Hacker News new | ask | show | jobs
by MadWombat 2293 days ago
> People should fear being destitute its the natural human condition.

People should die of diseases, its the natural human condition. Women should die in childbirth, its the natural human condition. Men should die in wars, its the natural human condition. People should be hunted by sabre-tooth tigers, its the natural human condition.

1 comments

Fear of failure is a useful social motivator. In rich societies that does't have to mean biological poverty.

When I lived in a urban poor neighborhood I had one neighbor who drove a asphalt truck while the other was on benefits and drank on the porch all day. As an external observer there was little material difference in their standard of living.