SPENT- the poverty game

[djAdvocate]

playspent.org/

i was left with $20 after the root canal.
how will you do?

[Deleted]

I made it to day 14- fired from my job and ran into someone's car- first time for both occurrences.

[formerexpat]

i was left with $20 after the root canal.
how will you do?

UHC's generally don't include dental care. So the poor would still be fucked...or go to a foreign country for their dental care like is done in Europe.

Cute game that's detached from reality. My father started as a warehouse worker [interestingly, one of the jobs offered]. The income, the health insurance costs or housing costs weren't reasonable for where I grew up - and we lived in one of the higher cost of living areas of the country.

[Deleted]

I chose to pay higher rent to live close to work so I did not need a car and still smashed my car on the ice.

[Deleted]

Made it to day 23 but my cell phone got turned off .
I lived this life - better believe it is stressful & fraught with choices that others don't understand.
I still to this day remember the bitch mother that ragged me out behind my back (literally) for not inviting EVERY child in my daughter's class to a birthday party. I guess she never had to make a choice between party & groceries for the month. She was an exceptionally wealthy person -- this is why the average person born with a silver spoon in their mouth (many of our politicians) can't relate to the working poor. They have no point of reference.

Ya know, that scenario still bugs me -- I think I need to write the bitch mother a letter. I never turned around and responded to her because I was so mortified over her comments.

[Deleted]

I made it through the month but only had $292 towards the next months rent.

[Mad Dawg Wiccan]

i was left with $20 after the root canal.

That should buy yiu a decent sized crack rock.

[Malarky]

I went broke on day 30.

Being responsible for hitting the other car did me in. In a real life scenario, chances are I wouldn't have to pay it off right away.

[Wizard of Id]

I made it through the month with $229 left. I understand the purpose of the exercise, but I thought the choices and consequences were too unrealistically black and white.

[Deleted]

Somehow I got a speeding ticket after I lost my car...

[Deleted]

Oct 10, 2011 9:36:56 GMT -5 Wizard of Id said:

I understand the purpose of the exercise, but I thought the choices and consequences were too unrealistically black and white.

There have times in the past that I've been uncomfortably close to that financial ruin edge, and yet I didn't have a fraction of the "issues" that this game gives you. It is just completely unrealistic. I mean seriously....getting a speeding ticket AFTER you've lost your car? Stupid, pointless game that panders to the "Rich are GREEDY" crowd.

[djAdvocate]

Oct 9, 2011 22:07:09 GMT -5 formerexpat said:

i was left with $20 after the root canal.
how will you do?

UHC's generally don't include dental care. So the poor would still be fucked...or go to a foreign country for their dental care like is done in Europe.

Cute game that's detached from reality.

can you be more specific, fep? how is it divorced from reality?

[djAdvocate]

Oct 10, 2011 11:02:59 GMT -5 @financialtexan said:

Oct 10, 2011 9:36:56 GMT -5 Wizard of Id said:

I understand the purpose of the exercise, but I thought the choices and consequences were too unrealistically black and white.

There have times in the past that I've been uncomfortably close to that financial ruin edge, and yet I didn't have a fraction of the "issues" that this game gives you. It is just completely unrealistic. I mean seriously....getting a speeding ticket AFTER you've lost your car? Stupid, pointless game that panders to the "Rich are GREEDY" crowd.

it is not pointless, though it might be "stupid". clearly you got the point.

[NomoreDramaQ1015]

I was left with $5 at the end of the month. I was a hard ass and didn't let my kid do anything. I went ahead and opted for health insurance. I was also bad and ignored my credit card bill and my student loan bill, you can't get water from a turnip.

I should have paid gas, I was thinking of my actual house where if I got the electricity shut off I'd be pretty much screwed. The only thing that is gas is the heater and I could survive without that right now, it's still in the 80's.

[ed1066]

The Democratic Party = teaching Americans how to be victims since 1964...

[djAdvocate]

Oct 10, 2011 12:17:39 GMT -5 @ed1066 said:

The Democratic Party = teaching Americans how to be victims since 1964...

1864?

