The Blog Challenge On Poverty:answers to week 3
The Reflective Questions are: What does the phrase ‘living in poverty’ mean to you? How has your definition of ‘poverty’ changed in the past year? Does your community think differently about poverty now? How can you tell?
These look like questions that must have been discussed at some of those previous meetings I did not attend. So I will just have to give my personal view since I can’t speak as an experienced member of the community.
Living in Poverty? To me, “poverty” has always meant having to do without something you wished you had because you didn’t have the means to acquire it.
There was a time when we were so far below the “poverty level” that someone told us it was impossible for anyone to live on that amount of money. And we had three children. Did we feel impoverished? No. We had what we needed and what we wanted. There were those who felt much more like they were in poverty than we did, including those who had far more.
Poverty can be an actual physical need caused by lack of employment, lack of support, lack of resources, community or regional economics, etc. It can also be more of a poverty of spirit–discontent with what is available or the lack of desire, knowledge, support system, or motivation to improve on what is available. This kind of poverty often results in depression. (Of course there are also moral, spiritual, ethical and other forms of poverty, for which those living in poverty do not necessarily aspire–they are just lacking in the minimal characteristics.) These can be applied to either individuals or communities.
Often outsiders to an “impoverished,” “depressed,” or “primitive” region (or family) assess the situation from their value system and insist that the people conform to their view of what is economically a “better way of life.” They do not see any value in what is happening before them.
True poverty should be addressed. The basics of food, shelter, personal interactions, and warmth should be made available and within reach of all. Employment opportunities with adequate wages to provide these necessities of life is a key to avoiding the depression causing lack of motivation. Access to educational opportunities or apprenticeships that equip people to maximize their potential should be available.
My definition of poverty hasn’t changed in the last year. I can’t speak for my community because I haven’t been in the community dialogue that long. I think my view about how to make a difference has been different than those with whom I have dialogued recently, but I don’t know how that has affected the thinking of those others either.