Hello! 
Because of the Philippine’s (plummeting) economy 
, people have been talking about this issue for a while now.
Some people say, if you work really hard and make things happen for yourself, you’re not gonna die poor. Some say otherwise. I was just wondering what you guys think about this. 
This issue is often related to the question of free will/choice in human endeavour. Whilst we do have scope to decide many things in our lives, when it comes to the “small print” our own choices are actually extremely limited by surrounding circumstances and opportunities.
There is also the chance factor. No matter how hard one tries to plan and investigate the background to our decision-making, there are always many unknowns that can and do enter the formula which can destroy our intentions - or even improve on them. One clear example is our own state of health, which can take a turn at any moment in life.
I guess all we can do is plan and work hard to achieve what we can with what we are given, but it will never guarantee prosperity - but without effort and planning we cannot really expect good fortune to just land in our laps! 
Maybe one big area where these issues are very current concerns the massive wave of refugees sweeping into Europe. Many/most hope to build a new life here but the constraints from language difficulties, prejudice, lack of opportunities, etc can create a serious lid on their prospects.
But another way of looking at it is whether wealth is measured only in terms of money. Are all rich people happy? Are all poor people sad?
Maybe poverty is more a question of failing to understand what we actually want out of life rather than just a bank balance? Or is there a “mid-point” of wealth where we can be happy if we have at least the basic necessities but miserable without them - e.g. housing, security, food, clean water, health services. etc
I’ve heard it said that the three biggest correlating factors with a life of poverty (at least in a developed country environment) are within the individual’s control at least to some extent -
Actually, I would also add to this the thought that we should never become so engrossed in working towards where we want to be in the future that we completely forget to also live for today. Suddenly we might realise that life has all passed us by and we missed most of it!
The present is so rich with what is around us - our families, friends, nature, food, music, a pint of British ale (well for many I guess that probably comes under the category of limited freewill! ) whatever we are immersed in right now - and much of it doesn’t cost much/anything. Live for today but don’t ignore tomorrow, because tomorrow will inevitably soon be today.
May I ask what do you mean by ‘die poor’? I asked because die poor and die rich end in the same place. but yes, differnt inheritance. Every one has their own rich and poor parts, that’s my theory.
I have a good friend who is poor, poorest woman you can say. She’s working to fund her family and rent, can’t do anything for her own. It’s obvious that she don’t have basic necessities or fund to start with. but she loves reading books. I spent buying books for her and she literally enjoyed each time. She shared that she have a dream that she will make one book. I’m not sure how she can do that but I believe her. Anyone can become rich with their own talents but progress is way too slow for her. I’m hoping that she will make a book that will fulfill her world.
I’m rich, not because I made good money but because I’m investing golden opportunity to make her reach her dream. I’m poor because I don’t have that much grateful that she has. I believe you all have both parts.
Everything matters when one born. It’s not all your fault if you die poor.
There is more to life than money.
If you measure your life based on finance, then regardless of how much you have in the bank, you have both lived and died poor in my opinion
South Africa’s economy is also plummeting but millionaires are still being made. It all depends how you work around the situations of your economy. Can you blame your poor parents for you yourself being poor after you have left the house? You can’t. It is up to everyone to beat the odds of the government, to thrive even when the economy is weak.
If you die financially poor in a rich country you’ve wasted an opportunity given to very few through history. And the more money you made, the more poorer people you could have helped.
Poorness is a condition that we welcome basically by our bad attitudes and habits, by means of sacrifice , survive consistence discipline determination any achievement can make practically. Just do it.
Yup, tell that to someone who can’t afford to feed their kids.
The Ever Please Stop With Whatever VIPER
Been in that position, don’t need to tell anyone else
It’s best to die poor because you can’t take anything with you when you go so you might as well spend it all while you are here.
Hey Ria, Funny you bring this up, it’s one of my favorite subjects.