[djAdvocate]

Oct 10, 2011 12:09:08 GMT -5 deminmaine said:

Of course it is a bit simplistic, as it is only a simulated exersize. We could harp all day on it's shortcomings.

Where it hits the nail right on the head though is that when you are on the edge any unexpected or unfortunate event can send you over the edge, and also that the less resources that one has to maintain things- one's health, home, car, etc. the more likely they are to have problems with any and all of them.

my mother was a single mother who was on food stamps for some time, and I also started my adult life with little, and made little. To me the simulation rings true if one can get past some of the "gamed" inconsistancies.

that is how i took the point. that unexpected surprises are really hard to cope with when you are "on the edge". but to the "blame the victim" crowd, this concept seems "stupid".

[Deleted]

Oct 10, 2011 12:33:06 GMT -5 djAdvocate said:

that is how i took the point. that unexpected surprises are really hard to cope with when you are "on the edge".

You don't have to be on the edge to be ruined by unexpected surprises. Yes, it's easier when on the edge.

but to the "blame the victim" crowd, this concept seems "stupid".

You mean like judges and jury's that think that the guy who broke into a house and got shot by the homeowner is the "victim"? I would guess the "blame the victim" crowd was far more liberal than conservative.

[cereb]

Oct 10, 2011 12:17:39 GMT -5 @ed1066 said:

The Democratic Party = teaching Americans how to be victims since 1964...

oooppps! Someone thought the sign said "trains".

[cereb]

"that is how i took the point. that unexpected surprises are really hard to cope with when you are "on the edge". but to the "blame the victim" crowd, this concept seems "stupid". "

Agreed.

[cereb]

I actually made it through the month, but I wouldn't have been able to make the next months rent, my kid got nothing, i missed his class play and I have an idiot for a roomy as well as a toothache. But, I did opt for the health insurance.

I lived this life, having left home with nothing at a very young age, surviving not living. It's an unpleasant place to be.

[djAdvocate]

Oct 10, 2011 12:54:09 GMT -5 @financialtexan said:

Oct 10, 2011 12:33:06 GMT -5 djAdvocate said:

that is how i took the point. that unexpected surprises are really hard to cope with when you are "on the edge".

You don't have to be on the edge to be ruined by unexpected surprises. Yes, it's easier when on the edge.

but to the "blame the victim" crowd, this concept seems "stupid".

You mean like judges and jury's that think that the guy who broke into a house and got shot by the homeowner is the "victim"? I would guess the "blame the victim" crowd was far more liberal than conservative.

so the person who got shot was not a victim?

[Deleted]

Oct 10, 2011 13:20:23 GMT -5 djAdvocate said:

so the person who got shot was not a victim?

There's that liberal thinking. A (CRIMINAL) breaks into somebody's house and the owner shoots the (CRIMINAL) and you and others with your thinking believe that the (CRIMINAL) is the VICTIM.

How can you look at what you wrote and not think: "Yep. that sounds ignorant!"?

[cereb]

"There's that liberal thinking. A (CRIMINAL) breaks into somebody's house and the owner shoots the (CRIMINAL) and you and others with your thinking believe that the (CRIMINAL) is the VICTIM.

How can you look at what you wrote and not think: "Yep. that sounds ignorant!"?"


Ok, lets clarify something here. This criminal breaking an entering crap just got thrown into the mix and it's a red herring. It has nothing to do with the subject of blaming the victim in the sense that we are talking about poverty.

[Deleted]

Oct 10, 2011 14:00:37 GMT -5 cereb said:

"There's that liberal thinking. A (CRIMINAL) breaks into somebody's house and the owner shoots the (CRIMINAL) and you and others with your thinking believe that the (CRIMINAL) is the VICTIM.

How can you look at what you wrote and not think: "Yep. that sounds ignorant!"?"


Ok, lets clarify something here. This criminal breaking an entering crap just got thrown into the mix and it's a red herring. It has nothing to do with the subject of blaming the victim in the sense that we are talking about poverty.

Okay....let's take your scenario. "It's not MY fault! It's <insert random object or person here's> fault. A lot of peoples problems, whether they be financial or whatever, are of their own doing whether they want to admit it or not.

