Poverty is Personal

~I was recently involved in a discussion that ask, “is poverty self-inflicted?”

 The ability to care for one's self is one of the most instinctual behaviors of man, and one that our society closely associates with self-worth. There is an unspoken shame placed by society on the shoulders’ of our nation’s poor. The inability to rise above economic or social barriers and have control of one's own livelihood is, in American majority, looked upon as a personal failure for those individuals faced with such circumstances. Americans are individualist, and with that they place an extraordinary amount of responsibility on individuals rather than society as a whole. That is not to say that personal responsibility is not correct or needed, but is it not reasonable to expect that there should co-exist a certain amount of shared responsibility for the well-being of all mankind? After all, to quote John Donne “no man is an island; entire of itself, every man is a piece of the continent."

The theory that poverty is due to “individual deficiencies” is an old one, rooted deeply in American culture through our own Protestant forefathers. Protestant reformation documents clearly equate wealth with godly favor, as it does hardship with godly punishment. In other words, you reap what you sow. If you work hard you will succeed; if you do not succeed it is due to lack of motivation on the individual’s part and not worthy of God’s rewards. It’s a way of thinking that is as American as apple pie. But, is it correct?

In examining the question of "is poverty self-inflicted?", it is necessary to immediately recognize that in actuality no man is truly self-sufficient, nor solely culpable for his own survival. Each man remains, as throughout history, dependent on the shared resources of his fellow man. Whether it is tangible goods or intellectual property, only by the banding together of each individual’s strengths has man improved his plight on this planet. Without the help of the Native Americans our Protestant ancestors would not have survived that first winter in a new world. Had the American Indians not shared their knowledge and goods with these newcomers, the pilgrims would not have had opportunity to survive and prosper. Should we address American history by teaching that the pilgrims” plight was “self-inflicted” and did not warrant outside help? Were the pilgrims the first freeloaders? Bad decision making, possibly?  Lack of personal responsibility?  Continuing to have children in such dire circumstances without the proper support?  Depending on charity for survival?

Most Americans, if not all, would say “no”, yet that is exactly what we are saying about our contemporary brothers and sisters who face the hardships and abuses of poverty in today’s society. This deeply rooted, though misguided, theory that the poor lack the motivation to pull one’s self out of poverty is alive and well in America. Sadly, this thinking offers no reasonable solution tor recognition to the growing number of Americans living at or below the defined lines of poverty, and in turn, perpetuates stereotypes of laziness, and unworthiness aimed at the poor. You can break a man’s back with a ton of bricks, but it only takes a few words anchored in humiliation to break a man’s spirit.

So, it is vehemently important that we understand our own beliefs when it comes to the root causes of poverty. Without question, how a society views the causes of poverty has a direct effect on how that society approaches anti-poverty solutions. Assigning merely individual blame only makes us indifferent to the hardships of others. The definition of poverty in America has historically been rooted in and shaped by political bias and religious values. Where are the definitions rooted in compassion, empathy, and common good? Communities that focus only on a single theory, like bad decision making or personal characteristics (i.e.: drug addicts, welfare mothers) are known to be less effective in fighting poverty then those communities that fully examine the complex and overlapping theories of the true causes of poverty, like socioeconomic conditions, and political and social systems.

Poverty is a painfully personal journey. There simply is no one theory that can explain all or every instance of poverty. Each of us is shaped by our own external experiences in this world. Each of us is a product of our own relationship with economic hardship, or economic abundance, social stigmas, abuses, or praises of our own encounters. Every man is a product of his own limited observations, and therefore should make no assumption toward his fellow man’s ability or inability to care for himself. The fight to end poverty should be rooted in human dignity, nothing more, and nothing less.

The diversity of poverty implies that there need be diversity in solutions. When we accept that poverty is personal, then we are using our individualism correctly. When we can look at those in less desirable situations and not eagerly place independent blame, but see the reality of man’s similarities in his struggle for quality of life, we will then move toward more productive solutions to end extreme poverty.   

“By defining our goal more clearly — by making it seem more manageable and less remote — we can help all people to see it, to draw hope from it, and to move irresistibly toward it.” ~John F. Kennedy

Poverty is so much more than the absence of money. Poverty is the absence of opportunity. The opportunity of self-worth through work, education, healthcare, safe shelter, proper nutrition, and most importantly human connections, a support system within one’s own community.  In order to break the cycle of poverty we must first, as Americans, put aside our individualist tendency and approach the problem as a civic duty, a personal duty. Life is a constant road of give and take and sometimes you are the one giving and sometimes you are the one taking. No man is without needs, no matter how poor or rich. It is our individual responsibility to take collective action in ending the poverty of neglect and judgment toward our fellow man.

If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.                   ~ African Proverb.

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