What constitues 'poor'?

Published on October 9, 2004 By dharmagrl In Current Events

There's been a lot of talk about 'the poor' around here lately...actually, it's been an on-going thing.

I'd like to know what people's opinion of 'poor' is.

Are you 'poor' if you don't have a big screen TV? How about a car that's less than 5 years old? Cable? Internet service? Are you 'poor' if you buy your clothes at Goodwill or thrift stores as opposed to JC Penny's and Sears? Does 'poor' mean that you eat macaroni and cheese every night instead of steak or chicken?

What is your definition of 'poor'?

Comments (Page 1)

WiseFawn

on Oct 09, 2004

This is a good question, but unfortunately, it is not one that can be answered as an opinion. Everyone has their idea or opinion about what real poverty is. There are different levels. Obviously, if I see someone standing on a corner asking for help, I'm not going to think they are as poor as a child lying with distended belly that hasn't eaten for days in another country.
This isn't a question that we can afford to answer as an opinion. It causes harm. They have standards set to go by.
I'd suggest starting with this.

http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/income_wealth/002484.html

Link

Dr Guy

on Oct 09, 2004

Hey Dharma,

Poor? Gets me. I grew up in a house where we could not afford soda or whole milk. And no, we did not get Food Stamps. But I tell you after I got my first real job, I sure drank a lot of real milk! (not the powdered kind).

Were we poor? You decide. We had a clunker, an oil furnace in the living room of a 2 bedroom apartment (there were 4 of us kids, and 2 bunk beds). On Christmas, we got things like Soda, candy, and clothes! that was our treat!

But we made it. Sure I was jealous of the kids at school who had a dime to buy a soda! Sometimes, I even managed to trade for one or more! (I was a bad child! Made the rich kid pay to play with us!).

In the end, I got a job, went to college, and bought my own milk! And sodas. So I guess I was rich!

In opportunity!

BTW: Want to know when I saw the first color TV? How about 1974, at college! We had a 13" B&W that was a gift to my brother and me before that! Which was ok with me. I did not get glasses until I was 10, and blind as a bat from birth! So what could I see anyway?

I suggest those who need to know, go to Sudan or Ethopia and check out their poor. Then see if our nobless oblige qualifies.

I think not. I think we are very lucky to live in a place where poor is not having 2 TVs or a VCR.

lifehappens

on Oct 09, 2004

Poor is in your head. (most of the time)

I know people who think they are "poor"....they are struggling to make ends meet because their credit cards are maxed out. But they have nice things, I can't afford. Does that make me poor?

I know a family of 9 in a 4 bedroom house. 1 car. 1 bathroom. Hand-me-down clothes. They have no credit card debt. no fancy possesions, but no debt other than the mortgage (which is almost finished) Are they poor? They are happy. Content with their life. Not suffering for food, heat etc. Now, the girls are not cheerleaders because the uniforms are too expensive. The boys don't have thier own cars. They don't have take out very often or go out to eat.

I think most people define "poor" as "not having enough money (cash) to cover debts or buy the things you want" The real definition of "poor" should be changed to "not being able to provide the basic needs for living".

A quote by M. Hinkley went like this..."if you have more than 2 changes of clothing in your closet and food for more than one meal in the cupboard and clean water to drink....you should be grateful..." Maybe gratitude is what we need....not more money.

*Note:this comment does not imply that those with no food or healthcare or shelter are not truely poor....I'm just commenting on the large portion of our population that think they are "poor"

Draginol

on Oct 09, 2004

In the United States, unless you are physically or mentally disabled it's pretty difficult to be poor.

To me, being poor means not being able to afford basic things like food, clothing, and shelter. When I was growing up, my mom and I ate a lot of beans, soup, chipped beef on toast, etc. because it was hard to afford food. I never once ate one of the paid lunches at school. Not once. 13 years (K through 12) not once did I have a hot lunch. Always brought my sandwich.

For the first several grades, my mom made my clothes. My pictures from when I was a kid are kind of funny looking as a result. I didn't have a school bag until 5th grade but rather had a bag my mom made from jeans. I did have a Star Wars lunchbox (which I wish I still had).

We didn't take vacations except I did go once per year to see my dad for a few weeks in the summer. We didn't have cable. We didn't have a VCR. And for quite awhile we had a black and white TV (and this was in the 80s btw, not ancient history) which I'm not sure where we got.

I grew up with the same furniture until I left for college that my mom had gotten years before (I have some of it here in our house, not antique stuff, just regular old furniture).

My mom raised me working minimum wage but slowly made her way up until saved her way and was able to buy a nice home for us.

I'd call that pretty poor by American standards. But we never thought of ourselves as "poor". But by Wisefawn's linked definition, we most certainly would have been classified as poor. My mom did qualify for all kinds of goverment assistance and it would have increased our standard of living some but refused it.

I should also mention that my mom has MS (Multiple Sclerosis) which has left her largely paralysed at times when I was growing up.

