Why do poor people in the US stay poor while there is so much opportunity?

Answer 1

Because the US has a socialistic mentality nowadays and people know they can be lazy and hard-working Americans will pick up the tab!

Answer 2

Lack of education, stuck in dead in situations, children, etc. Consider this for a moment: A young woman with two children who is taking care of them without help from the father wants to go back to college. Right now she's working at a plastics factory making $8 an hour. She works seven days a week just to be able to support her family. How does she go to college to get the skills to get a better job? She can't quit her present job because she just makes enough to pay the bills and doesn't have much to save. She's basically living paycheck to paycheck. Although there are many opportunities for better jobs, she's stuck in her current situation like a hamster in a cage running endlessly.

I think that the a large majority of people fall into this category. They want to do better but, at the current time, are not able to do the necessary things to get the better job because, no matter what, their children have to eat. They often put off going to school because they just can't quit their job or drop down to part-time.

Most people in America live paycheck to paycheck, and many of them aren't what you'd consider "poor." If anyone of these people suddenly loss their job, they'd all be in serious trouble because many of them don't have the savings to live until they find another.

There was a recent study done that compared savings among different countries. The U.S. saved significantly lower than several countries in Europe and Asia. Part of the reason is we buy, buy, buy. The new IPod, purse, car and True Religion jeans that we can't live without depletes the money we should be saving.

We're all capable of becoming "poor." We should worry about that, as well.

Answer 3

not everyone is suited to the lifestyle of what the US expects from you. Not everyone wants it. You are not given a choice. You have to 'go' to work. Maybe if more had the opportunity to actually provide for themselves....e.g. have a garden, their own compost pile for the majority of the garbage they produce, a place to raise chicken etc.....maybe some people are more adapted to that. or something like it. You have a way of life shoved down your throat that just doesn't do anything for you. Granted some 'poor' people are lazy so are some people to work.
Depends on your definition of poor...I think that someone who has everything spend all their time at the office and doesn't have a life has got to be the biggest loser on the planet. They are missing life.
Why do we have so much and everything is so out of balance?

after thought: we don't all fit into the same box....unfortunately our society is only giving out one size fits all boxes

Answer 4

Some people don't have the background, support, or lack the brain power to take advantage of the opportunities around them. Some people know their lives could be better, but don't want to actually have to work to make their lives better. Some people are just content getting by. Some are happy welching off the system (or others) instead of getting off their lazy butts and working. There are too many reasons, but the people who DON'T want to stay poor will at least try to better themselves in some small (or big) way. It is all a matter of personal preference, upbringing, and respect for oneself whether they will remain poor or do better for themselves and their families.

Answer 5

That's a pretty good question. Ive been wondering the same thing my entire life...why can't I be rich...why am I still poor. I work 3 jobs and raise a 5 year old alone. Without the help of child support or welfare. I'm poor and I often also wonder why with all that oppratunity out there. Basically, some people don't have that much oppratunity. Some of us just don't get the chance to ever get out of the poor hole.

Answer 6

I think it comes down to personaliy type, and values. By the way, don't make the mistake of thinking poor people are always lazy. That is not always the case. Some people value money more than others and it affects their behavior. Some people have aggressive, extroverted personalities that dictate behavior that leads to riches. Timothy S. makes a good point, but his point isn't true with all poor people

Answer 7

I agree with you and have thought of this alot myself. My parents made just enough money over the poverty line when i was younger to keep me from getting free money for college so i had to pay for it all myself which of course i am not complaining about. What really burns my a** is when i hear someone b**ching about how nobody helps them and that the country doesn't care about them. I feel no sympathy for them. If they are willing to study hard, people below the poverty level can get thier educaion for free on the government. Plus living expenses and food allowances. Those allowances won't make them rich but it sure will keep them alive while they study.

In America if you are poor you have more opportunity than in just about any other country in the world. I know because i have lived in over 7 coutnries now and did my college in a foreign country as well and i had no money when i started out!!

Believe me the situation is a whole hell of alot worse in other places so next time you hear someone say no one helps the poor people,, tell them in america the poor don't try to help themselves. (obviously not all financially strained people fall in this category.........only the ones who b**ch do!!)

Really living out of the us for as long as i have made me realize what a great country we really do have!!!!

Answer 8

I don't know what country you are from, but let me give you a little information about how america works. The middle class and the poor are the ones who pay higher taxes. They are also the ones who suffer when it comes to having new schools and education tools provided by the government. This goes to the "rich" neighborhoods. The middle class and the poor will always suffer or there would be no rich people. It's all about greed. There is a lot of opportunity, but you must understand that it's not available to all. Good luck with your questions.

Answer 9

They are weakly educated and pummelled from birth by commercial information to consume at levels beyond their means.

For example, a young man of 20 can easily be sold a truck for 25,000 dollars on credit when he is making only 2k per month. He will be unable to save for years. Later he may have more expense of family, and again, no capital.

Second, they have no one from whom to learn business.

If he does get some capital, he will be crushed with any sort of silly scheme to make money such as store or restaurant. And yet money is all around everywhere. What is the problem. Just go pick it up. Risk dresses as opportunity.

Materialism is somehow more invisible to those living in its inner temple than those from outside.

We try to buy the emperior's new clothes.

Answer 10

Do you think it is a choice? For few it is, for those that want to remain on welfare and do nothing with their lives. But there are people who are poor and are struggling to live day to day. They do not have the opportunities available to them. You may find that hard to believe. But for someone who grew up in a poor section of town, they do not have the same opportunties as someone who grew in a rich neighborhood. The only way would be if, they received good grades, and they got a scholorships to go to a higher level of education. Education is the key to success. Unfortunately, alot of these poor children who grew up in a poor environment do not get good grades, because of the problems of the parents, sometimes good, sometimes bad, for example, drugs, alcohol, but, its not always bad, the parents are struggling to survive with minimum wage jobs, the children have to hear all the problems that their gas might get cut off, their electric? They hear the parents arguing about they dont have a car, cant afford it. the kids go to school in clothes that are not Name brand. Then they get made fun of. What doyou think this does to the morale of a child? Does it make them want to go to school? Get good grades. I don't think so, So you see, they start not to get good grades. And before you know it they grow up have children, and its a vicious cycle all over again. I hate to say it but most people who are born poor are destined to be poor. They do not have the opportunities as a person who grew up in wealth. I would say it is partly the goverments fault and their environment. But as I mentioned before, it could be the parents fault, when they are involved in drugs and alcohol. Which sadly to say is typical of living in a poor neighborhood. They are just trying to hide their hurts. I saw a program on MTV last night, "Sweet Sixteen". This 14 yr. old girl from Calif, S.F. her parents were throwing her a sweet sixteen. This 14 year girl went to buy dresses for her 3 friends, she pulls out her credit card and spends 3,500 just like that. She shows off her 900.00 purse. And the day of the party she is literally wearing 1,000,000,000 worth of jewlery her mother lent her. She gets a 49,500.00 Mercedes Benz for her Birthday. Is this Gross America or what? I almost cried. This world is so unjust. So let me end this by saying. YEs, there is so much opportunity, but only for those who were destined to get it. Sad but true.

Answer 11

I think a lot of those people hope that a quick opportunity to make $1000s of dollars will come their way one day without working for it. But these people refuse to face the fact that in order to make a honest wage, they HAVE to start at the bottom & then WORK their way up.