# even sven, please give the poverty schtick a rest **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [November 29, 2004, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/even-sven-please-give-the-poverty-schtick-a-rest/277162 "2004-11-29T16:38:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2004, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/even-sven-please-give-the-poverty-schtick-a-rest/277162/121 "2004-11-30T03:00:52Z")
$20,000.00? [Arnold]You make me laugh. I hire you last.[/Arnold] ---
**Author:** ![yosemite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/3ab097/32.png) [@yosemite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yosemite)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2004, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/even-sven-please-give-the-poverty-schtick-a-rest/277162/122 "2004-11-30T03:02:56Z")
> [@lel](#): > > Well, family and friends could always move across the continent and leave you as the only one where you are. (Just saying that risk is there also.) True. But it’s doubtful that _everyone_ that you know, that you grew up with, that you are related to, will up and move away. > [@](#): > > Okay, how about Sacramento. Pretty close, and it looks like you can rent an apartment there for $600/mo. or less. (Or better yet, doesn’t **even sven** ’s mother live there? Talk about saving money!) My memories of Sacramento (it’s been a while since I’ve been there) are all pleasant. I’m sure it’s a very lovely place. But I can’t speak for **sven** , as to what is a good place for her to move. All I know is that she shouldn’t _have_ to move 1,500+ miles away to save money. Some nice town or city in California or neighboring state should be good enough. ---
**Author:** ![fruitbat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/58f4c7/32.png) [@fruitbat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fruitbat)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2004, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/even-sven-please-give-the-poverty-schtick-a-rest/277162/123 "2004-11-30T03:03:32Z")
> [@Weirddave](#): > > Evil Captor, normally I can tell what axe a person is trying to grind, but your comments leave me mystified. What are you trying to say? Thanks Dave, I had been thinking the same thing, but I thought I was just being obtuse. ---
**Author:** ![Omega\_Glory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/7c8e57/32.png) [@Omega\_Glory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omega_Glory)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2004, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/even-sven-please-give-the-poverty-schtick-a-rest/277162/124 "2004-11-30T03:05:11Z")
> [@treis](#): > > You have 20000 dollars in the bank. You do not have financial problems. This is what bothers me about the situation. Far be it from me to tell someone else how to spend her money, but If _I_ was low on food, I’d take $100 out of the bank and get some canned goods to tide me over until the next time I could get food. There are people out there that don’t have that option they are poor. If you do have that option, and choose not to do it, then you are cheap or thrifty, take your pick. ---
**Author:** ![DoctorJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctorj/32/2904_2.png) [@DoctorJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DoctorJ)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2004, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/even-sven-please-give-the-poverty-schtick-a-rest/277162/125 "2004-11-30T03:19:24Z")
I had a roommate and crony from undergrad who probably still has the first nickel he ever made. He was concerned about building up a net worth back when we were trying to make the $2000 loan check last the whole semester. He was the kind of guy who just never shut the hell up about how much things cost, and how much he didn’t want to spend money. One day we just couldn’t take the bitching about paying for a movie at the $2 theatre anymore, so we had sort of an intervention. “You’re a tightwad,” we said. “We know that. We understand and accept that. It’s fine. However, if you don’t shut the bloody hell up about how miserable you are every time you turn loose of a few pesos, we will be forced to fucking kill you in your sleep. Capisce, paisan?” He did understand, and he was apologetic. My point is that it is not an expression of ill will, necessarily, to point out that one’s relentless complaining on a particular subject is starting to get old. ---
**Author:** ![Una\_Persson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/una_persson/32/346_2.png) [@Una\_Persson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Una_Persson)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2004, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/even-sven-please-give-the-poverty-schtick-a-rest/277162/126 "2004-11-30T03:19:37Z")
> [@Evil Captor](#): > > C’mon, Una, all those people are Secret Slackers. They SEEM bright and energetic, and they worked hard and successfully IN THE PAST, but now they’re lazy scum in their secret heart of hearts. Their attemtps to find work are subterfuges designed to glean sympathy from others. They’d rather be home watching Oprah and selling their personal property to make the rent, if they thought they could get away with it. They’re secretly posting to message boards for sympathy and trying to make it look like it’s not their fault, but it is, it is. > > Damn, I do that sanctimony thing pretty good. Where was I being sanctimonious? I thought my post was about as un-sanctimonious as possible. I don’t know how my message of “sometimes good/qualified people have bad luck at finding jobs” could have been clearer. ---
