# I miss being "poor". **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 24, 2014, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-miss-being-poor/686822 "2014-04-24T00:29:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![j666](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de0a6/32.png) [@j666](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/j666)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2014, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-miss-being-poor/686822/1 "2014-04-24T00:29:14Z")
Don’t get me wrong, I like not worrying about where the next mortgage payment is coming from. I like buying Pelligrino instead of store brand seltzer. I really like buying “expensive” cookies instead of Keebler. In general, I like not worrying about money. But I miss the sense of not being invested in the current power structure. I miss the clear sighted dry wit. I come from a long line of poor and smart and / or tough people. They did not trust those with power. They had a crisp and honest suspicion. They were the people who knew why unions were necessary. I am well educated and well compensated and frugal and invested, and have every reason to support our current economic / political / fiscal system. But every now and then, I chat with my cousins, and I miss the clarity of vision of the uninvested. ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2014, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-miss-being-poor/686822/2 "2014-04-24T00:41:48Z")
_sigh_ It’s hard to be _The Man_. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2014, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-miss-being-poor/686822/3 "2014-04-24T00:43:55Z")
I don’t miss being poor. I do, however, miss being underemployed. After about 2 weeks of vacation I start to feel _really_ good, just in time for me to go back to work again : oldrolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![randompattern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7993a0/32.png) [@randompattern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/randompattern)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2014, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-miss-being-poor/686822/4 "2014-04-24T00:47:14Z")
You could always go “slummin’” ---
**Author:** ![j666](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de0a6/32.png) [@j666](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/j666)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2014, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-miss-being-poor/686822/5 "2014-04-24T00:55:33Z")
> [@beowulff](#): > > _sigh_ > > It’s hard to be _The Man_. back at you, little brother > [@randompattern](#): > > You could always go “slummin’” I don’t have to. I just have to check my social media by my wireless connection to see what my various equally educated, successful, and dubious relatives are up to. Seriously, is there anyone else out there who misses their blue collar upbringing? From back when there was an actual blue collar lifestyle? ---
**Author:** ![randompattern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7993a0/32.png) [@randompattern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/randompattern)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2014, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-miss-being-poor/686822/6 "2014-04-24T01:11:04Z")
Given a choice between being blue collar and being an arrogant asshole, I’d take blue collar. ---
**Author:** ![Eonwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eonwe/32/240_2.png) [@Eonwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eonwe)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2014, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-miss-being-poor/686822/7 "2014-04-24T01:13:39Z")
Of course, it’s all relative. Not sure what your income is, but for me, poor was the $15k-$22k/yr range of income (roughly), and I don’t miss it at all. At least once per year I was skirting having one of the utilities shut off. No travel, no money to spend on “toys,” and even dining out would often be fraught with guilt, as I’d be thinking about where else that money ought to go. I’m now in the $25-$29k range, and life is amazing. I had expensive car repairs this past summer that I was able to pay for. I’m contemplating a vacation overseas next winter. I don’t have to check my bank account before paying rent/utilities. I’m putting money away for a potential future large purchase (car, down payment, etc). This life is so much better. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2014, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-miss-being-poor/686822/8 "2014-04-24T01:28:31Z")
> [@j666](#): > > back at you, little brother > I don’t have to. I just have to check my social media by my wireless connection to see what my various equally educated, successful, and dubious relatives are up to. > > Seriously, is there anyone else out there who misses their blue collar upbringing? From back when there was an actual blue collar lifestyle? I don’t miss it because I’m living it. I work long hours and go home dirty, sweaty and sore. I’m a proud union member and have been for nearly 20 years now. My life totally fucking rocks. ---
**Author:** ![zoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zoid/32/336_2.png) [@zoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoid)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2014, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-miss-being-poor/686822/9 "2014-04-24T01:31:12Z")
> [@j666](#): > > But every now and then, I chat with my cousins, and I miss the clarity of vision of the uninvested. Can you expand on this, because I have no earthly idea what this is supposed to mean… ---
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2014, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-miss-being-poor/686822/10 "2014-04-24T01:36:03Z")
I miss having the luxury of being able to fetishise the poor. ---
**Author:** ![slowlearner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@slowlearner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slowlearner)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2014, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-miss-being-poor/686822/11 "2014-04-24T01:37:31Z")
I’ve always lived the blue collar life, but I miss being poor, too, when me and all my friends were poor in the 70’s/80’s it was just one great long party in somebody’s cheap old rent house with drinking drugs and sex and none of this crappy old responsibility bullshit that is often neck deep and tough to wade around in… ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2014, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-miss-being-poor/686822/12 "2014-04-24T02:16:38Z")
