Rich

by Jacqueline Fraser

Created on: May 15, 2011   Last Updated: May 16, 2011

It is definitely better to be rich than to be poor. Hearing and reading stories, and viewing scenes of documentaries of poverty can be vivid, pathetic and heart-felt. However, having the actual experience of poverty can never be compared to what is seen and/or heard. Experiencing poverty is certainly one of the worst earthly ordeals.

The adage, “Poverty is not a crime” should be replaced by “Poverty leads to crime”.  Poverty contributes to so many negative situations that there needs to be a more expedient continuous universal war against it. Being poor is malnutrition and deficiency, being used and abused, rejection, discrimination, discouragement, disappointments, the “have-nots’ and the agent for the development of a low self-esteem. The unpleasant metaphors for poverty are endless. Poor people are viewed by most of the rich who are strong and powerful as inferior and lesser mortals.

People who are opposing this topic, may identify several outstanding men and women who have emerged from the bowels of poverty, but those are just a few tiny drops from the vast ocean of the poor. Statistics have shown that the great disparity between the rich and poor is increasing. While the few millionaires and billionaires hop on private jets and enjoy million dollar vacations, there are trillions of aching hungry stomachs scraping and scrambling the crumbs from Lazarus’ table.

Poor families have no alternative but to be housed in areas that are described as “breeding grounds for criminals” according to Juror#4 of Reginald Rose’s,” Twelve Angry Men”. Of course, Rose developed the character of the poor accused lad to portray the universal truth of discrimination and prejudice that exist against the innocent due to poverty. Writers such as Rose are making statements that aptly capture the situation and circumstances of the poor in the past and at present.

Thomas Hardy an English writer of the late 1800’s dealt with this parasitic issue that has pervaded society maybe throughout history and is still in existence. He realized how detrimental it is to the human being. It is largely in part of poverty that Tess, the main character of Tess of the D’Urbervilles suffered at the hands of the more fortunate. She was placed in the Stoke – D’Urbervilles household for financial and cultural development; however, this action led to her degradation and tragic demise.

According to Ayn Rand, “Observe that the “haves” are those who have freedom, and that it is freedom that the “have nots” have not.” Rand is aware of the entrapment of the poor. She perceives the vicious cycle from which very few can escape through the crack.  Every report in the media verifies that the disparity between the rich and the poor is continuously widening. The enslaved can never be happy. Every human being deserves respect and to be free of drudgery and subservience.

It is a known fact that one’s environment plays a major role in one’s over-all development. Who enjoys the most conducive environment in most cases (the rich or the poor)? The poor cannot easily afford a balanced diet daily. The poor cannot afford the best schooling nor housing. He/she has limited access of gaining educational experiences by means of travelling away from home. Medical care is nearly always available to the rich from birth to the grave. Can the poor afford this? Access to contacts that can facilitate people for certain opportunities is out of the reach of the poor. In nearly every sphere of life, the rich is blessed with the advantages while the poor is cursed with the disadvantages.

Many things viewed as wrong and immoral generally, should be considered differently where the poor is concerned. Everyone will agree with me that if the pangs of hunger are unbearable, the urge to steal is much greater. Similarly, prostitution might be wrong and even dangerous too but the element of fact is there that poverty is a main contributor to this. According to, “Women’s History Then and Now”, many women prostitute because of need as stated in the article, “Why Women of the Twenty-first Century Prostitute”, “…due to economic needs …and needing more ….” Of course people would certainly love to be respected and held in high esteem but for the poor, sometimes the circumstances get out of control and lead to downfall.

Jeffrey Reiman in his book, The Rich Get Richer and the Poor Get Prison proves the point why it is better to be rich than to be poor. He gives the reasons why the poor always suffer the worse fate and are more easily and readily sent to jail. “He claims…to project to the people an image of the idea that the threat of crime emanates from the poor. … We know the causes of crime poverty,…. The poor are more likely to be arrested for a particular crime, while wealthier people are merely warned. There is an association between crime and poverty…there is also bias against the poor.”

Doing one’s best and trying to develop academically and morally while living in poverty are the ideals recommended for upward mobility from the pit. However, it is evident that because poverty is such a vicious cycle there is no hope for many regardless of how much they persevere to succeed. Therefore, it is better to be rich than to be poor so as to enjoy a better quality of and easier life. Everybody surely wants the best and less stress.

www.cwrl.utexas.edu/~ulrich/femhist/sex_workshtml    

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