[kartan]

I very interesting article. This kind of numbers should be on the news all the time (like global warming) so people focus more on them instead of what is the last Twitt from the president.

> "Get rich or die trying"

I have always seen this as USA's major flaws. You are not supposed to have a good life but to risk everything for riches. This was working when the rest of the world was under-developed. USA citizens had so much more than the rest. As the world catches up and surpases USA its problems are getting bigger and bigger. If ever the dollar stops being the defacto world currency I can't even imagine what will happen.

How many TV shows I have seen that people laugh at the janitor looking down to him? There is no pride in a job well done, there is no self-fulfilment on doing what is correct. Money and fame are the only thing that matter. You even have religious groups that see economic wealth as a sign of God blessing!

Other countries have different and even bigger problems, but meanwhile the american dream is about economic aboundance and not about having a good life you are doom to a rat race.

> The taxman. I’d like 30% please. 40% if you got a bonus this year. Good job. > Medical conditions! Your income means you have to pay out of pocket

The fact that your taxes are disconnected from a public health care system is scary. I am very proud of paying taxes that helps people to survive cancer, to get an education or to live with a disability. Your problem is not that you have to pay taxes but that the taxes are not used to give you back services as it was designed to be done (and that rich people does not pay their fair share, and that is something that it is also true in Europe).

[nobody271]

I thought I would roll my own side gig once. The plan was to find broken cars on Craigslist and fix them for a profit. We're talking things like needs an engine or a transmission. I could do maybe ten a year. I'd be keeping a car out of the junk yard (which I imagine is good for GDP in a very small way) and making a very modest profit of $10,000/yr if I was lucky.

Well it turns out that is HIGHLY regulated. You need a dealers license which means you need a building to act as the place of business (can't be your residence), the business has to have $75,000 in assets or you have to get bonded. You have to pay insurance. You need signage. You, of course, have to pay taxes on everything. Basically by the time everyone takes their little piece there's nothing left for you.

I think this happens in any industry. It gets regulated to the point of a normal person not being able to participate. You dont own a bakery, you work for the bakery. You don't own a corner store, you work at Walmart.

What I see is a lot of closed doors yet we still act like they're open. They aren't real options anymore. So what are the real options?

[lotsofpulp]

I think it would be in society's interest to know the credibility of someone repairing and selling 2 tons of metal that will go out on the road and pose considerable risk to others' and the driver's lives on the road. See the limo crash that just killed 18 in New York state.

There might be situations where corrupt government is inhibiting competition for the gain of particular parties, but some things do make sense, such as being bonded when the risk of the work you are performing could be result in large costs.

[dsfyu404ed]

I know this might be surprising to people who grew up in certain areas where scumbag business practices are the norm but the total number of people who run their small businesses like scumbags is very low compared to those that don't. It costs society more to make everyone play to the lowest common denominator than it does to clean up after the scumbags.

[nobody271]

The bond, I think, is mainly for if someone sues you. For a $1000-$2000 car $75,000 is overkill. They could make a class for people who aren't dealers where you only need to buy a bond for the car you are selling or something like that.

[lotsofpulp]

An vehicle with improperly installed brakes or other unsafe mechanisms can easily cost far more damage than the value of the car.

[downrightmike]

Food trucks and any other fad that burns out slowly.

[poulsbohemian]

There was an article in the NY Times last week (posted on HN as well) lamenting the loss of hobbies / personal time. To me it was evident the reasons, even though they were not discussed in the article, and I posit they are the same reasons as yours statement about this "Get rich or die trying" mentality. People don't engage in hobbies/leisure and have adopted this mentality out of fear. If you can't make it to the richer side of society, the alternative is a bad one. We do not have a safety net to speak of in this country, and every study shows that what constitutes an average life here is one full of poor health, poor diet, dull work if it can be found, etc. You can see it in the rising suicide rates! So of course anyone with a clue is going to drop their hobbies and bust tail to try to get ahead. As wealth inequality continues its increase, you'll only see more of this desperation.

[R_haterade]

>countersignal here that dang warns me about