So if I come across as not being terribly understanding of people who cry poverty, perhaps this gives you a picture why. If my mom could make it despite everythign going against her, anyone can. Just a high school degree and determination and she today lives a pretty comfortable middle class lifestyle. Most of the people I grew up around, by contrast, especially when we were really at the bottom, I suspect are still at the bottom because they refused to help themselves. They just wanted to sit back and pump out babies and complain about how unfair life was.

dharmagrl

on Oct 09, 2004

WF...I want people's opinions as to what defines 'poor'. I'm interested to see the varying thoughts.

Dr Guy: yep, you were poor. When my dad had a heart attack and had to fold his business in the eighties, we were poor too.

LifeHappens: I think that 'not being able to provide the basic needs for living' should be the definiton too. If 'not being able to buy what you want' is 'poor'...well, I'm poor, as are 99% of the world's population.

To me 'poor' is not having the necessary means to provide yourself or your family with shelter, nutrition or clothing. 'Poor' is not having a vcr instead of a DVD player (thanks to Dave for that definition!), poor is not having to do your own nails instead of getting a manicure.

'Poor', in my mind, is going without food so you can pay your electricity bill or buy your kid a pair of shoes from Goodwill.

lifehappens

on Oct 09, 2004

I was being mildly sarcastic....

'not being able to buy what you want' is 'poor'...well, I'm poor, as are 99% of the world's population.

I was pointing out that many of the US population consider that to be the definition. As for me, I go with the

'not being able to provide the basic needs for living'

definition..

dharmagrl

on Oct 09, 2004

are still at the bottom because they refused to help themselves. They just wanted to sit back and pump out babies and complain about how unfair life was.

It's easier to complain about how unfair life is than it is to set about changing your lot, your circumstance. It's easier to accept the money the government gives you than it is to go without. It's nicer to buy your clothes and shoes than it is to accept hand-me-downs. But, it shouldn't be about 'easier' or 'nicer'. it should be about personal accountability.

I don't blame you for your attitude towards poverty. I feel the same way to an extent. People have got it into their heads that life is a level playing field. It's not. Life is like a sandwich - you get out of it what you put into it.

SuperheroCanadian

on Oct 09, 2004

poor is being in college

OA starts up the ramen water ::

Texas Wahine

on Oct 09, 2004

I think there is an important distinction between being poor and being impoverished. Impoverished is not knowing where the next meal will come from and not having a second set of clothes to change into. To me poor is having a low standard of living . . . hand-me-down furniture, lots of mac and cheese, kids wearing Wal-Mart clothes. This is not a bad thing. It's completely adequate. It's simply a lower standard of living compared to some others. Poor is just a different way of life. It's dial up instead of DSL, dollar show instead of $8 movie tickets, and a '93 Oldsmobile Calais instead of a 2003 Dodge Ram. Poor can be happy . . . it all has to do with priorities.

Dr Guy

on Oct 09, 2004

yea, I have to agree! i did not think of myself as poor, just that I was not RICH! SUre I would have loved to be rich, but that was the way of life.

Guess that is why we are conservative. We know we can do. Liberals are still trying to tell us we cant.

Dr Guy

on Oct 09, 2004

It's dial up instead of DSL, dollar show instead of $8 movie tickets, and a '93 Oldsmobile Calais instead of a 2003 Dodge Ram. Poor can be happy . . . it all has to do with priorities.

Yea, and 98% of the world's population would wish for that!

I take it you have no idea, right? And you are just trying to grasp at straws. Good grab. Now try living it

Texas Wahine

on Oct 09, 2004

Yea, and 98% of the world's population would wish for that!

I take it you have no idea, right? And you are just trying to grasp at straws. Good grab. Now try living it

I don't think you're getting me. I am making a distinction between the term "poor" and the term "impoverished." Did you catch that?

Shovelheat

on Oct 09, 2004

"Poor" is like "hell", a state of mind not a condition or a place. I've known penniless happy people and wealthy propertied misserable ones. To me, that's all it is

Texas Wahine

on Oct 09, 2004

Shovelheat: I gave you an insightful for that . . . that's what I was trying to get at, but you stated it so much better than I ever could have.

Texas Wahine

on Oct 09, 2004

little whip: To me what you are describing is poverty. We have this stigma surrounding the word "poor," that makes it seem like it's a bad thing. You're right, even those among us with the least here in the USA are still so much better off than those in many other places.

True poverty in the US is something that we should be concerned about, but I don't think that people being "poor" is a concern. Being "poor" means learning to be happy with less material comforts than many of those around us (or doing with less and being unhappy and constantly telling ourselves that we have been "cheated" out of what others have, though that's not much of a way to live).

There are many problems that come with wealth. Having a simple, materialistically "poor" life is in many ways a blessing . . . I also agree with shovelheat that being "poor" is relative. I just don't think it's a bad thing.

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