> A poor American is still in the global 1%. America's population is 4% of the world, and the poverty line is below the 25th percentile, so NONE of America's p

> A poor American is still in the global 1%. America's population is 4% of the world, and the poverty line is below the 25th percentile, so NONE of America's poor are in the global 1%. > That doesn't hold up when you look across the globe, which is my main point. Poverty is relative because poverty is social exclusion. Social exclusion from the very things you talk about: > a sense of purpose in their lives, and meaningful connection to friends, family, and community [...] stability and security. Poor Americans are excluded from all of these things, same as poor people anywhere else -- even though poor Americans have a level of consumption that may be higher than elsewhere. Also the absolute consumption level is really irrelevant. The instability and unreliability of access to housing dominates every other aspect of consumption.