First, poor is a relative term, in my opinion, if a person has affordable and secure housing, can feed their family, and has a modicum of heath care, they are not poor. It’s not that complicated. However if someone has to live in public housing where there is a high crime rate, and depends on the Gov’t for food and health care, I think, for me anyway, that would be the baseline for being “poor” in a modern society. In reality, there are many parts of the world where things are even worse than this, this would be Abject Poverty, this is the poverty that is the hardest to cure. Many times when you look objectively at situations like these, you find the root of the problem in corrupt human Govt’s, and not so much the people themselves. For example political parties using food as an inducement to force people to vote one way or another. (Weaponizing Food).
Now the concept of working hard, making things happen, is a guarantee of anything, is nonsense. As someone here said, basically you have to be in the right place, at the right time, with the right idea. I know loads of people who worked hard their whole lives, and never became rich, famous, or successful in material terms. They had a typical middle class life, but make no mistake they worked really hard, and applied themselves the their trade/job. They just were not in the right place at the right time with the right idea or skills to take the maximum advantage of the financial system.
Here in the USA there are radio pundits who say, all you have to do is work hard and you can be as successful as I am, this is stupid, and is designed to give false hope to the masses and keep the viewership of the host up. How many open spots are there for radio hosts? If everyone was a radio host, where would the listeners be, etc. Here in the USA there is the game of american football, there are 32 professional teams, with 53 spots per team, so the openings are limited. Saying all you have to do is work hard, and you will make one of these teams is ridiculous. The same can be said of the NC Symphony, if you work hard you will make first chair violin, NOT. If you don’t show your virtuosity by an early age, read this as talent, no matter how hard you work, you will not get there, it is very simple.
There are two concepts that I would like to expose, both have their roots in Calvinism. The first concept is work is it’s own reward. BAHAHAHAHAHHA, this was generally promulgated by the religious elite to convince the poor to be happy in their place. The Calvinists also believed that you had god’s blessing if you were prosperous. But there was a problem with this, because there were a lot of poor Calvinists also. So how did the elite solve this? Simply by saying that working at hard physical labor also would bring god’s blessing, so now both bases were covered, the rich had god’s blessing, and so did the poor, and even better, you could stay poor, and if you kept your nose to the grindstone, you still could be blessed, so there is no reason to get your nose off of that grindstone.
The second is “better to have a nickle in your pocket, than nothing”, as my Grandpa Gerry used to say, “if you settle for a nickle you are an idiot”. So thats that for me. Again, roots in Calvinism, designed to keep the poor under control.
Why is it that some people think that if you find a $100.00 bill on the street, it has less value than digging a ditch by hand all day for $100.00? Again this is a concept to manipulate people to be content with their “station” in life. Dude that $100.00 bucks is worth a hundred bucks, and that is it.
There is one concept that I can agree with, “If you work at something you love, you will never work a day in your life”. This is a fact, I think of someone like Herschel House, one of the top Longrifle builders and replicators alive, not to mention Blacksmith. He has made a comfortable living over the years, but he is not rich by any means. But he is doing what he loves, so you have that great satisfaction, of doing what you love, taking the place of being “Rich”. Now if you can combine the two, Like Jimmy Page, well even better. Of course there is the starving artist deal, and frankly, they are also happy, so all in all, working at what you love seems to bring the greatest satisfaction, maybe not financial riches, but I would rather die happy and satisfied than miserable and rich.
So there it is my opinion.
The Ever Opinionated VIPER
When people say this I think they are generally narrowing their scope to their own location. But these are generally the lucky ones that can still see hope and opportunity.
I doubt this would even occur to those who are amongst, for example:
And this is just the start. According to World Vision:
“Around the world, 68.5 million people have been forcibly displaced. That’s the most since World War II, according to the U.N. Refugee Agency (UNHCR). Most people remain displaced within their home countries, but about 25.4 million people worldwide have fled to other countries as refugees. More than half of refugees are children.”
Out of sight, out of mind!
