For weeks now I’ve been thinking about poverty, its systemic causes, our lack of solutions, our perceptions of it, the near impossibility of escaping it once you are in it, and the roles we all can and do play in it. A stunning dissertation hasn’t jelled yet, and would not be appropriate in a blog post format even if it did. So I will tackle it one thought (and perhaps one post) at a time.
It seems like most conversations about poverty I stumble on turn to squabbles about the politics of poverty and who should be working to end poverty. I am not an economist, living in poverty, a business owner, wealthy, or a hard core member of either main political party, so I am sure no matter what I say can be torn apart by one supposed expert or another. And that is exactly what makes me believe that poverty is such a complex issue that no one set of thinkers has the cure-all solution.
Unfortunately the political sides have drawn their own and each others’ lines in the cultural sand of our minds. They say conservatives lack compassion and blame poverty on the failures of the poor themselves and would let the poor starve to death. They say liberals want to redistribute the wealth of the hard working responsible folks and give everybody—even the undeserving—everything for free, thus promoting system dependency and maintaining an entire class of guaranteed liberal voters. On the flip side, conservatives would like us to believe that by creating job opportunities, cleaning up and trimming redundant programs, and teaching individuals to understand their choices and take personal responsibility for those choices, everyone will have the ability to get out of the poverty trap. Liberals would like us to believe that everyone has the right to a basic standard of living and is entitled to be lifted out of poverty and provided for by government programs funded by the extremely wealthy (who owe their wealth to the sweat of the little guys), and that this is what fairness and compassion looks like. Getting tangled up in arguing the merits or falsity of any of these narratives is just wasting energy, and a diversion from our own personal active role in eradicating poverty.
We choose which narrative to believe, and then we advocate, argue, and vote for those positions. And for most of us, that is enough. We consider that to be doing our part. We can rest (though not quite peacefully) knowing that if only those other people on the wrong side of the politics of poverty would see the truth, then finally the system could be fixed and everyone would be ok. We don’t take personal responsibility for poverty beyond that.
The statistics tell us that approximately 15% of people in this country live in poverty. Tax credits, food stamps, unemployment insurance, and various other supplemental programs are keeping about 6 to 7% more people from falling into poverty. So to be on the safe side, let’s say about 75% of the people in the United States are not living in poverty or dependent on any type of benefits to stay above the line. I have been wondering, what could that 75% be doing (aside from arguing political positions and voting on them) to help change the situation for 15% of people who, despite all the programs available, are still living in poverty.
Money is not the only answer, whether it be in the form of charitable donations or tax dollars for programs. Both of those things are helping to keep people afloat, but neither is eradicating the root causes of poverty and so it remains with us, generation after generation, even though the world is richer than it ever has been. I’m thinking that we the people are the answer. Without worrying or stewing about the other side’s views, we can step up and change things on a person to person, family to family level. We can give our own time, skills, money, and other resources to anyone living in poverty that we choose to.
The beauty of this is that it isn’t dependent on anyone else’s belief system or political leanings. You can invest in anyone, or any family you want to. If you think that only those who are trying to help themselves or are completely unable to help themselves deserve your efforts, then you can focus on them. If you believe that every single person is entitled to a basic standard of living regardless of their situation or efforts, then you can choose to help those that you think others might pass by. The real question then becomes: how much are you willing to give to ensure that no one is going without the basics? (And of course you have to have a belief in what the basics means.) Would you give up 10% of your after tax income and 10% of your time and invest it in a needy individual or family? On average that would be about five thousand dollars and 200 hours (based on the average family’s after tax income of 55k and a 2080 hour full-time work year). Would you forgo next year’s family vacation to help feed, clothe, and keep up a home for someone else’s family? Would you trade some of your child’s extracurricular activities to make time to provide skill training to someone in need, or perhaps reliable transportation for them to get to work or necessary appointments?
Giving away 10% of your resources probably feels impossible, and maybe doing so would force your family into a lower standard of living. Perhaps you see people with a whole lot more than you, and you feel like it would be easier for them to kick in, but that just brings us back around to fighting over other people’s money. Don’t you know that to those in abject poverty you are the wealthy as well? You have luxuries and resources that they can only dream about. So forget the 10% and start small in whatever way you can. Because even 1% of your income and your time would make a huge difference to someone or some family in dire need.
Maybe you already donate to causes, or to your church and you feel that is enough. It very well may be. But if those entities are not working toward ending poverty, then neither are you.
That’s it for now. Just my thoughts on how we as a mass of individuals should take the initiative and make a huge dent in the gap where politics and programs are not cutting it. So many ideas on how that could play out in both big and small ways are swirling around in my head. Once I get some of them organized, I’ll come back to this topic.
I’ve been wondering/worrying/praying about poverty, too. This has given me much to ponder. Thank you!
Jesus said we will always have the poor so getting totally rid of poverty is not going to happen. Our individual impact should be to love one another and that love should be Holy Spirit directed as he gives us opportunity. The forcing of wealth distribution is not an answer. If we live Christian functional lives, poverty will be much assuaged. Be blessed.
Intruigung. I look forward to more. I love the point that complex issues have no right answer from either side!! I am going to use that concept which is blatantly obvious but well worded as ammunition when I run across others in battle!!!