Poverty

[Hickory]

Hey guys, Sage-chan here and I would like to educate y'all on a growing problem in our world today.

http://thewireless.co.nz/articles/the-pencilsword-on-a-plate

That's a perfect infographic illustrating the difference between the poor and the wealthy.

Now, here's some cold, hard facts:

In 2013, 45.3 million people (14.5 percent) were in poverty.
In 2013, 26.4 million (13.6 percent) of people ages 18-64 were in poverty.
In 2013, 14.7 million (19.9 percent) children under the age of 18 were in poverty.
In 2013, 4.2 million (9.5 percent) seniors 65 and older were in poverty.

Obviously, that's a lot of people. Which has expanded over the past two years, absorbing more and more people. Conflicts in the Middle East doesn't help, neither does gender and race inequality. What's more important, however, is this: people can get in poverty, but they can't get out.

"Poverty entails fear and stress and sometimes depression. It means a thousand petty humiliations and hardships. Climbing out of poverty by your own efforts that is something on which to pride yourself put poverty itself is roomanticized by fools."

That there is a quote from mmy favorite author, J.K. Rowling. It not only summarizes what poverty can be but shows one of the reasons why we underestimate it as a problem: the way we see it.

Think to yourself and define "poverty". Most likely you come up with someting alone the lines of:

1. the state or condition of having little or no money, goods, or means of suupport, condition of being poor, indigience.

Right?

Well, think of it in their shoes: YOu're getting kicked out of your apartment because you can't pay the rent, your child can't go on school field trips, or maybe you can't pay gas bills. All of these are problems faced by poverty-strickin individuals daily. If you doubt me...
http://playspent.org

There you have it. All the situtations in that are found in the real world.

Questions? Comments? Post below!

[The Skarzs]

Part of the problem, at least in America, is the government, and out of respect for the forum, I will go no further than that.
  Not sure exactly your point on bringing the subject up, though. . . Yes, poverty is an issue, but some people who go into poverty go there through their own fault, and there isn't much we can do to hold the hands of 45.3+ million people.
  Help those you can, I guess.

[Hickory]

Well... See, I brought the subject up because, er, we were doing World Issues stuff in S.S., and since my own one is a little boring to post up here I figured this would be better. 

Besides, I like making long posts.

[Blaggut]

It's relatively easy to get out of poverty. Most places will very quickly take a pain on as a worker. I assume you want the rich to pay to "help them".

Also, most of those in "poverty" have nice cars and phones and have a good deal of money. A lot more than those in the Middle East and Africa.

This minor problem is over played by *cough* certain political organizations *cough* and it's easy to think its a big problem today, though few people are in real poverty. Only a small percent are unemployed.

[The Mask]

Blaggut, have you ever travelled? India, africa, even Australia? If you haven't, Then I advise that you rethink that post.

[James Gryphon]

In all fairness, I think the topic as written specifically addresses poverty in the United States. First-world poverty is a bit different from the conditions that exist in places like Africa, although I'm still not sure I would agree that it's "relatively easy" to get out of it. Of course, I would also say that the definition of "poverty" that's being used is far too loose, if the people suffering it have "nice cars" or "phones" or money worth speaking of. I don't think that's what most people think of when they think of any people that are living in poverty. That's more of a stereotypical middle-class person that has an average job, runs up way too much in debts, and then qualifies for food stamps after suffering the consequences of their thoughtless spending.

I'd start my estimation of who the truly impoverished are with the homeless. Once you've established that, then all you have to do is inch your way up until you get to the point where someone has all of their needs (including medical, hygienic, etc.) taken care of, and can reasonably expect to take care of their wants (things not strictly necessary for modern life) at least once a year. That can be considered the point where they are no longer 'impoverished'.

As far as what to do about it, well, there are already a lot of organizations helping such people. The best advice I can give, in two words, is "be generous". Just apply that to every part of your life and you can do all right for others. (Don't just give somebody $50 for groceries, though, if they ask for it -- instead offer to go with them to purchase what they need. Being generous doesn't mean being naive.)

[The Mask]

Well said James. I would have assumed it concerns the whole world though, it isn't just a problem in America.

[Hickory]

It most certanly isn't just a U.S. problem. Lots of different countries have poverty, notably Haiti.

@Blaggut: You have a point, many times it does have to do with the government. However, even countries with stable governments can still be stricken by poverty.

[The Skarzs]

If part of the impoverished people are the homeless, I would like to mention that some people are homeless by choice or don't care that they're homeless; yes, that happens. So just remember that not every homeless person is a saint in rags, because they aren't.

[Hickory]

Most definitely. I've been in Chicago and the amount of homeless men and women around there is sorrowing and pitiful. (don't take that the wrong way)