7 ms·

Sure wealth isn’t a requisite for a fulfilling life, but it’s pretty clear that OP wasn’t actually poor. If you have a good home life, a community and enough m

Sure wealth isn’t a requisite for a fulfilling life, but it’s pretty clear that OP wasn’t actually poor. If you have a good home life, a community and enough money for the essentials (and everything you want - according to OP) you’re not poor.

deaddodo 3y ago
People seem to be using simple financial metrics to define poor/poverty. They don't seem to understand that someone with 1000usd/mo (in the US) that chooses that lifestyle (usually has a decently supportive family structure to fall back on) is drastically better off than someone earning 1500usd/mo, that has two kids to clothe/feed and has zero opportunities to escape the cycle whereby the beater car that is all they can afford breaking down is a make or break it situation.
- yieldcrv 3y ago
  there's also no empathy "what!? I was able to save on 1000usd/mo... with a kid!" assets are either greater than your liabilities, or they're not. the dollar amounts aren't really relevant.
  - Aeolun 3y ago
    Being poor does not require being in debt. In fact it seems much more important to stay out of debt when poor.
    - yieldcrv 3y ago
      It can also mean that, but my point was including the possibility that expenses were higher than earnings
Gualdrapo 3y ago
Maybe because poverty is mostly a relative concept/status/whatever? i.e. I'd bet I'm relatively poor compared to many people from there, or even from my own country (Living in an impoverished neighborhood on a suburb from a third world city, don't own a house or a car, haven't ever left my country nor even my state in more than 30 years, I've never been how paid vacations feels like...) but definitely am not poor compared to what I was 10-15 years ago, or compared to several people from my own neighborhood. Surely if OP has all of their basic needs covered isn't poor for most people, but maybe some wealthy person can ponder them like they actually are.
- joe_the_user 3y ago
  Maybe because poverty is mostly a relative concept/status/whatever? No, actual poverty involves physical survival being uncertain, it involve fear and the pain of hunger and the pain of other things related to an uncertain existence (untreated health problems, physically carrying the limit stuff you possess around, etc).

deaddodo 3y ago

People seem to be using simple financial metrics to define poor/poverty. They don't seem to understand that someone with 1000usd/mo (in the US) that chooses that lifestyle (usually has a decently supportive family structure to fall back on) is drastically better off than someone earning 1500usd/mo, that has two kids to clothe/feed and has zero opportunities to escape the cycle whereby the beater car that is all they can afford breaking down is a make or break it situation.

yieldcrv 3y ago
there's also no empathy "what!? I was able to save on 1000usd/mo... with a kid!" assets are either greater than your liabilities, or they're not. the dollar amounts aren't really relevant.
- Aeolun 3y ago
  Being poor does not require being in debt. In fact it seems much more important to stay out of debt when poor.
  - yieldcrv 3y ago
    It can also mean that, but my point was including the possibility that expenses were higher than earnings

Gualdrapo 3y ago

Maybe because poverty is mostly a relative concept/status/whatever? i.e. I'd bet I'm relatively poor compared to many people from there, or even from my own country (Living in an impoverished neighborhood on a suburb from a third world city, don't own a house or a car, haven't ever left my country nor even my state in more than 30 years, I've never been how paid vacations feels like...) but definitely am not poor compared to what I was 10-15 years ago, or compared to several people from my own neighborhood. Surely if OP has all of their basic needs covered isn't poor for most people, but maybe some wealthy person can ponder them like they actually are.

joe_the_user 3y ago
Maybe because poverty is mostly a relative concept/status/whatever? No, actual poverty involves physical survival being uncertain, it involve fear and the pain of hunger and the pain of other things related to an uncertain existence (untreated health problems, physically carrying the limit stuff you possess around, etc).