How do you believe someone gets to be impoverished (poor)?

Question

I would like to know your opinions on how someone becomes below the poverty line for a research project. Is it because of their environment? Because of laziness? Or just unfortunate circumstances? Let me know what you think!

Please state your age as well. If you are interested in more of my research, please contribute by taking my surveys. Thanks! http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.asp?u=859343431583

Answer 1

I believe there are many ways this can happen. For example a couple might be able to live comfortably on 30 000 dollars a year then they suddenly have 4 kids. 30 000 suddenly is not enough therefore they are below the poverty level. That would be environment. I saw the movie Happyness and it described a guy who through several mistakes of his own became homeless while trying to provide for his family. As for the rest it could be laziness, drug abuse or alcohol abuse.
Age 42

Answer 2

Everything you said in your question is a reason people are impoverished. Environment is the biggest reason people are impoverished. The lack of education or the lack of emphasis put on education is a major factor. If you see no one in the home going to work for the 1st 18 years of your life, why would you want to go out and look for a job. Someone in that environment does not know what that is. Certainly, if you have an illness or medical reason for being unable to work, then there is only so much you can make on disability and you can be rejected for disabiltiy the first 5 times you apply. It's almost easier getting a credit card than getting disability.

Answer 3

I think you need to specify a little more about becoming poor. Do you mean someone who starts out middle class or affluent and drops to poverty or someone who comes from a poor background? There is a huge difference.

If a child is raised in a poor household, or is raised in the foster care system that kicks them out ready or not at eighteen, they are likely impoverished because they have not been taught the necessary skills or given the necessary education to advance. There are some notable exceptions that make news but I think we need to remember that they are exceptions. I think most people raised in poverty tend to stay in poverty.

For people who start out more affluent there are many variables. Perhaps they make poor money decisions. Perhaps they work in an industry and our downsized and there simply aren't enough jobs to go around. Some people suffer from mental illness that leads them to isolation and poor choices. And I have known a few people that really are just lazy and unproductive and have no one but themselves to blame.

So, is the research project on attitudes towards poverty or on how people really become poor? If it's the latter, perhaps you should be interviewing poor people who probably don't have internet access?

Answer 4

Age: over 40.

I believe that some people are born into circumstances of crushing poverty and lack of opportunity that perpetuates the cycle of poverty in their lives.

There are also people, who, due to health circumstances for themselves or immediate family, must leave the job market or in some cases are never able to enter the job market and thus are not viable as employees and cannot make a living wage.

There are also some people who have become addicted to substances like drugs and alcohol which render them incapable of holding down a job due to the lingering effects of the addictive substances.

Unfortunately, we also have a percentage of the population which IS lazy and simply waits on the world to fill their cup with no effort on their part but to ask.

Because of the complicated nature of what you are asking, you have to take in not only cultural and environmental circumstance but also personal health issues, both physical and psychological; issues related to education and skilled training in vocational subject; willingness/unwillingness to work, etc.

hope that helps.

Answer 5

I think it is a combination of unfortunate circumstances and a lack of education and training. There are several families that live from paycheck to paycheck and aren't able to establish a savings account for unexpected expenses or weren't taught that they should. Many in those circumstances don't have health insurance and it just takes one trip to the hospital to do your finances in. Many people in those circumstances weren't encouraged to do well in school or to go on for further training; therefore, they are stuck in low-paying jobs. I guess there could be some because of laziness, but I bet that is the exception.

Answer 6

My sister who passed away to aids wanted to be or shall I say choose to be homeless because she wanted to be free of people telling her what to do, the kids wanted to tell her what to do, and then theres the husband ,the bills the dog, the cat, she just wanted to be free. She stayed in our city park with other free people and she said she ate,everyday at the soup kitchen the doctor was right down the street, she go right down 3 blocks our parents lived to give her the mail, why should she want to be responcible when everything is free, and the peace of mind was there, the church was right on side of the park. Being homless is just to easy without a care in the world, even the craziest persons runs free and knows how to survive out there, have you ever in your life seen a homeless person in America skinny? Think about it. They know where to go to bath at the shelters and they know to eat at the shelters and if they wanted to follow rules they would stay in the shelters but they don't. These are stronge people that watch life come and go as it pass's by. They have all the answers to life. It takes a stronge person to be homeless, cause only the stronge survive. They survive on life.

Answer 7

You can be born into poverty but if you are in the western world; the only ways you will stay there is through teen-age parenthood, substance abuse, committing crime and laziness. Don't fall for the leftist lies. Most poverty in the US is lack of personal responsiblity.

Answer 8

Little to No education!