I've made many financial mistakes in the past and had those mistakes not been made, I'd be "the rich and greedy" that y'all so love to demonize. Personal responsibility is sorely lacking in this country.

Sure, bad things can happen. However, if you have the attitude that Wal-Mart or Macy's or GM or Starbucks or or or or...are the cause of your problems then you are sorely misguided. Quit whining about it and get out there and do something about it.

Many of those "rich and greedy" actually had to work for their money. Not everyone was handed millions of dollars the day they were born. Even if they were, why are other people concerned about it when those people with money are still paying more (IN ACTUAL DOLLARS) taxes than the lower or middle class?

[cereb]

Oct 10, 2011 14:12:16 GMT -5 @financialtexan said:

Oct 10, 2011 14:00:37 GMT -5 cereb said:

"There's that liberal thinking. A (CRIMINAL) breaks into somebody's house and the owner shoots the (CRIMINAL) and you and others with your thinking believe that the (CRIMINAL) is the VICTIM.

How can you look at what you wrote and not think: "Yep. that sounds ignorant!"?"


Ok, lets clarify something here. This criminal breaking an entering crap just got thrown into the mix and it's a red herring. It has nothing to do with the subject of blaming the victim in the sense that we are talking about poverty.

Okay....let's take your scenario. "It's not MY fault! It's <insert random object or person here's> fault. A lot of peoples problems, whether they be financial or whatever, are of their own doing whether they want to admit it or not.

I've made many financial mistakes in the past and had those mistakes not been made, I'd be "the rich and greedy" that y'all so love to demonize. Personal responsibility is sorely lacking in this country.

Sure, bad things can happen. However, if you have the attitude that Wal-Mart or Macy's or GM or Starbucks or or or or...are the cause of your problems then you are sorely misguided. Quit whining about it and get out there and do something about it.

Many of those "rich and greedy" actually had to work for their money. Not everyone was handed millions of dollars the day they were born. Even if they were, why are other people concerned about it when those people with money are still paying more (IN ACTUAL DOLLARS) taxes than the lower or middle class?

I think you missed the point.

[Deleted]

Oct 10, 2011 15:10:55 GMT -5 cereb said:

I think you missed the point.

Enlighten me.

[Deleted]

You think "blaming the victim" (the poor) is wrong. I'm saying that the "victim" (poor) in your scenario is partially to blame and needs to take personal responsibility for their lot in life. Until you're dead you can change where you are in life.

Not every thing is their fault. I'll agree with that. Perhaps they were dealt bad cards by irresponsible parents. To often, it just leads to them thinking that "nothing can be changed" and "if McDonalds paid a 'living wage' then ALL would be better".

[cereb]

Oct 10, 2011 15:22:48 GMT -5 @financialtexan said:

You think "blaming the victim" (the poor) is wrong. I'm saying that the "victim" (poor) in your scenario is partially to blame and needs to take personal responsibility for their lot in life. Until you're dead you can change where you are in life.

Not every thing is their fault. I'll agree with that. Perhaps they were dealt bad cards by irresponsible parents. To often, it just leads to them thinking that "nothing can be changed" and "if McDonalds paid a 'living wage' then ALL would be better".

You are boiling down a complex problem (poverty) into simplistic terms with a simplistic solution. Real life just ain't that way. While it is true that there are a significant number of persons living in poverty via poor decision making, there are a significant number of persons who are living in poverty via circumstances beyond their control. The overwhelming majority of persons living in poverty are women and children, the mentally ill and the disabled. The demographics alone tells the story. Resiliency, prior life experiences, education,ability to successfully cope, available supports and some luck are all factors that will determine a persons ability to lift themselves out of poverty. It's simply not as simple as you would like to think.

[djAdvocate]

Oct 10, 2011 18:00:51 GMT -5 Lady Gaga Gaga Snerd said:

Thanks for the website, that was an interesting game. It would really be interesting to be able to apply our lives like that and see how it really works out into that kind of format.

The Last Temptation of Snerdly Snicklefritz