Society is a complex web of norms and beliefs that shape our lives. However, it is not always a perfect system, and there are problems that fundamentally undermine individuals' well-being and human rights. These issues can manifest themselves in a variety of ways, ranging from systemic inequalities and discrimination to oppressive practices and restrictions on personal freedoms.

Thinking about that, I wanted to ask the Bored Panda community what they think is fundamentally wrong with society and restricts their human rights, hence "Tell me you are living in a dystopian nightmare without telling me you are living in a dystopian nightmare". Scroll down to read the answers!

#1

"Leave Before It Is Too Late To Escape": 40 Indicators That We Live In A Dystopian Reality, As Shared By Our Community The country is run by people who are millionaires, telling everyone else that these are "tough times" and they must "cut back" to ensure their continued survival while they live in excess.

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1ch0
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Let me guess, america? I just yesterday googled a few facts about america again. No universal healthcare, no paid leave from work. Pure slavery and pure capitalism with zero respect for the people. The Land of the free! Yay!

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    #2

    "Leave Before It Is Too Late To Escape": 40 Indicators That We Live In A Dystopian Reality, As Shared By Our Community Most people do not earn a living wage.

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    #3

    "Leave Before It Is Too Late To Escape": 40 Indicators That We Live In A Dystopian Reality, As Shared By Our Community I no longer have bodily autonomy.

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    Community Member
    2 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I can't reply directly to Mental Liberals because of the downvote count, but here's what I have to say about that. If you feel like you should be able to choose whether or not to be vaccinated, I should be able to choose whether or not to carry a child.

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    #4

    "Leave Before It Is Too Late To Escape": 40 Indicators That We Live In A Dystopian Reality, As Shared By Our Community George Orwell's fabulous book '1984' is no longer fiction but a commentary.

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    #5

    "Leave Before It Is Too Late To Escape": 40 Indicators That We Live In A Dystopian Reality, As Shared By Our Community I live in a country where two out of the last four presidents got into office by losing the popular vote.

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    #6

    "Leave Before It Is Too Late To Escape": 40 Indicators That We Live In A Dystopian Reality, As Shared By Our Community There are women in some parts of my country who still have to get permission from their boyfriends or husbands to get birth control. They also have to fight with pharmacists who are religiously opposed to it to get birth control. And they sometimes have been denied life-improving surgery to have hysterectomies because- whether the woman wants children or not- the doctor doesn't agree with her not having children.

    I live in the US.

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    I I
    Community Member
    2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Vanilla ISIS , all let religion lead their lives and wives , all drive trucks with lots of flags and they all love them guns , tell me i'm wrong

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    #7

    "Leave Before It Is Too Late To Escape": 40 Indicators That We Live In A Dystopian Reality, As Shared By Our Community Inability to access affordable healthcare and medication.

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    #8

    "Leave Before It Is Too Late To Escape": 40 Indicators That We Live In A Dystopian Reality, As Shared By Our Community The American dream is a lie the rich tell to convince people to work till they die and never actually reach their goals. The moment an accident happens, you lose everything and you're told you didn't try hard enough.

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    #9

    "Leave Before It Is Too Late To Escape": 40 Indicators That We Live In A Dystopian Reality, As Shared By Our Community Still having to go to work when you’re really sick if you want to get paid to have a roof over your head and cope with the high costs of living.

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    ADJ
    Community Member
    2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    It is very sad that most of these posts here are clearly about USA.

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    #10

    "Leave Before It Is Too Late To Escape": 40 Indicators That We Live In A Dystopian Reality, As Shared By Our Community My last hospital visit was 104k , thankfully I had insurance.

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    1ch0
    Community Member
    2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    My last hospital visit was 0 euro. Medical debt doesnt exist at all here. Germany. Universal healthcare for everyone.

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    #11

    "Leave Before It Is Too Late To Escape": 40 Indicators That We Live In A Dystopian Reality, As Shared By Our Community Having to choose between paying my rent or buying my insulin

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    #12

    I have major medical issues, some of which are genetic, but if I were to become pregnant right now I could be forced to carry a (likely non-viable) baby to term and give birth. So I have decided not to date until the law is reinstated. If I don't get a choice, the men don't get a choice with me.

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    Stacey Rae
    Community Member
    2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I agree 100%. Maybe if all women who didn't want their rights stripped could /should stop all sexual contact.

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    #13

    "Leave Before It Is Too Late To Escape": 40 Indicators That We Live In A Dystopian Reality, As Shared By Our Community The majority of the world is at the mercy of four world leaders who are certifiably mad or who head up autocratic or oligarchic states with nuclear weapons, and we could all be annihilated in a minute if one of them gets sick of playing "Risk" with the others. Wish the entire world would just stand up to these bullies and ostracize them into oblivion.

