Are there lessons to be learned from the poor?

Yes

1 of 1

by Elizabeth M. Young

• 

Write now Print Invite a writer™ Add to Favorites RSS Feed Contact this writer

If we pay attention to the poor, there are many lessons to be learned. When we suspend our judgment, stop filtering everything that we observe and hear through hardened opinion, and listen or observe objectively, we learn an incredible number of facts that tell us how a person came to be poor. Assumptions get in the way of truth far too many times when we see what we perceive to be a poor person.

We can find out if a person is truly poor, or whether they just "look" that way to us. We can find out how, when and why a person became poor. Where a person entered poverty, in combination with the other factors can tell us a lot about regional, substance abuse, medical and other problems that are causing changes in the patterns and the ways that people become poor.

IF: We can learn a lot about our own values and behavior. When we use judgments that we think are sound in order to categorize people, we can be shocked to find that we are quite wrong. An individual who looks as if he shops at a thrift shop can be a quite well off person who prefers to wear old, comfortable clothes. A person who dresses impeccably and is well groomed can be quite poor, but particular about their appearance.

In the most extreme cases, a filthy, severely mentally ill street person can have a substantial disability, veterans pension, or trust fund income, but be unable to stabilize well enough to have and maintain a home or appearance.

HOW and WHY: Whether someone had their assets stolen or seized suddenly, or 20 year employees of a failed major corporation found themselves on the streets, it is plain that sudden asset seizure or sudden job loss gives people no time to prepare. It is also very obvious that it only takes a major medical illness to take most persons from a well to do status to relative poverty in very little time.

There are generational social issues that contribute to poverty which seems to be "for no reason". We are now in an era where, decades and even generations later, many descendants of Dust Bowl refugees, immigrants, migrants and others still have not entered the mainstream of middle class success. We are also in an era of generational substance abuse.

WHEN: Some "poor" people have been that way for generations. Others succumbed to substance abuse or illness that has always been around to destroy both people's prosperity and their ability to recover. Some people suffered from major events, such as wars, major disasters, plant closures, and a host of other historical events that affected many people's fortunes in many ways.

Others are part of the new wave of individuals who find themselves unable to recover from a job loss, the loss of a home through foreclosure, loss of medical insurance, overwhelming medical bills, and other causes that are a result of the past eight years of terrible leadership that left damage behind in virtually every aspect of our economy and society.

We can learn from the poor in a million ways. We learn how to avoid the behaviors that lead to poverty. We learn to look out for signs of turmoil in the job market, and to set aside as much as we can. We learn that we could easily become poor ourselves, through accident, injury or illness.

We also learn not to judge a person by shallow and stubborn standards and to be more objective and willing to listen whenever possible. A person who "looks" poor, may be far better off than we are, and simply not care what we think about them.

But most of all, we learn not to reject others who may have advice, help, support, and counsel, should we find ourselves in their positions in life. Learning from the poor is critical, because, when it comes to major disasters and failures of social order, no one is "set for life". No one is rich. Everyone is poor, even if for just a few hours.

Learn more about this author, Elizabeth M. Young.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.