2007-07-02 18:37:41 · 11 answers · asked by julieta m 1 in Social Science ➔ Sociology
Poverty is simply a condition, it has no moral dimension. There are circumstances where becoming poor may be virtuous, for example if you gave away all you owned to others who were poor.
There are other circumstances where poverty is not virtuous. Children born into poverty in third world countries are not more virtuous because they have no food. Giving away your possessions to feed them would be a virtuous act, but this would be true if it reduced the giver to poverty or not. Also, becoming poor through neglect or carelessness would certainly not be considered virtuous.
Virtue is what you do with your resources, not the initial allocation of them.
2007-07-02 18:48:39 · answer #1 · answered by William N 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Yes and no.
Poverty could be considered part of the virtue of Humility. One can take a "vow of poverty" in their practice and pursuit of humility and modesty.
However, if someone is trapped in their poverty, and has no hope of escaping or finding a way out of poverty, that can be considered more an unalterable condition and scandalous and not virtuous at all.
Poverty is an opportunity to show that you care for someone other than yourself, that you have kindness towards others, and caring for others is virtuous. It is interesting to note that there are two sides to the coin of poverty. On one side, the wealthy have an opportunity to help and release those who are poor from some of the negative things associated with poverty. On the other side, the poor have an opportunity to help and release those who are consumed by greed as well as other the negative things of wealth.
2007-07-03 02:13:53 · answer #2 · answered by endpov 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Poverty is not a virtue. I grew up in a loving family with little money, I did not seem to miss much. It was only when I was an adult I discovered I grew up poor. Some of the families I know who are poor are very loving but there are a few who think the world owes everything.
2007-07-06 22:35:11 · answer #3 · answered by Coop 366 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Perhaps the other road to happiness in this case is the opposite of having money and the psychological satisfaction in knowing that it has no importance in your life and you are not going to let it bother you if for some reason you are not able or do not want to live the other way. One can be richly rewarded interiorily and not have the materially solvable satisfaction pleasure centers going at it trying to fight their way out of the curse of being able to control such urges and tendencies such as having financial situations met easily and thus inconciously solved which just maintains the person in a constant state of unhappily being able to obtain all in the sense of consumeristic conduct. Poverty is what you say...?
2007-07-03 01:50:18 · answer #4 · answered by JORGE N 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Not poverty itself, but perhaps what you learn from being in poverty. That might be where the virtue lies.
2007-07-03 01:50:42 · answer #5 · answered by Noel 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Okay, here goes...."Define Poverty"....
Is it having Rich parents who don't spend time with their kids..
Is it having Poor parents who spend time with their Kids, but can't afford to buy expensive Birthday gifts...
Or could it be a lack of Self Confidence concerning relationships and Life, in general. Poverty, like happiness, is ruled by the decisions and situations we are given in life. Individual perception is a Mutha..............
2007-07-03 03:08:23 · answer #6 · answered by Lincoln Lover 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
When the next depression hits the poor will fare better than the wealthy, I am used to fixing and making things for myself, lack of money would do me no harm, wealthy people on the other hand would die off quickly, if not become suicidal! The worse thing you can do to someone who has always had money is take it away! The poor are much more resilient, I'm poor and happy not to be dependent on money for my life!
2007-07-03 09:10:25 · answer #7 · answered by samhillesq 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think when you are not blessed with a lot of money , you learn to do things in a different way to make your life and those around you comfortable. you experience the true Essenes of life and love giving and sharing and helping in order to survive . I think you miss the most important lessons in life if you do not have to work to get there
2007-07-03 06:11:56 · answer #8 · answered by ann s 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The four cardinal virgues are prudence, justice, fortitude, and temperance. Poverty is not among them.
2007-07-03 01:42:42 · answer #9 · answered by sophieb 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No. Just are there are rich people who are virtous, there are poor people who are not virtuous.
2007-07-05 12:41:05 · answer #10 · answered by Skyline 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