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    #14

    My country's "Supreme Court," stacked with extreme reactionaries selected by men who lost the popular vote, recently ruled that: 1) The environment is not worth protecting, 2) Women are brood cows, 3) Guns are more important than human life, 4) The 1st Amendment to the Constitution is null and void so government monies must go to religious schools.

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    #15

    "Leave Before It Is Too Late To Escape": 40 Indicators That We Live In A Dystopian Reality, As Shared By Our Community Having to have multiple roommates as an adult because we can't afford our own places (and we all have at least one full time job!) I love it here.

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    #16

    "Leave Before It Is Too Late To Escape": 40 Indicators That We Live In A Dystopian Reality, As Shared By Our Community There is a literal war going on in the civilized world, literally one country away from where I live. If the media doesn't cover it, nobody cares.

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    censorshipsucks
    Community Member
    2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    funny though no one gives a f**k about the saudis bombing the yemenis with american weapons.

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    #17

    "Leave Before It Is Too Late To Escape": 40 Indicators That We Live In A Dystopian Reality, As Shared By Our Community When I grow up I’ll never pay off college debt and will live in a crappy house (if I’m lucky) because it’s all I can afford.

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    ApplePie123eat
    Community Member
    1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    When I grow up, I won't live in a crappy house. That's because I wouldn't even be able to afford one

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    #18

    "Leave Before It Is Too Late To Escape": 40 Indicators That We Live In A Dystopian Reality, As Shared By Our Community Can’t get disability funding without trying all treatments first. Can’t get treatments first without funding.

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    Ozacoter
    Community Member
    2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Apparently in Spain Endometriosis and CFS are not considered to cause disabilities so when i apply for disabilities they count for nothing :)

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    #19

    The world is literally burning to the ground because of global warming yet people who don’t even make a living wage spend what little money they have to pay to watch the show of a talentless family and buy their “beauty” products while members of that family take their private jets to destinations they could easily have driven to. Meanwhile I feel guilty if I use a paper plate. Stop funding the K family people, they are scamming you left and right and care about no one but themselves.

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    #20

    BMW is selling a subscription to enable the heated seats in your car.

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    Minath
    Community Member
    2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I'm so fed up with subscription services, most of them are just a giant con.

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    #21

    You can have a retirement, a house, savings, health or a child - MUST pick one. You have no money for all of those.

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    #22

    That there is still cruelty towards animals.

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    #23

    "Leave Before It Is Too Late To Escape": 40 Indicators That We Live In A Dystopian Reality, As Shared By Our Community I work to try and ensure residents can live without choosing between eating food and heating their homes. I live in a rich country.

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    #24

    The fact that many companies have hidden research results about what they do because it may harm business, even though the business is harmful to the planet or an individual’s health.

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    #25

    "Leave Before It Is Too Late To Escape": 40 Indicators That We Live In A Dystopian Reality, As Shared By Our Community I make six figures but live paycheck to paycheck, can't afford a decent 3 BR house without being house poor (I need it as I work from home) and have $130k in student debt owed to the federal government that I will never be able to pay off.

    Alexander Mils Report

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    J W
    Community Member
    1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Written with kindness. review daily spending habits . Be real about ‘needs’ vs ‘wants’. At 6 figures there’s a lot of room to make these decisions .

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    #26

    Billionaires sending phallic shaped space craft to outer space while some people live in extreme poverty.

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    #27

    If I was pregnant after 5 months in my state, I'd have to give birth. Even if it was dangerous to me. Even though I'm barely a legal adult. I'd still be forced to do it.

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    #28

    Thought crimes and new speak. You have to use the correct euphemistic language and dodge around what you're trying to say or else a hypersensitive social justice warrior will throw a childish tantrum at you. You need to anticipate which euphemisms they prefer, and if you guess right, they will move the goal post and throw a fit at you anyway.

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    #29

    "Leave Before It Is Too Late To Escape": 40 Indicators That We Live In A Dystopian Reality, As Shared By Our Community I don’t go to the ER because the last time was 8k. People divorce to receive care facilities since it is 20-40k a month

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    1ch0
    Community Member
    2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Jesus Christ.. Medical Debt doesnt exist as a term in my country for example. I can go to the doctor and pay nothing. Even when I am sick, it is not counted as paid leave, it is counted as sick with full pay. Even if I get sick during vacation, I get my vacation days back. I can also be sick for 6 weeks and my employer has to pay me full pay. After 6 weeks I still get 70% of my pay by the health insurance..for months if needed. I get paid for every therapy or operation if it is advised by doctors. So when I get sick I dont have to worry about paying my rent or my other bills. I live in germany. Now that is what I expect of a modern society.

