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It's easy to armchair theorize about how one should be able to pull themselves out of poverty, but it's not quite as simple as you make it sound. Poverty/Homel

It's easy to armchair theorize about how one should be able to pull themselves out of poverty, but it's not quite as simple as you make it sound. Poverty/Homelessness is a cycle. Once you're in it, it becomes exponentially harder to climb out the longer you are in it. Even if you maintain your mental faculties, don't have a drug/alcohol problem, and are willing to work - doesn't mean you will find a job. In cities it is a bit easier to take the first job that comes up, but if you live in a rural area you are subject to geography. Maybe the only job that is hiring is 30 miles away and you can't get there because your car is broken down. >>Living isnt hard to do in first world countries where food is plentiful, jobs pay decent, and getting space to live in is cheap. I don't know your history but this seems like a comment made by someone who has never had to struggle for those things. It is absolute hard for some, just as it comes easily for others. Casting out blanket statements like this does nothing other than turn a blind eye to an issue.

mkirklions 8y ago
I dont think you read my post. It was about mental illness.
- protonimitate 8y ago
  If your comment was about mental illness than you need to be more clear in your writing. Either way, your point doesn't make sense. If you are saying it IS a mental health issue, than pointing out how easy it is to find work and how cheap living is in rural areas has nothing to do with that point. If you are saying it is NOT a mental health issue, then my counter arguments stand. Poverty is a cycle that affects even those with good mental health.
  - DuskStar 8y ago
    I believe his argument is this: 1. Cheap housing exists ($400-500/mo) 2. Minimum wage jobs are readily available in the areas that the cheap housing exists 3. Working a minimum wage job and living in said areas is preferable to being homeless 4. The primary reason someone might choose not to, or be unable to, take that path is mental illness 5. Therefore, homelessness must be a mental health problem There are a number of ways to attack this, but "ease of finding housing and jobs" is actually relevant to his argument - namely, that because such opportunities exist and the homeless are not taking them, there must be something preventing the homeless from taking them (and that something is mental illness)

mkirklions 8y ago

I dont think you read my post. It was about mental illness.

protonimitate 8y ago
If your comment was about mental illness than you need to be more clear in your writing. Either way, your point doesn't make sense. If you are saying it IS a mental health issue, than pointing out how easy it is to find work and how cheap living is in rural areas has nothing to do with that point. If you are saying it is NOT a mental health issue, then my counter arguments stand. Poverty is a cycle that affects even those with good mental health.
- DuskStar 8y ago
  I believe his argument is this: 1. Cheap housing exists ($400-500/mo) 2. Minimum wage jobs are readily available in the areas that the cheap housing exists 3. Working a minimum wage job and living in said areas is preferable to being homeless 4. The primary reason someone might choose not to, or be unable to, take that path is mental illness 5. Therefore, homelessness must be a mental health problem There are a number of ways to attack this, but "ease of finding housing and jobs" is actually relevant to his argument - namely, that because such opportunities exist and the homeless are not taking them, there must be something preventing the homeless from taking them (and that something is mental illness)