The US Census Bureau released today that 49 million Americans live in poverty. That’s close to 16% of the American population living with an income at or below a level considered necessary to survive.
Some will say that those in poverty do not work hard enough, do not care enough for their families or simply do not want to dig themselves out of poverty. These myths of poverty often arise from the depths of those who believe that people who “live off the system” are not deserving of public assistance. Most who have never struggled to survive or have never been forced to live off public assistance by an economy so out of control, do not understand the causes and stages of poverty in our society. Add in the blatant and obvious mistrust and discrimination of the poor that is pervasive in our society, and you have a segment of people who are segregated and treated as unequal citizens.
Poverty is often confused by many who assume that the term refers to those who are homeless, the purposefully uneducated and drug addicts. Often the poor are accused of wanting to live in their current conditions and not striving for a success that is measured by income. Very falsely, people imagine that the poor are poor because they want to be.
What is the truth about poverty and why are there so many misconceptions about the poor? Why do those who “have” accuse those who “have not” of sucking the system dry? Is it perhaps the constant bullying of the poor and belief that the poor are undeserving that causes a cycle of misconceptions about poverty?
Often poverty is situational. This means that one is forced to live in poverty due to circumstances or life events beyond their control. Current middle class families who lose their jobs for example, are experiencing situational poverty. For those whose families have lived in poverty for many years, generational poverty is the term best describing their circumstance. These families have often experienced poverty for many decades, raising children who experience poverty for most, if not all of their lives.
People often show more compassion for situational poverty, assuming that “bad” times fall upon “good” people. Bad times are commonplace in today’s society and we all know someone who has struggled with job loss or medical issues. We all know someone who has used public assistance programs in one way or another to help them get through a tough situation. Why is it that situational poverty is is acceptable, while generational poverty is not?
For those living in generational poverty, it is a long line of family culture that persists through decades of living without. While many believe that even those who live in generational poverty should have the ability to find their way out of dark circumstance, it is often more difficult to break the cycle. Because poverty is often linked to lack of education, it is easy to see that children living in poverty are often labeled as uneducated, less talented or less bright than other students. Often this type of labeling begins with the appearance of a poor child, in worn or dirty clothing. Others pick up on those not like themselves, and often use this to label them in a category unlike their own. Generationally poor families experience this type of bullying and labeling from adults and children alike. Communities know who is poor, where they must live, who receives public assistance and who has nothing. It is a perpetuating cycle caused not simply through one’s family, but through the society in which one lives. Neighborhoods are broken by poverty lines, with the obviously poor habitating obviously poor areas.
It is the part of the public to stop the vicious cycle of bullying the poor. If we stop looking at the situational poor as deserving of public assistance for a short time while demeaning the generational poor for their reliance of public assistance, we can truly become a more compassionate and helpful nation.
With Thanksgiving and Christmas right around the corner, many will be volunteering to help those in need. Many others will think about volunteering, but simply believe they are too busy. If you find yourself unable to donate your time this holiday season, try something a little different to help the poor. Evaluate your views of the poor. Consider who you believe to be poor and check out the statistics from the US Census Bureau. Educate yourself on who the poor truly are and reevaluate who you thought the poor were. Decide to change your perceptions of who is deserving of your compassion, and teach your families and children not to label the poor. Regardless of family situation, education or lifestyle, all are deserving of our compassion and respect.