Ah. the joys of capitalism, where being poor or in debt keeps you enslaved to abusive situations because you have no better options and the state will not entitle its citizens to have their basic needs provided for if they leave the abusive situation. Student debt is now the new form of indentured servitude like in colonial days of this country.The new economy of gig jobs, no OSHA enforcement, and contract employment is also the same way workers can always be found to work under the most inhuman conditions, akin to plantation slavery of the old days, because they will otherwise have only the options of crime or homelessness and starvation. And don't tell me that shelters and food programs are adequately preventing this or that even when they do that people are still able to keep their dignity and humanity.

@TomMcGiverin Agreed.

I was so independent and employable as an RN. That helped when my kids’ dad cheated and left us. Unfortunately, my health went downhill and by age 31 I was sick; by age 46, I could no longer work. My ex would have financially cared for me. In fact, we still love each other. I just couldn’t stand the emotional abuse any longer. I don’t think I’d be alive anyway, had I stayed, so I had little to lose by going.
It’s sad to have to choose: poverty or depression/suicide?

@CarolinaGirl60 Neither one is more than mere survival, if even that in the case of the latter. That's why I'm socialist. Good people who are sick, unemployed, or in poor relationships should not be left with only those kind of choices or have to pawn their dignity to have a decent standard of living. This country is wealthy enough to provide that for everyone if we weren't all so divided on bullshit issues like race, sexual orientation, and cultural issues. We would have a government that served us, instead of the rich and corporations, and made sure everyone had their basic needs met if the private sector failed to provide it, like healthcare has proven to be a failure with private insurance.

@TomMcGiverin I totally agree. When I was able to work, I’d gladly have paid higher taxes for use of people in need.
Some folks are so greedy and cruel. My brother has told me he thought I was ‘faking’. He’d not BEEN sick since about age 2. He doesn’t recall how he died a few times; how awful it was to hear him trying to breathe, the sound of the suction machine. Lots of people, family and charities, helped with his birth defect of the trachea and even plastic surgery later on the scar from the trach. He’s alive and healthy today because of all the people who helped. He has zero empathy for anyone who’s ill, or cannot work. Devout xtian, of course!?

@CarolinaGirl60 Sounds like he is also one of those damn Libertarian types, ie. "I made it all on my own, never needed charity or help from others, etc." What a lying, deluded fool. I hope you call him out on his shit and remind him of how he would be dead without all the money and help from others. But, that's your call as to whether he's worth the effort. You can't fix stupid, or delusional, for that matter.

@TomMcGiverin It’s no use with him. He’s sure he’s RIGHT. I really cannot get through, I gave up long ago. I rarely have to deal with him, so he can be as ugly as he wants.
He’s just starting to see what he took part in when he got involved during my son kicking me out of his rental home. I doubt I’ll ever hear THAT apology though.
I’ll be fine. He’s still an asshole!

I can't fault anyone for putting their kids first.

A while back I was considering taking in a male friend my age, but things worked out with his marriage. He would have had to sleep on the couch, but it would have been like a modern day Odd Couple.