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A comment on The poor don't work because they are economically rational.

Re:The poor don't work because they are economically rational by carbocation on Thursday May 12, 2011 @11:50AM (#2540974)
This article compares non-workers to people who work and have very low incomes. It describes a situation where non-workers spend more money than low-income workers.

I'm confused here: where are the non-workers getting this money that they spend?

[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:The poor don't work because they are economically rational by truthtechnician on Thursday May 12, 2011 @01:04PM (#2541326)
Parents. Savings. Welfare. Thrift.

The article's point is that for many poor people getting a shitty job that only pays enough for rent and food is pointless when you can get rent or food from your parents, or from welfare, or by thrift alone.

[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:The poor don't work because they are economically rational by carbocation on Thursday May 12, 2011 @01:08PM (#2541345)
You can't spend via thrift. Welfare, yes. Parents' gifts would be income if properly accounted for. It seems unlikely that these people have savings sufficient to support such expenditures.

My point is that these people have income equivalents that are being elided in this discussion, to its detriment.

[ Parent | on HN ]