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View Full Version : What are the advantages of being poor than being rich?


Kar1L1
Mar 5, 2011, 09:52 PM

Fr_Chuck
Mar 5, 2011, 10:15 PM
Depends first, what are you defining as poor and who are the rich

Don't have to worry about the stock market crashing

Don't have to worry about the banks failing

Wondergirl
Mar 5, 2011, 10:25 PM
When you're poor, you tend to make meals and clothes from scratch because you cannot afford processed, manufactured items, so that means you learn all about choosing raw foods and cooking and baking and types of fabrics and knowing how to sew by hand and by machine. That means the poor can be more resourceful.

Rocketsurgeon
Mar 6, 2011, 12:03 AM
That's a cute answer Wondergirl; unfortunately-my first hand experience can tell you that your best case scenario is a slim to none portion of the poor population's behaviors in the food and clothing sector. In Baltimore, being poor means meals are either from the dollar menu or a greasy chinese corner store. "Chicken boxes" as they are called, 4 wings and fries are a staple. And dare I omit the oodles of noodles.. and I mean OODLES of them! Far as clothes go- we have a knack for spending absurd amounts of hard to come by cash on designer apparel or in the best case scenario- cop the Gucci, Prada, Seven, True Religion flea market knockoffs.
For me- growing up without gave me my inherent sense of obligation to those less fortunate than myself. While I have been able to pull myself out, I'm an exception to a pretty hard fast rule. Because of my intimate understanding of the bottom- I feel my sense of appreciation of the top is unparraleled by those who have known nothing but ease.

Wondergirl
Mar 6, 2011, 12:55 AM
Comment on Wondergirl's post
That's a cute answer Wondergirl; unfortunately-my first hand experience can tell you that your best case scenario is a slim to none portion of the poor population's behaviors in the food and clothing sector.

Cute nothing. That was MY personal experience and the first 35 years of my life.

Kar1L1
Mar 6, 2011, 01:26 AM
_Can you make your answer more eLaborate? Because I need it so bad for my speech_ thankz

Kar1L1
Mar 6, 2011, 01:29 AM
I need it for my debate speech_ heLp me_ tnx

redhed35
Mar 6, 2011, 02:03 AM
There are two sides to the poor coin, those who refuse to stay poor and do something about it and those who accept their lot in life and do nothing.

I was shocking poor, a single mother of 4 children and living in a house that was falling down around my ears (while my ex husband paraded around in his new car/phone/fat belly/new clothes!)

But, I refused to stay in that situation, I became more resilient,braver,stronger and I was not to proud to find food whatever way I could.

The skills I learned in those years have stood me in good steed since those horrible terrible days.. in the day to day living there was nothing good about it.

My hair grew long through neglect I found I sure fire way to lose weight, I called it the 'i don't have enough food it eat diet' or the 'poverty ' diet.

There was an upside, we did not have a TV that worked and me and the kids spent the evenings talking,playing,walking through the fields,swimming in the river near the house, the kids don't really remember the days of not having enough to eat they remember a childhood playing and laughing and being with me... im proud of that.

These days I have my own house that I brought, a good job, I'm qualified in my profession, my eldest daughters are both in college, and my youngest happy as the day is long, my freezer is stocked, and my bank account is doing OK.

There are very few practical advantages of being poor, but spirtually and soul growth it was an experience I would not have gone without in my life...

BUT, once in a lifetime was enough!

joypulv
Mar 6, 2011, 05:35 AM
I grew up middle class (after some frugal post WW2 years) but unhappy, so took off for parts unknown after dropping out of the first semester of college, despite a full scholarship, so was deliberately poor, as in hippy poor. It was the 60s. I know HOW to be poor. I budgeted every dime. I've never had a high paying job nor kept one for very long, but managed to parlay what I saved into real estate. I've turned the houses/condos over for a profit each time. I still am frugal except I buy better groceries, don't change my own oil, and hire someone to fix things even though I know how (I'm more decrepit). I don't eat out or even buy coffees out; I wear old clothes, no cosmetics, don't buy music or movies. I never buy a new car and know how to shop for a good used one, and keep my car insurance to $300/yr. I could go on and on.
When I was married to a man with a good income, I was no happier.
I don't remember measuring my happiness in terms of income. But I appreciate the fact that people pounded into poverty are not always allowed the chance to be happy, through oppression or poor health or abusive people around.
You just can't generalize about the subject. That's how I would start a debate!

redhed35
Mar 6, 2011, 01:28 PM
https://www.askmehelpdesk.com/philosophy/surely-being-rich-better-than-being-poor-330571.html#post2730720

I found an old thread on a similar topic, the views expressed are quite interesting,I thought it may help in gathering opinion.

Rocketsurgeon
Mar 7, 2011, 12:09 PM
Yea- nothing cute about being poor is there? that was a bad choice of words. I can't speak personally on what it was to be poor 35 years ago, but what I can say is that if more of today's underprivileged took to how you adapted to less than lavish conditions we'd be a lot better off. The dollar menu is evil I swear.
Always good to hear from another who has made it out the bucket.

Wondergirl
Mar 7, 2011, 12:17 PM
We didn't know we were poor. My parents were very resourceful, we were never hungry (my mom bought fresh food in bulk and froze much of it as it was or as prepared meals), we ate meals together and played word games while we ate, we had flower and vegetables gardens that everyone in the family worked in, we split up all the household chores by age and ability (even two-year-olds can empty wastebaskets), we were not afraid to get our hands dirty or break a sweat.