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    #30

    I live in Oklahoma. We have bad mental health treatment. Our jails and prisons are garbage. The governor is constantly fighting with native tribes. No one cares about women's rights. Christians will get in your face and judge you openly. Lot of homophobes, lot of racists. A lot of animal abuse and neglect. But hey, it's really cheap to live here. And our grocery prices are pretty fair.

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    Tamra
    Community Member
    2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I was born and raised in Oklahoma, and you are not wrong. I got the f**k out of there as quickly as possible. Don't miss the tornadoes, either.

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    #31

    Thinking "thats wierd" when there hasnt been a mass shooting for a week

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    Michael A
    Community Member
    2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Or being completely desensitized to the number of mass shootings/gun violence as if they are just another fender bender that we witness driving around.

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    #32

    That Rotterdam Bridge WAS going to be taken down temporarily so Jeff Bezos’s yacht could go through.

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    Gini Sarver
    Community Member
    2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    🤦🏻‍♀️ i read about that and so happy for y’all that it didn’t happen

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    #33

    Millions of people may starve because the dictator of one country decided to invade another.

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    Mike Keyser
    Community Member
    2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Once upon a time stalin took ALL of the food out of Ukraine and sold it to hitler. The starvation was intentional.

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    #34

    Have a curable but deadly heart condition & can't afford the cure so on meds 4 the rest of life

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    #35

    This society for whatever reason sees nothing wrong with lying while advertising. I think it contributes greatly to the overdeveloped egos that rip everybody off.

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    Time2Roll86🇺🇦
    Community Member
    1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I can think of so many examples of this…here is one: Pepsi’s jet scandal

    Brenda
    Community Member
    1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    There are truth in advertising laws. No one can afford to sue them

    PismoBob
    Community Member
    1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Actually, if there is a commercial about a product, company or law on television, it’s a huge lie as to what is in the law.

    J W
    Community Member
    1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Advertisers lie, The man in the Oval Office lies. Media lies. No integrity, selfish agenda. They are breeding puppets. Don’t be fooled.

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    #36

    Having to choose between feeding your family or putting gas in your car.

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    #37

    I've been disabled my entire life, but apparently not disabled enough to make adult child money so all I get is an extra $500 on Dad's social security to help with taking care of me. So much for taking care of our mentally ill.

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    Ann Dennis
    Community Member
    2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    The US tends to ignore its mentally ill as much as possible, even worse than it's physically ill.

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    #38

    My country loves taking the tax out of me, it’s as if everything I own is theirs….probably how it is.

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    #39

    Every morning i get to wake up and, before even checking what the weather will be like today, I get to check what times during the next 24 hours, I will be without electricity for several hours. Yay!

    In South Africa, we currently have what we lovingly refer to as "loadshedding", where our electricity is cut for 2-hour sessions throughout the day (sometimes, as many as three to four sessions in 24 hours), due to our ongoing "energy crisis". Every. D*mn. Day. !.

    As a mom with a family and someone who works from home, you can imagine how productive a day can be with two to three 2-hour sessions without electricity.

    Fun fact: this crisis has been ongoing since 2007.

    Also, without electricity, I have no internet or cellphone service (I'm not sure why, as my husband doesn't have this issue with his cellphone, but we are on different networks, so could be my network's issue). This means that I am unreachable during these sessions. Hopefully there are no emergencies during this time!

    Also also, apparently "loadshedding" is limited to areas where no important state officials live. So double yay!

    What a time to be alive!

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    I I
    Community Member
    2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    UK here and my government is discussing on rolling black outs during this winter , as in we will go with out electric at certain times ( usually night time ) up and down the country for an hour or so at a time as we cant get the gas we need to drive our power stations , it's going to be bad as i only have electric , no gas , so if we get cold at night i cant warm my house .

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    #40

    In the last year we've gone from under -50°C to over 50°C. We've had a drought so bad the province caught fire and stayed that way for 2 months, a flood so bad we were under water for over a month. We have highest death rate from a Pandemic in our country, the lowest minimum wage, and hospitals are being shut down due to lack of funding and nursing shortages!

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    #41

    Criminals run the country and law abiding citizens get punnished when they stand up to criminals.

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    Bon Jour
    Community Member
    2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    That case in New York City was sickening. A 69 year old man charged with murder, sent to Rikers Island, literally defended himself from someone half his age, all on camera...... Just think if there wasn't a camera or public outrage. Wow!

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    #42

    My 23 year old grandchild is researching different countries to move to b/c of the serious mess the USA has morphed into. My advice? Leave before it is too late to escape!

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    #43

    I have a full-time job ($50K/year) and make extra money with online sales and also freelancing; and I'm still living out of my car.