I guess all things are relative. Wherever you are there will always be someone better off and someone worse off. Funny how us humans always seem to focus on the former…
why Viper! You surprise me! You know who Hershel House is! I thought I was the only one around here who knew anything about longrifles. If I could make a living building longrifles and fiddles I would be happy.
Thanks for your nice reply , its a good message.
I’m going to answer this without pulling too many punches - as I believe you deserve to know what I believe to be the truth !
If you live in a place where there is no money , how can you become rich ?
Here in the uk, some 30 years ago there was something of a “Trade” in “Philippino brides” Men who were unable to form relationsips with Uk women, “bought” philippino women and brought them over here. I have never conversed with any of them, but do occasionally see the couples around the place. They do seem to still be together after a long time. [Edit - and the ladies do seem to be smiling ! ]
Whether such an arrangement would suit a person who seems very “nice”, like you I don’t know.
You have Internet access, There are ways of making money through the Internet, so that you could perhaps be selling “info” or “knowledge” or “help” - who knows what ?
Let me tell you about a few of the “wealthy people” I know personally;
met his current wife after splittng up with his previous one (They had 3 children) . When he met the new one he had holes in his shoes and didn’t have a pair of socks to his name. He had some skills and “she” ( the new wife) had a mean disposition. She harnessed his skills and repeatedly sued people at the slightest opportunity. They are now each millionaires in their own right and their companies generate incomes but they only deal with each “client” once or twice. They ave no real repeat business and his 3 children will not speak to him. Many peple (including myself) say of him "If I had to choose between a life being poor and his money but having to live with HER, I’d choose poverty any time ! "
At their wedding, the lady said to me “I love xxxx so much, and love is the most important thing in the world Except money !”
A man in the same trade I am and his wife have both worked hard (very hard) at what they do, all their lives, but to keep income they (he?) chose not to have children. Now they are both millionaires, but they have reached retirement age and have nobody to leave the money to !
I had a good friend at School, but lost touch when we went off to Unversity. Recently I met him again through a mutual friend. We got on well and agreed to meet up and see if we could pick up our friendship. Then he said “call me” and his eyes narrowed into an intense stare. I said “You’re bullying me ! DON’T You bully me !” He is probably more wealthy than anyone i know and his wife’s parents have recently died leaving her an estate (a large one) in Argentina, which they have gone over there to “sort out”. He is no longer that nice lad I went to School with ! Probably the wealthiest man I know, even before the “Argentina” windfall event. I will not be “Calling him”.
To precis then, Yes you can become “Rich” but it is a trade-off. You have to decide what you are prepared to give up to do so !
Think in those terms and you have a chance !
Hope that helps a bit 
Wow. 
Before I start bombarding your notifs with my replies, I just wanna say thank you so much guys for responding! 
Different views, different perspectives, definitely something to think about! I was hesitant to ask this since it’s a pretty touchy subject, but I’m glad I did!
EDIT: I hope I don’t offend anyone with my thoughts or my questions. 
This is really just something I want to talk about because of the increasing number of poor people in my country.
I agree. Ever since we discussed this in a class in college, I’ve been very careful with discussions on free will and choices. The idea of it makes you feel like you’re in control, but really, it greatly depends on where you are in life.
For some reason, I find this inspiring and sad at the same time. Maybe it’s because of the implication that hardwork and determination won’t secure you a ticket to a better life I know so many people who work their butts off but still get nowhere.
Hmm. i think that’s also a great point Manxx. At the end of the day, who’s to say someone’s “poor” if they have different understandings of the word? I guess it’s just that a lot of people equate wealth, happiness with having a lot of money even if there are so many more important things in life. (It’s a different case of course for those who are really just trying to survive huhu)
Super agree! Thank you for your inspiring words Manxx.
Oooh. That’s interesting. Somehow similar to our situation here (just with corruption at the top of the list). Would you say it’s the people’s fault that they’re not employed or didn’t get a complete education? Or is it something that the government should be responsible for? Hmm.
