How Are There Poor People?

I’m legit confused. I was at a MO role at a MM PE firm this summer and base is 105k. Almost every job posting I’ve come across is a six figure job. Why don’t people just study math/finance/cs and get a good paying job? It not that hard at all, especially finance. It’s all just mental masturbation and pattern recognition.

Edit: Imma be real… this was very clearly a troll post. But regardless, some of the comments, especially the top SB’d comment, was truly insightful and very touching. Thx for the responses yall.

32 Comments
 
Controversial

Intern realizes people are not actually the same and cognitive abilities differ. This is what happens if you’re from a privileged background and never interact with the non-professional class. Work in food service/blue collar jobs and you will quickly realize these people could not do what you do. Yes, it’s easy for you but they are dumb. Leftist egalitarianism makes you think people can be anything they want. You must realize we are not all the same. Yes, we deserve equal rights but we are not equal in our abilities.

 

Also, the right is just as bad as the left with this. The left thinks there’s some hidden boogeyman holding the poors back. The right thinks you just need to work harder. Both are wrong. You have a biological reality and your universe of opportunities is defined by your abilities with some deviation given country where you’re born, family income, drive, conscientiousness, etc.

 

You have a biological reality and your universe of opportunities is defined by your abilities with some deviation given country where you’re born, family income, drive, conscientiousness, etc.

The deviation by where you're born and family income impacts you a lot more than you're referring. Those who don't face it will never understand, like OP doesn't know how there are poor people.

For instance, I grew up in a civil war, but my dad had served US contracts in war zones like Afghanistan. That enabled my family to gather some saving and afford my coming to the US along with merit-based scholarships from a public uni.

Even though my initial upbringing was poor af (grew up in a one room bed/kitchen for all three of us and shared bathroom with like 10 other people, had dad's childhood home bombed by terrorists, etc.), I was the lucky one (along with my drive and persistence to exit and reach higher). I know people who grew up with me just as smart that could solve differential equations in their head. But had to stop studying after high school to work and support family. If you're the man of the house with sisters and a mom, doesn't matter how smart you are, doesn't matter what your dreams and aspirations and drive are. You step up, that's what men do. 

There are a lot worse realities in this world that you won't see until you experience for yourself.

 
Most Helpful

Talent follows a normal distribution across the population. Opportunity does not.

I doubt most on this forum will truly understand one basic rational truth (though counter-intuitive at first blush) - very little, if any, of one’s path in life is the result of their own control or influence. 

You take it for granted to either be born in the wealthiest country in the world (or to parents who brought you here). You have intrinsic cognitive capabilities - through no result of your own that allowed you do this job. You evidently had a stable enough childhood and environment that allowed you to focus on education and receive a good one at that. And you along the way so far you have not encountered any health maladies or accidents that have prevented you from being here. so you see - most if not all of where you are right now has been the result circumstances almost entirely beyond your control. And critically, not everyone has the benefit of those circumstances.

One suggestion - and I assume good intentions on your part - start practicing more empathy and humbleness, it will greatly enrich your own life. 

 

This is the only true answer. People are inherently conceited to attribute a lot of their success to themselves, but any other capable person in their place would have achieved the same or more given the same circumstances. 

The next Einstein could have been born in Afghanistan and been bombed before becoming a fully functioning adult. Another kid about to immigrate to fulfill his dreams in a 1st world nation having to stay behind to support his family after his dad died. 
People lose fortunes in an instant in natural calamities. Whatever bullshit you give about we make our own luck, the circumstances are truly outside of our control. Resilience makes you eventually successful but even then luck and circumstances need to coincide to make it happen.

We do need to learn to be humble and appreciate what people go through to reach places we had considerably easier access to.

 

Is this a flex? I know onlyfans girl that make that a month, you’re definitely part of the poor

 

There are poor people for the exact reason there are utterly ignorant people like you.

 

My parents left a bridal shower they were attending to pick up a boy whose mother was recently evicted from her apartment. The mom had some spare cash to get a hotel for the night, but that was last night. She's now looking for a women's shelter but most don't allow boys of any age in them. So she had to reach out to an organization that connects them with parents who can care for their children until they're back on their feet. Most people in poverty aren't worrying about what degree they should get, they're worrying about what they're going eat tomorrow and how they're going to keep shelter of their children's heads. I'm guessing you haven't been exposed to this lifestyle before so I'll excuse your ignorance. If you're ever curious, head down to your city's local highway underpass and ask the homeless why they don't go study mathematics since it's 'mental masturbation' as you call it.

 

Intelligence, looks, athleticism, etc is a bell curve so there have to be as many people in the bottom 5% as there are in the top 5%.

 

Hope this is a troll post.

1) think about all the state school kids pursuing finance who cannot get these positions, and settle for some $60k job out of college

2) think about how every other profession does not pay the figure you quoted out of college

3) think about all of the blue collar workers out there

4) think about people less fortunate than any of the above, whether by drugs, or crime, etc.

I fully believe in pulling yourself up by bootstraps, but theirs a reason this industry is coveted. And that’s because while it may be simple to you - not every can get in. Even if they are intelligent enough.

 

How are there people without food? How are there people without fresh clean water?

"If you always put limits on everything you do, physical or anything else, it will spread into your work and into your life. There are no limits. There are only plateaus, and you must not stay there, you must go beyond them." - Bruce Lee
 

This is possibly the dumbest thread and no surprise coming from an intern. Why don’t you donate a portion of your income to support the poor? 

"If you always put limits on everything you do, physical or anything else, it will spread into your work and into your life. There are no limits. There are only plateaus, and you must not stay there, you must go beyond them." - Bruce Lee
 

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