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Comment by patio11 | Hacker News Reader

Here's the summary:

A woman with a masters degree is working as a yoga tutor, because the likes the lifestyle. It is hard to be a yoga tutor in today's economy. She owns an iPhone and pays $1,350 a month for her apartment. She is on public assistance now, and has ceased paying for the student loans which allowed her to get the master's degree.

You're supposed to feel sorry for her.

Articles like this probably turn Democrats into Republicans and turn Republicans into heart attack victims. (Since money is fungible, the food stamps are essentially paying her iPhone bill. Phew, I was worried for a second.)

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I would have expected more sympathy from you patio11. An iPhone or iPod makes sense for this woman as a portable music player she uses for work. The extra cost versus a cheaper mp3 player would seem justified as a way to get email on the go. Plus a phone.

I didn't get the impression that her MA or debt burden was relevant since it's clear she is 38 and spent the last while working for her ex-husband. Her rent isn't inexpensive but she has a 7 year old kid. I got the impression she would take a job if offered. Maybe she's having trouble finding one. Look at the U6 unemployment rate.

I don't live in the States and can't comment on the rest. That said, I was genuinely heartened by the approach the company that still employs her is taking to trying to help out its staff. I really hope it works out for them and they emerge from the recession with a stronger business.

You're of the impression that she is actively looking for a regular job and would take it if offered, correct? I'm of the opinion that she says exactly the opposite: that she is unwilling to entertain the notion of working for a regular job, because she likes the lifestyle afforded by being a bohemian yoga instructor.

“I spend a lot of time on the train,” ... “and it makes you wonder: If you had a regular job and you didn’t have all that travel time, would you make better money in the end?” She gave a small laugh. “But I love what I do. So I try not to think about that.”

Maybe she should start thinking about that.

I think you're missing the point of the article by focusing on her. They may have been able to find a more sympathetic subject to focus on, but the point remains that many freelance workers are now facing a decline in demand, and they are really an uncounted part of the unemployed economy.

> They may have been able to find a more sympathetic subject to focus on, but the point remains that many freelance workers are now facing a decline in demand, and they are really an uncounted part of the unemployed economy.

That may be your point, but the article was about something else.

As much as I'd wish to disagree with you, she reeked of myopic selfishness. One can only hope that, one day, she'll take a moment to look up from her iPhone to see the other occupants of the bread line. That the article had the gall to confuse "middle class poverty" (whatever that means) with a mid-life crisis, seems more appropriate for a satire piece in The Onion.

What does political affiliation has to do with financial responsibility?

Democrats tend to view the poor/needy as people who were unlucky. Redistribution is justified as evening out the results of chance.

Republicans (excluding the 'lefty christian' ones such as Bush [1]) tend to view the poor/needy as financially/etc irresponsible people. Redistribution is not justified, being mainly just a tax on responsibility.

The example given in this article supports the Republican view more than the Democratic view.

[1] I use 'lefty christian' to describe the ones who support both redistribution/social spending/etc, but differentiate themselves from Dems using christian nationalism.

Feuer’s ex-husband pays one-third of her rent. So she is even more of a leech.

Anyway, qualifying for food stamps means your making no money. So she is getting one hell of a wake up call and I expect she will snap out of it. Teaching Yoga is the same type of crack for yuppies as opening a coffee shop. It seems like a great idea at the time, but the pay which limits it's long term appeal.

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