Invisible Poverty

[The Fugitive]

    My wife, family , and friends of mine own several properties together.  We try to make all units affordable and upkept. So on an inspection this morning , prompted by a utility provider that they cut off service to one of my u its. Heading the law I immediately went there to see what the issue was. I find after doing an inspection a level of poverty that is unacceptable in this country. Several basic needs in my unit,  I will say it was my unit that was in bad shape.  This family has been behind since movibg in.  They have never paid on time, but made honest attempts to pay, they never called for repairs out of fear for me hitting them up for rent. Just remember all poverty is not seen.   As a man with children I had tears over this, and will say I am guilty of not seeing the poverty that was in front of my eyes.

Whaw whaw whaw! Im sure there is "poverty" in the world, but it can be conquered by people in that situation.

My mother divorced when I had just started school and was on welfare and was struggling to make ends meet with my sister an I as little kids. I am VERY proud to say she was only on welfare for 6 months, with assistance for another 6 months after that. She busted her bellybutton to make it work. She worked, and me and my sister took care of the apartments we lived in.

It instilled in me a healthy work ethic and a strong will to take care of my family. Mom passed away with a new husband in and middle class home that was paid for. I have two sons, one with a bachelors degree in computer science, and the other with a masters in computer sciences, both working in their fields and making more money than I ever have.

Poverty is for those who wish to wallow in it. Either get up and pull your self out of it, or shut the F up. Nobody says its easy, but nobody is suppose to do it for you either.

[Shuffler]

Unemployment just tracks those who were gainfully employed and are not now that are receiving unemployment benefits. If one is not employed and one does not receive unemployed benefits, they are not counted.

[TWCAxew]

Sometimes poverty is self afflicted and sometimes it's nothing you can do about.

Anyway John I salute you for trying to help this family, and yes poverty can even in the west be a serious problem. I am sure everyone here knows someone that is in serious debt.

DutchVII

[Easyscor]

Poverty can be a generational thing with two parents unable or unwilling to help their kids with education and school work. It’s not a pretty picture. Unless the community steps up, those kids are going to have a tough time in life; possibly having no other choice to support their family except through crime.
Not making excuses for criminals, just talking about kids without guidance and opportunity.

[FLS]

People of normal intelligence can work their way out of poverty. 10% of the population isn't smart enough for military service, even if they were fit enough which is another problem. Low IQ people and the mentally ill lack the ability to fully support themselves but they can still reproduce and make other bad choices. They need help which many don't get. The current solution for the kids in a dysfunctional home is  foster care, which generally sucks for the kids.

There are no easy answers. In the 30's the popular idea was to eliminate them, one way or another, from forced sterilization to state sanctioned murder, depending on the country. Now the mentally ill are often homeless or in prison since patient's rights advocates got them out of mental hospitals, many of which were horrible places, but being homeless on their own is hardly better.

History shows us that poverty is the natural state even for normal people. The rise in the worldwide standard of living from the benefits of western civilization is largely unappreciated. Looking at the current poverty in Venezuela we see how fragile that standard of living is.

[Copprhed]

Frankly, you can blame the poor person for being poor, which is uncharitable at best, and showing a less that humane attitude, or you can show the GRACE that we are shown daily, which we can never earn. I praise the OP for publicly admitting that he didn't realize or see what is there, everywhere, all the time.
You can call me "bleeding heart", or anything else you care to. I call it grateful for what I have, and understanding that I am blessed so that I can share those blessings with others. May you all be shown the grace that you show others.

[Shuffler]

Frankly, you can blame the poor person for being poor, which is uncharitable at best, and showing a less that humane attitude, or you can show the GRACE that we are shown daily, which we can never earn. I praise the OP for publicly admitting that he didn't realize or see what is there, everywhere, all the time.
You can call me "bleeding heart", or anything else you care to. I call it grateful for what I have, and understanding that I am blessed so that I can share those blessings with others. May you all be shown the grace that you show others.

Then you can't blame the rich person for being rich. In fact you can't blame anyone for anything. I totally disagree. For every action there is a reaction.

I am a giving person. I help my neighbors before I take care of my own chores. On the other hand I do not waste time or money on anyone who does not try to help themselves.

I offered a job to a guy holding a sign under the highway bridge. His sign said he lost is job and was asking for food. He was less than a mile from the shop but never showed. He was just milking folks for money.

I will pick and choose who I help.... I'm no fool.

[TWCAxew]

Then you can't blame the rich person for being rich. In fact you can't blame anyone for anything. I totally disagree. For every action there is a reaction.

