ThatGuy

I just find it offensive whenever someone comments about someone poor or disadvantaged and says "oh, they should just lift themselves up by their bootstraps, if they are poor it is their own damn fault."

Very often, it's not their fault, and working hard is no guarantee of success. I know, because I grew up poor for much of my childhood and saw my dad working his tail off to get any job, and to get a better job, and for years we stayed poor. Eventually, his efforts did begin to pay off, and things slowly became better.

I think we should encourage people to do hard work and lift themselves up -- but we shouldn't dismiss them as "lazy" just because they are currently poor. Sometimes all the effort in the world by one person isn't enough, and they need help or a lucky break. Somehow condemning them as morally inferior because they are having trouble making a living -- that is just insulting.