Sierra Leonean Child self taught engeineer attracts MITs attention, how come not in DC?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My theory is that most of the kids who are well off are too spoiled and unmotivated. Poverty can be a great motivator.

Only someone who has Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs fully met could make such a delusional statement. The only reason you're not in poverty is because your parents were not poor. That's it and explains most socioeconomic outcomes.

The vast majority of poor will live hard, grinding, scarring lives. And they will die under the same miserable conditions. Even after being "motivated" and toiling hard for the entirety of their miserable lives.

PP here. My family was very poor in our home country. It was a war-torn country. So, I'm actually not delusional about poverty and needs not being met. The only reason I am not in poverty is because my family, including me, worked really hard after immigrating to this country. My parents didn't speak a word of English, and they only had a MS/ES level education. I now have two degrees. I am not an aberration. There are *many* people like me who came from poverty and was able to come out of it by working hard.

Sorry, but sometimes, people in the US have too many excuses for their unfortunate lot in life. And as other PPs have mentioned, it's not a strictly race issue since many African immigrants who are poor also value education and are able to succeed here in the US.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My theory is that most of the kids who are well off are too spoiled and unmotivated. Poverty can be a great motivator.

Only someone who has Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs fully met could make such a delusional statement. The only reason you're not in poverty is because your parents were not poor. That's it and explains most socioeconomic outcomes.

The vast majority of poor will live hard, grinding, scarring lives. And they will die under the same miserable conditions. Even after being "motivated" and toiling hard for the entirety of their miserable lives.

PP here. My family was very poor in our home country. It was a war-torn country. So, I'm actually not delusional about poverty and needs not being met. The only reason I am not in poverty is because my family, including me, worked really hard after immigrating to this country. My parents didn't speak a word of English, and they only had a MS/ES level education. I now have two degrees. I am not an aberration. There are *many* people like me who came from poverty and was able to come out of it by working hard.

Sorry, but sometimes, people in the US have too many excuses for their unfortunate lot in life. And as other PPs have mentioned, it's not a strictly race issue since many African immigrants who are poor also value education and are able to succeed here in the US.

Immigrants who actually make it to America are a self selecting bunch. There is already a minimum amount of gumption, intelligence, and hustle to make it to the U.S. So who is left back in your country? The worst of the worst. You can't extrapolate your experience to African-Americans who are descended of slaves and inter-generational American poverty. They are a wider population of individuals - both dumb and brilliant.

And frankly, African-Americans as a people carry much more emotional and social baggage. They paved the way for you to take advantage of the civil rights that you are afforded today. Have respect for that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My theory is that most of the kids who are well off are too spoiled and unmotivated. Poverty can be a great motivator.

Only someone who has Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs fully met could make such a delusional statement. The only reason you're not in poverty is because your parents were not poor. That's it and explains most socioeconomic outcomes.

The vast majority of poor will live hard, grinding, scarring lives. And they will die under the same miserable conditions. Even after being "motivated" and toiling hard for the entirety of their miserable lives.

PP here. My family was very poor in our home country. It was a war-torn country. So, I'm actually not delusional about poverty and needs not being met. The only reason I am not in poverty is because my family, including me, worked really hard after immigrating to this country. My parents didn't speak a word of English, and they only had a MS/ES level education. I now have two degrees. I am not an aberration. There are *many* people like me who came from poverty and was able to come out of it by working hard.

Sorry, but sometimes, people in the US have too many excuses for their unfortunate lot in life. And as other PPs have mentioned, it's not a strictly race issue since many African immigrants who are poor also value education and are able to succeed here in the US.

Immigrants who actually make it to America are a self selecting bunch. There is already a minimum amount of gumption, intelligence, and hustle to make it to the U.S. So who is left back in your country? The worst of the worst. You can't extrapolate your experience to African-Americans who are descended of slaves and inter-generational American poverty. They are a wider population of individuals - both dumb and brilliant.

And frankly, African-Americans as a people carry much more emotional and social baggage. They paved the way for you to take advantage of the civil rights that you are afforded today. Have respect for that.

I have great respect for the AA and non AA alike that marched for civil rights, sat at the counters, sat up front on the bus, etc.. But, not all AA paved the way for civil liberties. I don't need to respect every single AA for that.

Actually, the people that were left back in the home country have built it up rapidly and is now considered one of the most successful post-war countries in the world. You might have an electronic item in your home from that country. This country used to be a purely agrarian country.

My story is not unique. Many immigrants to this country have the same story as mine. Yes, a lot of the immigrants have gumption. So, does that mean that the poor AA are in the situation they are in because they lack gumption? Then, that is an individual drive that is lacking, and no amount of affirmative action will help the situation. I don't assume all AA are like this. There are a few successful AA families in my neighborhood, as well as other ethnicities.

At some point, people need to stop making excuses and do something. At what point do *you* think our society can stop using slavery as a reason for individuals remaining in poverty? What excuse do generational poor white people have?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My theory is that most of the kids who are well off are too spoiled and unmotivated. Poverty can be a great motivator.

Poverty is relative. Most "poor" people in the US have absolutely no concept of what it is to be poor anywhere in the rest of the world. They live in considerable comfort as compared to Salvadorean migrants or Syrian refugees.