by Ryan Foley

Created on: November 05, 2008

Poverty is one of the terms that, in Webster's Dictionary, has a clear-cut meaning. However, is it that simple? There lies an abundance of layered meanings in the word "poverty". On the surface, poverty is viewed in terms of an individual, family or corporate status. The second is social poverty. There are many individuals out there who despite perhaps, making their seven-figure check are out of touch with outside reality and are strictly confined to their work or career. The third aspect of poverty I would like to point out is mental poverty. This form of poverty can be in direct relation to medical reasons such as depression, or can be indirectly related based on the aforementioned social poverty. Poverty is in direct correlation to another term, happiness. I will break this down into the three forms of poverty more in-depth.

We have heard the saying, "Money buys happiness." Let's look at that phrase. Does it? Of course it does! Does it buy happiness for EVERYONE? Of course not! It is difficult to refute that anyone who has been eating out of a change jar for a majority of their lifetime or barely having enough money to clothe their children that an abundance of money to this group would not cause happiness. However, by the same token, some who are strapped for cash could be performing a job they absolutely love. An example I can mention is a staff writer who I have spoken with for a professional sports team who admits, "The pay sucks, but I couldn't find myself doing anything else." Therefore, in that respect, they are poor in monetary value, but not socially or mentally.

You're an executive and it has taken you fourteen years to achieve this level of status. You tirelessly put in fifteen hour days to make sure to attain your lifestyle and good health and fortune for you and your family. will most be happy with this situation? This is another layered topic to discuss but, unless one loathes having a home life, then a fair hypothesis would be that though financially healthy, they are poor in a social and family setting. Many times higher executives who travel extensively or are away from home are resented by children who can't grasp the concept of their "not being present" and leads to strenuous times with spouses, often leading to divorce. In fact, this form of poverty may even be more of a grave issue than tender and bank accounts because this social poverty leads to in a worst case scenario, mental breakdowns.

Mental poverty can be related to social poverty. It is tied to breakdowns of social ties between family and friends but also, what if you are depressed and do not even know why. The group I most closely associate with this type of poverty are those who actually treat the mental ill. Clinical studies have shown therapists and doctors to be very depressed. I would most likely associate that with having to treat the mentally ill on a forty hour per week basis.

Poverty is such a difficult term to pinpoint. Some who are poverty-stricken in one area may be full of riches and personal wealth in another. That said, why not start today and work on your own entire personal growth?

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