Food Stamps, a New iMac and Happiness

'Money can't buy happiness.' It's an over-used cliche that came to mind this weekend while I was reading this article in the New York Times about the increase in use of food stamps. 

It's a heartbreaking read about people who have worked hard and contributed their whole lives, but who now find themselves struggling due to lost jobs or reduced overtime. The first thing that struck me is how the people in the story often see themselves as desperately in need, but think that 'everyone else' is ripping off the system. It seems that being in need isn't always enough to stimulate empathy for others. 

But the second thing that struck me was a feeling I'm sure many of us had this Thanksgiving: a feeling of gratitude that I have enough to eat. 

 This paragraph in particular struck home:

 Still, the program has filled the Dawsons’ home with fresh fruit, vegetables, bread and meat, and something they had not fully expected — an enormous sense of relief. “I know if I run out of milk, I could run down to the gas station,” said Mr. Dawson’s wife, Sheila. As others here tell it, that is a benefit not to be overlooked.

I do not, by any means, live a life of luxury. But I don't have to worry about being able to buy milk if we run out and that is something to be thankful for. 

Which brings me to the 'money can't buy happiness' cliche. Really? 

Can't it ease the strains on families like the ones in the article? Can't it give breadwinners a sense of pride that they are taking care of their families? Can't it remove the fear of being foreclosed on? 

On a much less serious note than daily survival, for the last 3 years I've been running my business on an ancient PC. It was so slow that sometimes I'd go make a cup of tea while I waited for it to open Photoshop. It regularly crashed and asked to do even the simplest task, it acted like a cranky old man being asked to get up and answer the telephone. I didn't replace it because good computers are expensive and it was still functioning. 

But when it finally gave up the ghost, I made the switch I've been thinking about for a few years and I bought an iMac. I can't even tell you the difference! 

My new computer has made the most routine of chores into something enjoyable. I hadn't realized how difficult the simplest task had become until I worked on this new machine. And I didn't realize how many little irritations and stresses were piling up throughout each day. 

When you keep losing things you're working on and have to start again - stress! When your computer just completely freezes up right when you're on a tight deadline - stress! When emails just stop coming in or going out for no apparent reason and you know people are waiting for things from you - stress! When you're in a rush, but your program just won't open and you have to reboot, a process that takes upwards of 15 minutes - stress! 

Getting a fabulous new computer has removed all that stress from my day. It may not have bought me happiness, but it has bought me freedom from unnecessary tension. Just as those food stamps have brought those families freedom from worry. 

Their need is obviously much greater than mine and I am massively grateful that my stress was coming from a dysfunctional computer and not an empty stomach, but both stories make me certain of one thing: "money can't buy happiness" is something only a rich person would say.

Comments

[reinkefj]

"Nationwide, food stamps reach about two-thirds of those eligible, with rates ranging from an estimated 50 percent in California to 98 percent in Missouri. Mr. Concannon urged lagging states to do more to enroll the needy, citing a recent government report that found a sharp rise in Americans with inconsistent access to adequate food."

Trust me; I am not uncharitable. BUT! This article really rankles me as a taxpayer. Despite being unemployed, I continue to make my charitable contributions because I feel that there are people who are worse off than me.

When you feed stray cats, (indiscriminately), you get more stray cats. Fat gooferment bureaucrats are self-interested in making sure they have continued employment. True charity has an element of involvement where we demand accountability. In my charitable contributions, I KNOW there is no one get rich off the poor and the poor are getting real help. (Anecdotally, the lady who runs one of the charities is convinced that the welfare bureaucrats' sole objective is to keep their clients poor.)

Welfare isn't charity. It is money extracted forcefully from taxpayers. And, after extracting a huge handling fee, dispensed to the politically favored group. Creating a permanent underclass of "welfare farmers" who vote for more benefits. We now have four generations of families that are stuck in the "family business" of collecting welfare. Johnson's "War on Poverty" has been a total failure.

We need to take poverty seriously. And forced gooferment solutions have a long track record of failure. So lets, downsize government and let the people take care of the problem. The Salvation Army has a far better record on helping than any welfare office. And, at a much lower cost.

Argh! It's frustrating. TO see people "trained" to accept this type of treatment.

[Kimberli]

It is better to view the fact that more people are on food stamps as a sad testiment that our economy is so horrible right now that to make people that already feel horrible for being this low feel worse about it. True there are some that literally feed off the system, but there are others that view this as the only place to turn when they are low... it's actually less degrading than going to the food pantries where you have a face and are given the dirty looks and comments legally.

Let's rethink our attitude towards these people, because as a person that has been there and as a person slowly rebuilding my life the feeling of slime is prelivent when I hear fellow students and instructors trash talking those who dare sink that far. We don't know where others are in life and really shouldn't set ourselves up in a position to judge because we could be there next.

[othaphish]

I was about to reply to reinkefj but Kimberli stated it perfectly.

I, too, am reparing my life after a lay-off and after paying years of my share of taxes, I don't appreciate being looked at as the "dredge of society" when trying to get assistance. I actually put off applying for food stamps because of the "looks" I got at the office. "What do you mean you are married?" "Oh, you have a degree", in a mockingly surprised tone. It has now gotten to the point the my children's bellies are more important than my pride so I am applying for stamps again. I'm in school, i ride the bus to school and and client meetings. I get off of the bus around the corner from client meetings so that I don't lose potential business. "She can't possibly manage my account if she can't manage her affairs...She's riding the bus for crying out loud!"

I'm sure some of these looks are "perceived" on my part but I know some of them are real. Those of you lucky enough to still have a job or your business, give us, the poor, a break. You never know if or when you will be in our position.

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all food-stamp benefits are distributed using cards but for most of its history the program had actually used paper denominational stamps or coupons worth US$1 (brown colored), US$5 (blue colored), and US$10 (green colored). These stamps could be used to purchase any prepackaged edible foods regardless of nutritional value (for example soft drinks and confectionery could be purchased on food stamps). In the late 1990s, the food-stamp program was revamped and actual stamps were phased out in favor of a specialized debit-card system known as Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) provided by private contractors.

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Many states merged the use of the EBT card for public-assistance welfare programs as well. The successful replacement over time of all paper food stamps by EBT cards enabled the U.S. Congress to rename the Food Stamp Program to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, as of October 2008, and to update all references in federal law from "stamp" or "coupon" to "card" or "EBT". This was effectuated on June 18, 2008, by U.S. House Resolution 6124, The Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008, enacted as Public Law over U.S. President George W. Bush's veto

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"What do you mean you are married?" "Oh, you have a degree", in a mockingly surprised tone.

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