Is Andrew Demetriou worth over $1m per year?

[Dutchy]

Psyber, those who waste their money on alchohol, cigarettes, drugs and gambling are downtrodden because their self esteem is at a low ebb. They need help. The reason they gamble is because they want the money the rich have, and because they can't work gambling is the only way they can get it. I say that's not fair. To sink to those filthy cigarettes and drugs (which are as bad as each other) is a symptom of a pre-existing problem. Now if the ciggys and the drugs were pushed out of their reach it wouldn't change that - because that isn't the issue.

There are rich people around, and they aren't sharing. THAT is the issue.

I supect that they start out doing it because they think it is fun or part of being "all growed up" and then when their life is a mess start making excuses like "poor self-esteem". They have "downtrodden" themselves. The poor are not the only ones who turn to drink drugs etc. either.

Being out of work and poor did not push my parents in that direction. People make choices and are responsible for them. Nobody who thinks can seriously believe there is a reasonable chance of getting money by gambling - very few win big. My parents chose to save and invest and benefitted from it.

I'm relatively rich - I earned it myself, with a little help from my family, and I give some to charities I assess as genuine, but I am not interested in subsidising the self-indulgent! It is self-indulgent to think that just because others have earned something they should give it to you. My sister is a millionaire. She came from a poor family, grew up in Hindmarsh, studied at night, and worked hard and used her brain. She occasionally drank, liked Chardonnay, never smoked, and never gambled beyond occasionally putting a free token that came with a meal in a pokie.

I am not saying everyone who is poor has brought it on themselves, there are genuine tragedies, but when people cry poor you have to look at just how much money they are actually wasting that they could put to better use.

well said, very well said.....

[NFC]

He's not worth $1.

[PhilG]

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[Psyber]

In my [IT] business I remember someone negotiating for a reduced charge because they were a poor pensioner, but during the conversation they let slip that they were smoking 40 fags a day, spending Friday and Saturday nights at the pub getting drunk, and losing an average of $60 a week on the pokies. I wasn't very sympathetic after I heard that!!

Mate, we have all met bullies, and learned to make a choice of ways to deal with them - either yourself with your own method, or seek assistance to deal with them. But I agree, sometimes all you can do is get out of there. [I learned Judo from a book and dislocated the elbow of a kid who had attacked me several times when I was 10.]

My parents - how could they be left with no choice betwen saving and spending? They bought essential clothing and food and saved money too because that did not use alcohol or cigarettes or gamble.

If there is no benefit from working and creating a business no-one will - or they'll go to another country where the reward is there for doing so. The guy who earns the money gets to choose how he spends it and how he shares it - that doesn't mean an abusive term is fair if you don't like his choice. I have residency rights in the UK, although I was borne in Adelaide. If the tax gets too high here I can move to the UK where it is lower these days. 30 years ago it was the opposite and the poms moved here.

[PhilG]

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[McAlmanac]

FFS - can we get this thread closed?

[Psyber]

In my [IT] business I remember someone negotiating for a reduced charge because they were a poor pensioner, but during the conversation they let slip that they were smoking 40 fags a day, spending Friday and Saturday nights at the pub getting drunk, and losing an average of $60 a week on the pokies. I wasn't very sympathetic after I heard that!!

Did you tell them that? If you didn't you should have. If you did what was their reaction?

I said, smiling sweetly, "So, you want me to subsidise your drinking, smoking and gambling?!" They went red in the face, got up, and walked out.

Mate, we have all met bullies, and learned to make a choice of ways to deal with them - either yourself with your own method, or seek assistance to deal with them. But I agree, sometimes all you can do is get out of there. [I learned Judo from a book and dislocated the elbow of a kid who had attacked me several times when I was 10.]

I'm using myself as an example here, but "getting out of there" cuts you off, and reduces your options/choices. It's why I'm fighting to get those choices back just to get some flexibility in money terms. And I don't drink, smoke, gamble or do drugs. The trouble is the bullies are around in the areas you need - and in my experience there is no help. And I don't have the flexibility in my arms and legs to do self defence. Not that it would help because most of the bullying I've been copping is verbal - to the point that one person is facing defamation charges (if I can just get his f***ing mailing address!!)

The phrase "get over it" is common. I have no respect for those three words - because it's just an excuse to duck a problem when it should be dealt with properly. Otherwise it will just come back and haunt you until you do deal with it properly.

I agree with you that telling some one to get over it is just more aggressive bullying. I'd be inclined to respond, "OK, but I'll have to kill you first to be able to do that!"
[Not that I actually would kill anyone - I'd be grinning when I said it! ]

I agree you can't always get out, but I once moved house because of one appalling neighbour. It just wasn't worth the aggro! Bullies breed prolifically in governemnt bureaucracies were they can wield a little borrowed power - usually the smaller the pond they have power in the more they try to wield it.

[PhilG]

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[Hondo]

You know that you two can send private emails to each other ...... can't you take this debate outside the forum now?

[PhilG]

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[Psyber]

It's done.

'Tis done indeed, and lives on in another universe![Or another post.]