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    #44

    I am friends with bankers, publishers, artists, tech people. All my own age. All accomplished. All, outwardly, successful. None of them can afford to live alone.

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    Penny Kemper
    Community Member
    1 year ago

    This comment is hidden. Click here to view.

    This kind of stuff is about choices? You want to live a in certain area or neighborhood. You chose to eat out which cost much more than preparing meals at home. You chose to pay for multiple streaming services, video games, etc. that a lot of people do without to make ends meet. You have an expensive car, not a used or hid forbid use the bus. All cost of living is about choices.

    #45

    My doctor ordered a biopsy for me three months ago. I'm still saving up just to pay for the test. If it comes back positive I won't be able to afford cancer treatments anyway so I don't know why I'm bothering. Important to note that I have health insurance through my employer, but between the deductible, copays, and coinsurance, I still can't afford it.

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    Angela Kelley
    Community Member
    2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I do hope you won’t need to do so, but look into the National Institute of Health in Bethesda MD. A dear friend of mine was able to go through many clinical trials that extended her life. She would fly in from Idaho (flights gifted to her) and friends on this side of the states would go be with her as extra ears and greatly needed shenanigans. I wish you all the best.

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    #46

    Religious zealots now control the Supreme Court of the US.

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    #47

    I just passed my 12th anniversary of my illness starting and I still haven’t found anything to make the pain stop. Even for just a couple hours a day. Nope. The last time I was somewhat pain free was for about 4 hours and that was in may 7th 2015. I’m tired.

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    ExistentialSoup
    Community Member
    1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I began experiencing back pain severe enough to drop me to the floor at age 10. It got worse from there. I'm 45 now and, three spinal surgeries later, I'm 100% grateful I'm able to function as well as I do! I'm constantly in pain but I can manage it with yoga, walking/hiking and tylenol/ibuprofen and an occasional Ativan. I'm fortunate to have access to limited Ativan. Most don't in my country (USA) because of draconian laws around relief-seeking (often labeled "drug seeking" by the medical world). Anyway, I consider myself incredibly fortunate to have made it this far.

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    #48

    Expensive healthcare, school shootings, no gun restrictions yet abortion laws, minimum wage, etc.

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    #49

    "Wow! Gas is so cheap today!" He said passing a store advertising $4.15 a gallon.

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    #50

    Thousands of people got blamed for cheating with benefits, forced to pay the government enormous sums of money, and then had their children taken away from them because they were not good parents anymore, according to same government. Did nothing wrong but had "suspicious" backgrounds (read: foreign sounding names or similar).

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    #51

    The Govt/Medicare/CMS pays $16,000 per Medicare patient to an insurance company. The Insurance companies pay my doctor’s group $14,000 per patient to “manage” their care. Our company is paid $700,000,000 per year! 8 of my 13 coworkers in my department, myself included, are single parents and earning a salary below the poverty line BUT our execs got huge bonuses!!!

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    #52

    The USA claims to be a dream land of the free but in reality it only benifits people who are rich, cis, straight, white, men. Also robots (while some serve very good purposes) are becoming more reliable.

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    #53

    Having to pay for water.

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    Sandeep Patel
    Community Member
    2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    i disagree with this one, Water is readily available all over the planet, whether it is safe is another matter, Since man has been flooding fresh water with raw sewage, the water needs to be treated and cleaned so it is safe to drink. We are essentially paying for the treatment and safe transport of water to our homes

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    #54

    I really like the way they've restructured the payment scale at the "donation" center where I sell my plasma for grocery money.

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    #55

    Kids in school collecting points instead of knowledge.

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    #56

    If I enter certain parts of the country I've called home my whole life I loose rights even though a bunch of society demands and deserves those rights.

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    #57

    Losing approximately 1/3 of my income to taxes that pay for government programs I have no say in nor benefit from, only to have a further tenth of my income to be stolen by sales tax to pay local politician's bribes, and then having to pay EVEN MORE taxes on gasoline, then have to pay a mortgage, utilities bills, food, and medical expenses with what's left.

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    censorshipsucks
    Community Member
    2 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    NO. your tax dollars pay for social services provided at a federal level. If you WANT to live in a country where there's not enough tax money to cover services from government, go take a look at most of africa (except south africa), to see what happens. It's a mess. Basically as soon as you get sick you can choose to die in the street or be healed and become homeless. Oh wait that is YOUR country because your tax money is wasted on your MILITARY. Your tax dollars pay for: military, national parks, roadworks, public libraries, public schooling, covid grants, etc. Even if YOU do not use those things, others do. That's called PART OF BELONGING TO A SOCIETY. If you do not support the poor, they will destroy you. See also: "let them eat cake." That ended on a guillotine. Wake the f**k up.

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