It is interesting how this thread is split between messages of 'they should make better decisions' and then the reply/response that absolves the decision-maker

It is interesting how this thread is split between messages of 'they should make better decisions' and then the reply/response that absolves the decision-maker by stating that it's the fault of the 'stress of poverty', not the fault of the decision-maker. I think the reason more people make these short-sighted bad decisions is exactly because they're being told that being in poverty doesn't have anything to do with the personal decisions you make but your 'circumstance'. If we tell people this, what motivation do they have to make prudent long-term decisions at the expense of short-term gratification? What they decide as an individual doesn't matter, or so their told - and they are told that it's a 'societal' problem, that 'society' needs to address/fix, so again, where's the motivation to make sacrifices at an individual level to increase one's lot in life? Regardless of the reality - of the two statements "it's your decisions that affect your level of poverty" and "it's society's fault you are poor" - one of these statements empowers the individual to make better choices, and the other discourages it. PS: +1 to the folks who said garage sale / thrift store / second-hand couches. It's mind-boggling that anyone struggling w/ money would buy(/rent) new furniture.