Nobody blames anyone. He is just asking for everyone to keep an eye out to people around you. Also you don't know  why someone becomes poor to begin with. This family in particular has never asked him to do anything for them. The point that they decieve anybody is preposterous let alone that anyone deserves it. I can imagine getting no other job than at Mac Donalds and earning minimum wage. For a family that's hardly enough to live from.

DutchVII

[Copprhed]

Nobody blames anyone. He is just asking for everyone to keep an eye out to people around you. Also you don't know  why someone becomes poor to begin with. This family in particular has never asked him to do anything for them. The point that they decieve anybody is preposterous let alone that anyone deserves it. I can imagine getting no other job than at Mac Donalds and earning minimum wage. For a family that's hardly enough to live from.

DutchVII

Most of the "haves" blame the "have nots" for being that way. It is unfathomable to me, who HAS BEEN THERE, that the phrase "until you walk a mile in their shoes" means absolutely nothing to them. Hence my earnest prayer, "may He who shows us grave that we can NEVER deserve, show them the grace that they show others." My last word on the subject.

[BOBO]

I've been everything between poor and upper middle class and I used to think that in America, the poor are poor because they're getting screwed over by the system.

When the great recession hit, my great job was eliminated and I took a much lower paying job where I spent nearly all of my time interacting with people who live purely on welfare benefits in their own homes.  I quickly realized that these people were not poor because they were getting screwed over, they were poor because they make really bad decisions and do not plan for much of anything beyond the end of their own nose.
In the US at least, we have opportunity coming out of our ears and all the typical person has to do is put forth some effort to reap the benefits.

This thread started off simply with the OP venting a bit and also showing us that he has a good conscience.  My response is simply this.  What did you do after speaking to your tenant?  Were you able to help them?  Or even better, were you able to help them help their self?

Understanding and somewhat embracing the Pareto Principle has served me very well and I suggest others do the same.  To me, the reality of Pareto distributions in society is neither deniable or unfair.

[Meatwad]

Without getting political, there are also people that choose to live on welfare because they are too lazy to get a job, and know how to "game" the system

[BLINK]

poverty sux....

until people realize that things are not what matters, nothing is going to change.

take for instance a thief...he steals...someone shoots him for stealing...kills him.....everyone praises them oh good for you...wtg...you stopped that thief....

thief stole...

the other guy murdered....

nothing...no physical possession is worth more then a human life....
unless they are a rabid dog....you know stole cold rapist.. pedo's... murderers...like any rabid dog they need to be put down...humanely


just my opinion.

[Shuffler]

poverty sux....

until people realize that things are not what matters, nothing is going to change.

take for instance a thief...he steals...someone shoots him for stealing...kills him.....everyone praises them oh good for you...wtg...you stopped that thief....

thief stole...

the other guy murdered....

nothing...no physical possession is worth more then a human life....
unless they are a rabid dog....you know stole cold rapist.. pedo's... murderers...like any rabid dog they need to be put down...humanely


just my opinion.

I let a person decide the value of their life. It is not yup to me to value their life for them

If they think my mower is worth their life.... their choice.

[BLINK]

I let a person decide the value of their life. It is not yup to me to value their life for them

If they think my mower is worth their life.... their choice.

I hear that, and most people I know, that's how they believe, I use to also think like that....really dislike thieves....but I am trying to be Zen...seeing my boy dying in a hospital bed...and all the other people there.... the pain in that place was like a fog..

we where in the place for kids, my boy was 18 so they considered him young enough to be there...

that's when it truly started to hit me..in the caf....I was just looking at all these lost people...and felt an overwhelming since of sadness for them.....realized I have been carrying around so much anger that I couldn't see people, for what they were...people who Loved and dreamed and made mistakes and each one have their own ordeals they have gone through.....who Love their families have struggles that we will never know about....

I decided to give people my empathy and understanding instead of the contempt I have always given them....

I will never believe that morals are subjective, and we should all strive to be more empathetic.

again IMO 

[Shuffler]

I hear that, and most people I know, that's how they believe, I use to also think like that....really dislike thieves....but I am trying to be Zen...seeing my boy dying in a hospital bed...and all the other people there.... the pain in that place was like a fog..

we where in the place for kids, my boy was 18 so they considered him young enough to be there...

that's when it truly started to hit me..in the caf....I was just looking at all these lost people...and felt an overwhelming since of sadness for them.....realized I have been carrying around so much anger that I couldn't see people, for what they were...people who Loved and dreamed and made mistakes and each one have their own ordeals they have gone through.....who Love their families have struggles that we will never know about....

I decided to give people my empathy and understanding instead of the contempt I have always given them....

I will never believe that morals are subjective, and we should all strive to be more empathetic.

again IMO 

I've never met a man I didn't like. They have to prove to me that I do not like them.