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Paul *******
This is a summary of
Paul *******
's contributions to the platform. They have posed 1 questions and added 262 comments.

QUESTIONS

COMMENTS

Paul ********
@Brian *******
Because I disagree with the fundamental basis of your argument. And you're simply repeating yourself as though that will reinforce your argument (another Trumpie habit by the way).

You believe that no matter the circumstances, an individual from the west will always be able to sustain themselves better in their "home" country than they can in any foreign country.

I disagree. There are many circumstances where SOME people can live more successfully in a country far cheaper than their own on a given amount of funding.

Of course it's not a smart move to risk homelessness and begging on the street in Thailand. But it's even dumber to GUARANTEE the same in say, Los Angeles, if you have already have insufficient resources for the far higher monthly cost of living there. You look just as stupid and irresponsible begging on Santa Monica Blvd as you do here.

It's nice that they MIGHT have some access to basic medical care in the USA if they ever should need it. But there is no guarantee of those resources. And there is no guarantee they will ever be needed.

But without shelter and food and basic safety, that discussion is irrelevant. They've already crossed the threshold into unsustainability months, years, perhaps decades sooner than they would living in Thailand.

A huge percentage of Americans lack the funds to cover an emergency.

A smaller but still significant percentage lack even the funds for basic shelter and food. It is illogical for them to remain somewhere homeless, with a high likelihood of dying from exposure, starvation, or criminal activity "just in case" they have a heart attack some day. Especially if there is somewhere where they can at comfortably meet their basic needs with the resources at hand.

You see the world in a very black and white way. (Another Trumpie trait).

I see nuance. The definition of a good decision is not as cut and dried as you portray it.

We disagree.
Paul ********
@Brian *******
And yet you are responding to this moral dilemma precisely as he would.
Paul ********
@Kool ******
You misunderstand me.

I have zero issues with Thailand making, and vigorously enforcing, rules about foreigners entering or staying in the kingdom. It's their country.

I DO have issues with foreigners telling other foreigners to stay home. Especially when their reasoning is hopelessly flawed.
Paul ********
@Brian *******
Yes. Let them eat cake. How did that answer work out for the fable's speaker?

You are either blind, deaf, or indifferent. "No-one" is a very bold claim in a world where income inequality grows at a historically frightening rate. Unfortunately for many, smart decision making increasingly involves choosing between two very bad options.
Paul ********
@Brian *******
If your logic is correct, than why is there a record number of refugees in the world today?

The simple fallacy in your logic is that one's "home" country will always be the safest best place for anyone to live.

There most certainly is NOT any guarantee of health care, basic shelter, or even food and water in the home countries of 100s of millions of our world's citizens.

You are right - it is not "bright to be in a foreign country broke." But it is even less bright to remain in your country of citizenship or birth if that significantly reduces your chances of survival.

Much as those of us with plenty, luck, or even wisdom would prefer the less fortunate or even less wise to stay out of sight, out of mind and for sure, out of our hair, those people have a right and a natural instinct to fight for their own survival. To make the best of a difficult unpalatable set of choices.

When someone lacks enough for basic survival in a place, the need for daily shelter, food and physical safety will alwas trump the need to purchase insurance and have savings in a bank.

Which sometimes is an inconvenience to the rest of us.
Paul ********
@Brian *******
1. Many prefer to invest their funds for a higher rate of return elsewhere.

2. Many have a large guaranteed monthly stipend, pension, etc.

3. In the unfortunate case where someone DOES have no savings and has minimal income, where are they better off - in a highest cost-of-living western country where their available resources can't even cover the rental of a small room, or in a place like Thailand where the cost of living is orders of magnitude lower?

I suppose your answer would be that such people should just kill themselves now to avoid at some unknown point in the future, any possibility to being an inconvenience to luckier self-righteous judgemental compassionless people.

Remember, pride cometh before a fall. And but for the grace of god or the kindness of the universe, a split second event separates the richest, most secure of us from utter poverty and deprivation.
Paul ********
This explains it at a high level.

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Paul ********
Go to Bangkok and get your fill of shopping, and then go to an island with nice beaches.

Trying to do everything in one place is just not realistic.