**Author:** ![davenportavenger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/5f8ce5/32.png) [@davenportavenger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davenportavenger)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2004, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/even-sven-please-give-the-poverty-schtick-a-rest/277162/127 "2004-11-30T03:28:12Z")
> [@Una Persson](#): > > Where was I being sanctimonious? I thought my post was about as un-sanctimonious as possible. I don’t know how my message of “sometimes good/qualified people have bad luck at finding jobs” could have been clearer. I thought he was being sarcastic. Maybe **even sven** can’t spend the $20,000 because it’s tied up in CDs or other investments. I have a lot of money tied up right now, that I can’t get to, but as soon as I can access it I plan to use it to get a better place to live and make my life a little less shitty. It’s really not right to bring the money into this, if she has no way to take it out or use it. Then again, that might not be the case. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2004, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/even-sven-please-give-the-poverty-schtick-a-rest/277162/128 "2004-11-30T03:43:08Z")
> [@Zoe](#): > > **even sven** , I understand depression. It can eat you alive, distort reality and leave you with _feelings_ of helplessness. People who have not experienced it cannot understand how overwhelming it can be. I don’t know how long it has been since you have recovered, but while you are ill, your attitude it not a matter of will power. > > I’m glad to know that things are headed in the right direction for you now. > > One thing that I have learned in my years of counselling for a chronic low grade depression is that it is important to remain independent. Unless the people who have bought you food already know that you are saving $20,000 for something else, you are doing them and you a disservice. (I’m not asking you to tell me. Just passing along advice I’ve been given.) > > I’ve never had to go hungry or worry about food. Obviously, you are cutting it close. But you haven’t been _really_ hungry. Just for perspective: Someone in my family was hungry enough to eat the undigested grains of corn from horse manure. _That_ is hunger. > > I believe you when you say that you’ve been looking for work, but have you been truly destitute? You’ve seen the destitute in India. Remember them. > > Remember me when you are casting a know-it-all grammy type. 😉 I hate to bring this up, but IIRC, **even sven** has said in the past that she’s bi-polar, but refuses to take meds for it. Perhaps that’s affecting her outlook? I know that no one is going to believe me, but I don’t bring this up for snark. Perhaps, **sven** , it’s time to bite the bullet and admit you need help? ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Pearse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/richard_pearse/32/13144_2.png) [@Richard\_Pearse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Pearse)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2004, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/even-sven-please-give-the-poverty-schtick-a-rest/277162/129 "2004-11-30T03:50:28Z")
> [@Roland Orzabal](#): > > In the above sentence, “give a fuck” should read “give _advice_”. :smack: _Man walks in to to a councelor’s office:_ Hello, I’d like a fuck. _Councelor:_ ? _Man:_ Advice!, I meant advice! ---
**Author:** ![Neurotik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/91b2a8/32.png) [@Neurotik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neurotik)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2004, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/even-sven-please-give-the-poverty-schtick-a-rest/277162/130 "2004-11-30T04:01:56Z")
> [@Evil Captor](#): > > Now, this is the point I don’t get. They’re supposed to be happy that Sven is working shit jobs and has no money? How does that work exactly? > > #Just put on a happy face# no matter what, is that the sentiment I’m hearing here? No, the sentiment here is that she has **CHOSEN** to live in one of the most expensive cities in America - which she knew going in. She has **CHOSEN** to stay in that area, despite the low number of jobs in the area - which she also likely knew going in. She has **CHOSEN** to stay in said expensive area with not many job offerings rather than move back to Sacramento with her mother (which I believe was an option she once said existed, but that she didn’t want to do). She has **CHOSEN** to ignore any and all help that others have offered to her in order to try and help get her on her feet. She **CHOSE** to pursue a degree and a career in an industry that is notoriously difficult to break into. **Sven** is working shit jobs and has no money because she decided that she would rather be in that situation, than to make some sort of lifestyle change. She’s not in that situation for some reason beyond her control like illness, an accident, or something. The point everyone here is making is that **even sven** is in her situation because she chooses to be in that situation and hasn’t in the past given any indication that she is willing to do anything different than what she’s been doing and people are tired of her complaining about her situation, which again, is a product of her own informed decisions. It sounds like she’s starting to get things back on the right track with the upcoming hotel job and I’m absolutely sure that everyone in this thread is happy for her. I’m also pretty sure that if **even sven** laid out a plan of action to get her life to where she wants it, almost everybody in this thread would be willing to help out where they could. ---