As Biggie Smalls said, “Mo money, mo problems.” > [@randompattern](#): > > Given a choice between being blue collar and being an arrogant asshole, I’d take blue collar. Some of us didn’t have a choice.☹ ---
**Author:** ![overlyverbose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/9dc877/32.png) [@overlyverbose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/overlyverbose)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2014, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-miss-being-poor/686822/13 "2014-04-24T02:20:16Z")
I’m not sure that what you really miss is being poor, but maybe you miss…I don’t know. What do you miss? Shortsightedness? Not having responsibility? 'Cause if you miss not having any responsibilities, I can totally get behind that. ---
**Author:** ![randompattern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7993a0/32.png) [@randompattern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/randompattern)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2014, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-miss-being-poor/686822/14 "2014-04-24T02:23:04Z")
> [@msmith537](#): > > As Biggie Smalls said, “Mo money, mo problems.” > > Some of us didn’t have a choice.☹ Same here, I’m still poor, oh the fun I’m having! ---
**Author:** ![monstro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2014, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-miss-being-poor/686822/15 "2014-04-24T02:24:29Z")
> [@slowlearner](#): > > I’ve always lived the blue collar life, but I miss being poor, too, when me and all my friends were poor in the 70’s/80’s it was just one great long party in somebody’s cheap old rent house with drinking drugs and sex and none of this crappy old responsibility bullshit that is often neck deep and tough to wade around in… Are you feeling nostalgia for poverty or youth? Because your description makes me think of being young and carefree more than poverty. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2014, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-miss-being-poor/686822/16 "2014-04-24T02:37:54Z")
> [@j666](#): > > Seriously, is there anyone else out there who misses their blue collar upbringing? From back when there was an actual blue collar lifestyle? No. But [this one’s for you](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AQiXQUGbac0). ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Pig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c57346/32.png) [@Little\_Pig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Pig)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2014, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-miss-being-poor/686822/17 "2014-04-24T03:00:34Z")
Dumpster dive for aluminum and other things you can pawn. Make it a habit everyday to take the money you receive and give it to bus boys who work at really nice restaurants. In exchange, they agree to leave you tasty scraps at the back door alley that patrons leave on their plates. After one month, reconsider being “poor”. Note: I lived for almost a year this way. ---
**Author:** ![j666](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de0a6/32.png) [@j666](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/j666)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2014, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-miss-being-poor/686822/18 "2014-04-24T03:14:50Z")
> [@overlyverbose](#): > > I’m not sure that what you really miss is being poor, but maybe you miss…I don’t know. What do you miss? Shortsightedness? Not having responsibility? > > 'Cause if you miss not having any responsibilities, I can totally get behind that. No, where you get that? We could never afford shortsightedness or irresponsibility. Every decision other than whether to bluff at penny-ante poker was carefully weighed, because it meant the difference between potatoes or ground beef. But we could always afford a nice healthy skepticism. And “mo’ money, mo’ problems”? Not in my world. The money is very welcome; it’s the emotional investment in the current economic structure that is wearisome. The current economic structure is just as stacked against me as the most of us, but I’m one of the relatively few doing relatively well. So, I’m invested, but I know I’m not vested. But this isn’t serious angst. I just miss … the perspective. Skepticism. Honest evaluation of the socio-political and economic realities. Of knowing I will never be one of the truly Fortunate, so there is no reason to play the game … I don’t know. I think I am mourning the blue collar. Or maybe just my mother. ---
**Author:** ![zoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zoid/32/336_2.png) [@zoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoid)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2014, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-miss-being-poor/686822/19 "2014-04-24T03:16:51Z")
I still have no damn idea what this thread is about. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2014, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-miss-being-poor/686822/20 "2014-04-24T03:42:50Z")
> [@j666](#): > > No, where you get that? We could never afford shortsightedness or irresponsibility. Every decision other than whether to bluff at penny-ante poker was carefully weighed, because it meant the difference between potatoes or ground beef. > > But we could always afford a nice healthy skepticism. > > And “mo’ money, mo’ problems”? Not in my world. The money is very welcome; it’s the emotional investment in the current economic structure that is wearisome. > > The current economic structure is just as stacked against me as the most of us, but I’m one of the relatively few doing relatively well. So, I’m invested, but I know I’m not vested. > > But this isn’t serious angst. I just miss … the perspective. Skepticism. Honest evaluation of the socio-political and economic realities. > > Of knowing I will never be one of the truly Fortunate, so there is no reason to play the game … I don’t know. > > I think I am mourning the blue collar. > > Or maybe just my mother. > [@zoid](#): > > I still have no damn idea what this thread is about. I think I get it. The OP is pining for his lost youth. The “good ol’ days” of roommates and struggling to make the rent and beer busts every weekend and a new girlfriend every other week. I have fond memories along those lines myself. But no, I don’t really miss them and would never return to those days. Those days are fond only because they’re memories. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-miss-being-poor/686822.md?page=2)