the UK's rich kids. She walks right in and says "Hey, I'm moving in. Also, since this place is such a hell hole, I'm going to be in charge. I'm going to fix things up for you, and show you how you're supposed to live. All you have to do is stay on your half of the apartment, and keep on paying half of rent and bills. Glad you agree."
The UK then proceeds to order the fastest internet connection available, a bunch of expensive rent-to-own furniture to fill the place, a widescreen TV with 800 channels, and gym and golf club memberships for both of you. Oh, and someone's coming by on Tuesday to replace "that dreadful carpet with something a bit more colorful". Of course, you don't make nearly enough money to cover your half of this, but your roommate's in charge, and she's going to make things better, right? Even though you have to pick up 3 new jobs, you're able to make ends meet. You don't have much time to enjoy the amenities of this new lifestyle, but you never cared much for TV or golf in the first place. Your roommate is pretty happy with things, though. She doesn't seem too concerned about the cost, either; her Dad's rich, and he's happy to take care of her half.
Anyway, your roommate spends the next 10 years enjoying all of the wonderful things she brought into your home, while you spend most of your time working your ass off to pay the rising bills and interest. For a while you try to cover your half using credit cards, but that plan backfires as your interest payments grow, and get you further and further behind. After a while, you get to thinking that, maybe this roommate of yours doesn't have your best interests at heart. In fact, you're getting pretty tired of her freeloading. You want your apartment back.
You have a long argument, but eventually
Nelson Mandela is democratically elected you win back some control of what goes on in your apartment. You agree to cut back to a regular internet connection and local TV channels (you can get movies and shows on Netflix anyway). You agree to keep the furniture since it's already here, but you tell her she can get her own Gym and Golf Club memberships if she wants. Personally, you don't have any use for them.
These days, things are looking up. You've been able to pay off most of your debts, and even cut back to just two jobs. And the neighbors aren't as quick to look down on you as they once were. Even so, the damage has been done; your credit score is pretty much in shambles, and the stress of the last 10 years has probably taken 20 years off your life. Maybe things are better now... after all, you really enjoy that House MD show. But sometimes you wonder what your life would have been like today, if you had been able to build up this apartment on your own, the way you wanted it.
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Topic: Calm and Cool Progressive Discussion Thread (Read 1247399 times)