**Author:** ![Kyla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/eada6e/32.png) [@Kyla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyla)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2004, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/even-sven-please-give-the-poverty-schtick-a-rest/277162/131 "2004-11-30T04:12:29Z")
> [@yosemite](#): > > However, speaking as someone who has moved half-way across the continent, away from home and all the people I know, it kind of . . . well, sucks. Speaking as someone who did the exact same thing, it doesn’t _have_ to suck. ---
**Author:** ![yosemite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/3ab097/32.png) [@yosemite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yosemite)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2004, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/even-sven-please-give-the-poverty-schtick-a-rest/277162/132 "2004-11-30T04:18:01Z")
> [@Kyla](#): > > Speaking as someone who did the exact same thing, it doesn’t _have_ to suck. I know what you’re saying. Thankfully, it doesn’t suck for everyone. On the other hand, it doesn’t _have_ to _not_ suck. In other words, just because it works for some people, doesn’t make it a reasonable expectation for everybody. ---
**Author:** ![Gadfly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/aeb1de/32.png) [@Gadfly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gadfly)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2004, 5:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/even-sven-please-give-the-poverty-schtick-a-rest/277162/133 "2004-11-30T05:09:06Z")
> [@Ilsa\_Lund](#): > > Just once. In 1960. For 20 minutes. :eek: What? What was that? [/hijack] I have to say, reading this thread is completely enlightening. I’m now more prepared than ever for my multiple career plans to fall over and collapse, like a flan in a cupboard. ---
**Author:** ![Giraffe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giraffe/32/129_2.png) [@Giraffe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giraffe)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2004, 5:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/even-sven-please-give-the-poverty-schtick-a-rest/277162/134 "2004-11-30T05:42:48Z")
> [@Evil Captor](#): > > Now, this is the point I don’t get. They’re supposed to be happy that Sven is working shit jobs and has no money? How does that work exactly? > > #Just put on a happy face# no matter what, is that the sentiment I’m hearing here? Um, what the fuck are you talking about? Are you referring to my post? Did you even read my post? I didn’t say they were supposed to be happy about being poor. I said that being poor voluntarily is less tragic than being poor involuntarily, i.e. being born poor and not having a chance to go to school. The fact that **even sven** has control over her situation means that, while it is still sucky, she is less likely to get sympathy from a bunch of strangers on the Internet, especially if she constantly complains about it. ---
**Author:** ![Doobieous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/da6949/32.png) [@Doobieous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doobieous)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2004, 6:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/even-sven-please-give-the-poverty-schtick-a-rest/277162/135 "2004-11-30T06:01:18Z")
> [@passengerpigeon](#): > > Mostly I think that it’s absurd to have a town where it is essentially impossible for a college student with an honors degree to get a job and pay rent, but I guess Santa Cruz is a pretty absurd place. > > Everybody who said that there must be better jobs in Santa Cruz and that she’s just not trying hard enough can take a flying fuck at everybody who said that going to India proves she can’t be poor. It is kind of fascinating to see so many people living in alternate realities, though. Do any of you live in famous ones, like where the Nazis won or something? How do you get Internet access to the real world, where Santa Cruz is drastically oversupplied with worthless labor and living in India is essentially free? Ok, but have you looked in: Capitola Aptos Watsonville Pajaro Los Gatos Scotts Valley ---
**Author:** ![LordVor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/90ced4/32.png) [@LordVor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LordVor)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2004, 7:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/even-sven-please-give-the-poverty-schtick-a-rest/277162/136 "2004-11-30T07:07:39Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > I know that no one is going to believe me, but I don’t bring this up for snark. Perhaps, **sven** , it’s time to bite the bullet and admit you need help? Sorry in advance is this sounds condecending or anything, I’m trying to be sincere. **Guin** , as somebody who once joined in a pit pile-on against you for your repeated complaints about money, job outlook, and your life in general, I’d like to say that you’ve appeared to have either gotten your life together since your sabatical or you’ve accepted that your current life is the result of choices that you’ve made in the past, and can be changed by choices that you can make in the future. Because it’s been a long time since I’ve come across one of “those” posts from you, and I hope it’s because you’re happier now. This thread just reminded me of that. Sorry for the hijack. > [@passengerpigeon](#): > > the Land of Fucking Opportunity Where Everybody Can Do What They Want To If They Try Really Hard You’ve made it through college, and you still think that America was ever the land where everybody can do what they want to if they try really hard? When exactly was that? -lv ---
**Author:** ![CrazyCatLady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dfb087/32.png) [@CrazyCatLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CrazyCatLady)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2004, 8:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/even-sven-please-give-the-poverty-schtick-a-rest/277162/137 "2004-11-30T08:50:51Z")
