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[rant]
Live journal is a Luxury. This means that I am a free user. If LJ said "pay up or quit" tomorrow, I'd have to tell them to stuff it. Why? I don't have money for luxuries!!!
This is not about anybody on my friends list, but a general rant due to the snotty attitudes displayed by some paid users regarding the latest maintenance problems and restricting free users from posting (which didn't really inconvenience me at all.)
* Rent (housing) is not a luxury, although people may be paying too much for what they're getting.
* Utilities and basic food are not luxuries - in this society, you have to pay for these things or end up cold and starving.
* Clothing, in general, is not a luxury. New clothes, though, are, if you already have stuff to wear.
* Cars, new or used, are not usually luxuries, although I think that most new cars are dreadfuly overpriced, and are a bad deal for someone who doesn't have a lot of money. I always buy used.
* Car repairs that are needed in order to register and/or safely drive are not luxuries, unfortunately, at least not where I live. I can't walk well enough to do the transit thing, and I don't qualify for a motorized chair.
* Restaurants and take-out food, however, are luxuries. I have a lot of contempt for the roomie that eats takeout and restaurant food most of the time but can't pony her share of the rent.
* Books, videos, DVDs and movies in the theater are luxuries. You shouldn't be buying them if your other bills aren't paid.
* New toys for kids and adults are luxuries. I sure a hell didn't have the latest new gadgets when I grew up, and I don't now.
* Paid LiveJournal accounts are luxuries. Don't whine to me that "Oh, anyone can afford to pony up $25 for a year. That's just a night out at the theater. Anyone can come up with that...", "$2.50 a month is easy. A hamburger costs more...". Really poor people can't afford even $0.99 hamburgers, and only watch free movies.
* When you have zero income except for gifts and loans from friends and family, it would be profligate, foolish, and downright silly to spend *any* money on luxuries.
* I can't even afford to buy a domain name to beg with (ala savekaren.com), and a year of that would cost less than LJ. (I get my webspace free from a roomie for adminning the account.)
* There are people out there even poorer than I am. For now, I still have a roof over my head.
So if you're a paid user, great. I'm glad you can afford it - that means your life is going better than a lot of people's. But don't delude yourself into thinking that the LJ luxury is "cheap" to someone eating ramen, rice, and cheap tuna. The idea that "Well, if you can afford $25 at the grocery store you can afford LJ" is just... absurd.
[/ rant]
Live journal is a Luxury. This means that I am a free user. If LJ said "pay up or quit" tomorrow, I'd have to tell them to stuff it. Why? I don't have money for luxuries!!!
This is not about anybody on my friends list, but a general rant due to the snotty attitudes displayed by some paid users regarding the latest maintenance problems and restricting free users from posting (which didn't really inconvenience me at all.)
* Rent (housing) is not a luxury, although people may be paying too much for what they're getting.
* Utilities and basic food are not luxuries - in this society, you have to pay for these things or end up cold and starving.
* Clothing, in general, is not a luxury. New clothes, though, are, if you already have stuff to wear.
* Cars, new or used, are not usually luxuries, although I think that most new cars are dreadfuly overpriced, and are a bad deal for someone who doesn't have a lot of money. I always buy used.
* Car repairs that are needed in order to register and/or safely drive are not luxuries, unfortunately, at least not where I live. I can't walk well enough to do the transit thing, and I don't qualify for a motorized chair.
* Restaurants and take-out food, however, are luxuries. I have a lot of contempt for the roomie that eats takeout and restaurant food most of the time but can't pony her share of the rent.
* Books, videos, DVDs and movies in the theater are luxuries. You shouldn't be buying them if your other bills aren't paid.
* New toys for kids and adults are luxuries. I sure a hell didn't have the latest new gadgets when I grew up, and I don't now.
* Paid LiveJournal accounts are luxuries. Don't whine to me that "Oh, anyone can afford to pony up $25 for a year. That's just a night out at the theater. Anyone can come up with that...", "$2.50 a month is easy. A hamburger costs more...". Really poor people can't afford even $0.99 hamburgers, and only watch free movies.
* When you have zero income except for gifts and loans from friends and family, it would be profligate, foolish, and downright silly to spend *any* money on luxuries.
* I can't even afford to buy a domain name to beg with (ala savekaren.com), and a year of that would cost less than LJ. (I get my webspace free from a roomie for adminning the account.)
* There are people out there even poorer than I am. For now, I still have a roof over my head.
So if you're a paid user, great. I'm glad you can afford it - that means your life is going better than a lot of people's. But don't delude yourself into thinking that the LJ luxury is "cheap" to someone eating ramen, rice, and cheap tuna. The idea that "Well, if you can afford $25 at the grocery store you can afford LJ" is just... absurd.
[/ rant]
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From:
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They say up front that paid users get more reliable service. It makes sense from a business perspective. TAANSTAAFL
If I was working a decent job (and could afford luxuries again), I would probably pay, not just for the better service, but on principle.
From:
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