Article: This is why Poor People's Bad Decisions Make Perfect Sense

http://www.theguardian.com/society/2014/sep/21/linda-tirado-poverty-hand-to-mouth-extract?CMP=fb_gu

Minor swearing in places.

The way i see it, my own opinion, regardless of status, financial or what ever, people make poor decisions. This world is full of people who blame poor decisions on circumstances. Regardless of circumstances you should make the right choices. Now, i was poor, i grew up slumming on the streets for quite some time. It is up to the individual to change their fate so to speak. Many times we have the opportunity to take full control of our lives. I hope this article helps us to think on our choices. I am a living breathing example it is possible to change circumstances and not blame but own your own life.
Carlos

No circumstance excuses a lack of personal responsibility.

Awesome article, thank you...

I understood it completely...

And if you have had to decide between groceries for your kids and the electric bill, you might understand it...

rugadd wrote: No circumstance excuses a lack of personal responsibility.

Interesting...

How do you propose to pay your bills when you lose a 40k job?

I made 40k, and things were tight, but we were living the amewrican dream... 2-3 kids, fish tank, two cars and I lost my job...

The next year, I made 18k...

Lived with my inlaws, and still couldnt pay off my stuff, cashed in my 401k as well to pay off my car... 10 years worth of savings, POOF...

I got us out of there in a year... 6 people living in 1000 sq feet... I worked several jobs trying to get out...

Had my water to my house shut off when I dropped a ball on my juggling a couple of years ago...

its why I dont own a PC, other things are priority...

Jestor wrote: Awesome article, thank you...

I understood it completely...

And if you have had to decide between groceries for your kids and the electric bill, you might understand it...

rugadd wrote: No circumstance excuses a lack of personal responsibility.

Interesting...

How do you propose to pay your bills when you lose a 40k job?

I made 40k, and things were tight, but we were living the amewrican dream... 2-3 kids, fish tank, two cars and I lost my job...

The next year, I made 18k...

Lived with my inlaws, and still couldnt pay off my stuff, cashed in my 401k as well to pay off my car... 10 years worth of savings, POOF...

I got us out of there in a year... 6 people living in 1000 sq feet... I worked several jobs trying to get out...

Had my water to my house shut off when I dropped a ball on my juggling a couple of years ago...

its why I dont own a PC, other things are priority...

I have also lost my job at the hospital i used to work due to reorganizations. ( i didnt had that kind of downfall like you Jestor) been unemployed for two months, my savings down the drain, tho it was devastating and got scared i couldnt pay my morguage (or how you spell it ).

But i didnt let my head down, didnt decide to buy junkfood, didnt stay in all day, made myself go out and enjoy the sun. I did blame the hospital for fireing me, but i took full responsibility on gettin a job, and here i am at a new job, made a big promotion after just one month, having a good mindset has to do everything with it i think.

Feeling sorry for yourself is not getting you anywhere, (pointing towards the lady who wrote the article) the article feels a bit like it wants to say hmpf im tuff i dont care it will never change but feel free to donate anytime

You can or or you can't.

You do or or you don't.

I'm not shaming anyone for being destitute or choosing food over power.

I'm saying don't fall into hole.

I've read before and more importantly lived that article.

Hard work and an eye for opportunity got me out my hole and made me a better person in the process.

I would wish the same for anyone.

I'm exceptionally wary of any person who claims to speak for an entire demographic, such as the nebulous "poor", especially across national borders like this. It's a bit like me speaking for all Jedi because I consider myself Jedi... plenty of people would view themselves as "more Jedi", others would consider themselves Jedi for different reasons, practice in different ways.

I am doing what I can to walk you through what it is to be poor. To be sure, this is only one version. There are millions of us; our experiences and reactions to them are as varied as our personalities and backgrounds.
[...]
This is just what life is for roughly one-third of Americans and one in five people in Great Britain.

Quite the contradiction, and no, I doubt it is. For one example (there are many here), in Great Britain you're never as much as three hours' drive from free sexual health services. Beyond the obvious national distinctions I think there are as many "ways life is" as there are people. How poor, in contrast, are many people living in sub-Saharan Africa, India or SE Asia? I don't think any one person can claim to be the spokesman for "poor people" any more than I can claim to be spokesman for white males.

Tarring "the poor" with one brush based on one person's experiences is not compassion.

That said this single person's story is moving and very eloquently put across here. A timely and worthwhile reminder that people are, by and large, trying to do their best, to enjoy their lives and to make things work. Reason enough to extend the benefit of the doubt to those others might choose to look down on.

I agree with rugadd here... There is a community of homeless that live under a over pass which has alot of wodded area around it so you cant see it from the street easily.. Ive been homeless but never went there, lived out of my car and in the woods near a stream where I can hunt fish and bathe..Ive been super poor and not able to afford food so I got a second job working at a restraunt so I could eat..Weve all been poor at some point Im sure.. The difference is the drive to better onesself versus giving up and living in poverty..

First - I agree that in many many ways, the deck is stacked against those who do not have sufficient financial means.

but

“Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms—to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way.”
― Viktor E. Frankl

Being poor financially does not have to mean responding poor mentally.

I think it was Alethea who first introduced me to the following idea, but while the name I'm going to give it (which is not an name I ever remember her calling it) might sound offensive it is certainly not meant to be and is chosen because I can't think of any better term to use at the moment lol. Please also not that I am speaking generally rather than to any particular individual.

Basically there is such a thing as "Jedi elitism". What do I mean by elitism? Well basically the idea stems from the fact that not everyone on the planet is a Jedi. As Jedi we typically hold ourselves to the standards we would like to be, that is to say that as members of TotJO we do our best (most of the time) to live our lives as described in the TotJO Doctrine.

Living our lives by a particular standard, requires a certain degree of introspection, dedication, learning and help from peers who are also in a similar situation. But not everyone on the planet is a Jedi. It is "elitist" of us to presume that other people are capable of holding themselves up to the standard we set.

Does everyone have access to a community that is willing to put aside prejudice and find the common similarities between all of us? Does everyone have someone they can go and talk to - who won't judge them - when they are struggling in some way? Does everyone know what particular reading materials would help in a given situation? Does everyone have the time to dedicate themselves to introspection?

We as Jedi have put ourselves in the company of others who are fortunate enough to have an answer to the above questions, but not everyone does. I would imagine that, while not everyone does, most people are able to spend some time thinking about their actions in a deep and meaningful way, more importantly we are able to arrive at conclusions that give them the right mindset to find a way out.

Even with the right environment I know plenty of Jedi here who still struggle despite all of the resources at their disposal. How well do you think that person would do if suddenly all of those resources were taken away? Or even worse if those resources had never existed for them in the first place?

In my opinion it is unfair to hold non-Jedi to the standards we hold ourselves up to.