> [@even sven](#): > > Anyway, I’ll cut it out. It’s just whats on my mind all the time. Every day I need to eat and right now my cabinet is down to a bag of potatos, an onion, and two cans of tomato sauce that my boss gave me. It’s a problem that never goes away. It never steps off center stage for me, because almost everything we do in America involves money. I knew I wasn’t going to break in to film, or philsophy as some of you seem to think, right away. I had a plan to cool my heels working a bit and produce my own short, which would hopefully rocket me to fame (or at least give me the chance to produce another one). I planned to go to grad soon after I had a bit to figure out what direction I wanted to go with that (still don’t have a clue). I think what’s frustrating people is that having enough food to keep body and soul together doesn’t _have_ to be front and center all the time for you. You’re sitting on $20K, which is more than a lot of people’s annual pre-tax income. You can afford to buy groceries, it’s just that you _choose_ not to. And that’s a perfectly valid choice. The thing about making choices, though, is that it takes away a lot of our leeway for complaining about things. The sympathy train pulls right on out of the station. Under the circumstances, you kvetching about not being able to buy food is like me complaining endlessly about how seldom I get to see my family–we’re both just living with the consequences of choices we freely and willingly made, so people really don’t want to hear it. Yeah, I know, having to make the choice between eating and keeping your inheiritance intact to fund your short isn’t part of the plan. It sucks that you have to make that choice. It’s shitty and it’s unfair, and life just shouldn’t be that way. I know, sweetie. I had a plan after graduation, too, you know. And pretty much none of it worked out. It licks rancid sweat off a dead donkey’s balls to have to make decisions that you don’t want to make, weren’t expecting to have to make, and maybe shouldn’t have to make, but that life has thrown at you anyway. If I said there wasn’t a part of me that wanted to pout and stomp my feet and whine incessantly about having to decide to stop applying to vet school, or about having to choose between being near my family or **Dr.J** , I’d be a fucking liar. I understand a lot of what you’re going through, really. But I also understand that nobody wants to talk to someone with whom every conversation gets drug around to the same old personal problems, over and over and over and over again. Especially when those problems are just the predictable results of freely-made choices. Even when you sympathize with them at heart, eventually it gets to the point where you just want to yell at them to suck it up and quit bitching, already. Or you want to snap that they made their bed, now they can just shut the hell up and lie in it. It’s nothing personal, it’s just human nature. I’m glad you don’t seem to be taking it personally. And, you know, when things seem especially shitty, remember that you at least won’t have to go into debt to make your film, which puts you in a better starting position than Kevin Smith was when he made _Clerks_. He financed that on credit cards–if it had flopped, he’d still be paying it off. So try to keep your chin up. ---
**Author:** ![Abbie\_Carmichael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/49beb7/32.png) [@Abbie\_Carmichael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Abbie_Carmichael)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2004, 9:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/even-sven-please-give-the-poverty-schtick-a-rest/277162/138 "2004-11-30T09:22:03Z")
I was kind of with you sven until the $20,000 in the bank thing. Cry me a river. You are NOT poor. ---
**Author:** ![Freejooky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ba8739/32.png) [@Freejooky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freejooky)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2004, 10:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/even-sven-please-give-the-poverty-schtick-a-rest/277162/139 "2004-11-30T10:23:49Z")
As someone sitting on useless English and Communications degrees, I was with **Sven** , whose situation mirrors mine right after I graduated college (and hasn’t improved much in four years). That is, until I read about the **Twenty fucking Thousand Dollars.** ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2004, 12:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/even-sven-please-give-the-poverty-schtick-a-rest/277162/140 "2004-11-30T12:29:04Z")
> [@LordVor](#): > > Sorry in advance is this sounds condecending or anything, I’m trying to be sincere. **Guin** , as somebody who once joined in a pit pile-on against you for your repeated complaints about money, job outlook, and your life in general, I’d like to say that you’ve appeared to have either gotten your life together since your sabatical or you’ve accepted that your current life is the result of choices that you’ve made in the past, and can be changed by choices that you can make in the future. Because it’s been a long time since I’ve come across one of “those” posts from you, and I hope it’s because you’re happier now. > > This thread just reminded me of that. Sorry for the hijack. > > -lv Oh. Well, thanks. :o (For the record, things have been better, although I’m still looking for work. I can afford to be picky at the moment, that’s all I’m gonna say). **sven** , why can’t you take half of your inheritance, invest that for your future plans, and then use the other half for living expenses? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/even-sven-please-give-the-poverty-schtick-a-rest/277162.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/even-sven-please-give-the-poverty-schtick-a-rest/277162.md?page=8)