Poverty and Perspective

This week, looking through Norm’s articles on poverty, “100 Million Housholds Ranked Poor or Near Poor By Census Bureau” caught my eye.  Last year the Census Bureau released a report that showed the number of people in poverty in America is at an all time high since 1959.

Norm sites an article by the New York Times that talks about the “near poor,” a term that highlights those living between poverty and 150% of the poverty line.  The new alternative measure, shown below, is an adjusted model that takes into consideration the cost of living, benefits received by the government, health care expenses, work expenses such as transportation and income lost to taxes – arguably a more accurate representation of those that experience the effects of poverty in the US.

 

While it is disturbing to see these numbers in the alternative measure of the near poor reach 33% (one in three), I can’t help but wonder, if this is how we are struggling, as the wealthiest nation in the world . . . what about those that are living at or near the international poverty line living on $1.25 or maybe $2 a day.   If we want what is better for ourselves, our neighbors, our children . . . then how much more developing nations.  This short Ted Talk by Hans Rosling, a Swedish professor who loves using data to understand our world, held my attention and gave perspective on the difference between the luxuries we American’s enjoy verses those in developing nations.  Hans is also the co-founder of Gapminder, a nonprofit that has developed a free software that can illustrate statistics . . . a potentially very useful tool for making presentation that use data to illustrate a point.

The reality is American’s at the poverty line have $68 a day to spend on life’s necessities.  This chart below from Global Issues remind us that most of our bottom third are still among the world’s top 20% of wealthiest individuals.

So what needs to change?  And where does that change begin? 

I believe as Americans, rich or poor, we need to change or perspective to see beyond our boarders.  That we need to leverage the power that we do have to not just equalize inequality for ourselves.  Consider for a moment how we maybe able to live on less and be happy with less.   If we are able to do so we can refocus our attention on other things and utilize our status as being part of the top 20% to leverage change globally. 

I am worn out from of hearing people complain about having to work hard to make the living that they do – is that not to be expected?  Those living in developing nations making gravel by hand or hauling loads for a living have much less return on their work.  Are we so spoiled that we MUST be entitled to things that we have not worked to get?  YES, the system is broken and YES, it is easier for the rich to stay rich and the poor to stay poor.  Don’t forget however that as an American, even with these shortcomings, we STILL have far more opportunity than those living in most nations. 

Rather than become paralyzed by the void in the glass being half empty, let’s utilize the substance that is there - the benefits and status that we do have to make a real difference.