What does it mean to be poor?
- Thread starter EBHughsThe1st
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Poor can carry many definitions depending on the context of its usage. When applied to one's economical status, it implies they are lacking money. When applied to one's performance, it means they are lacking ability.
Overall, the concept behind the word poor has implications of some kind of lacking in relation to what seems to be the perceived standard within society.
Overall, the concept behind the word poor has implications of some kind of lacking in relation to what seems to be the perceived standard within society.
Not exactly, Money is very usefull. You can use it to buy almost anything, use it to manipulative people into not pressing charges or just shutting up. Money gives you this aura of fake respect. The people around you might not like you, but many will treat you well in the hopes of getting cash in the future. Money is a tool a very very useful tool.JesterRaiin said:
But yes you can't exactly buy true love, though being a materialistic person I can definitely be happy with stuff.
As someone who grew up in poverty, I have to say that compared, being poor wasn't so bad.
I still had to share a room with my mom, but at least we could have 2 beds.
At that point you can at least get some resources to change some of your situation for the better. While in poverty, you can't even afford the resources.
I think there are some good parts to it though. You have a much more accurate view of the value of a dollar. I don't think I would have nearly as much money as I do now if I hadn't grown up in poverty: I don't count on money to solve all my problems and I don't tend to waste money.
I still had to share a room with my mom, but at least we could have 2 beds.
At that point you can at least get some resources to change some of your situation for the better. While in poverty, you can't even afford the resources.
I think there are some good parts to it though. You have a much more accurate view of the value of a dollar. I don't think I would have nearly as much money as I do now if I hadn't grown up in poverty: I don't count on money to solve all my problems and I don't tend to waste money.
Well think of it this way. Just because you can buy toilet paper, keep the heat running, and keep food in the fridge. Doesn't mean you can't still live in a sh*thole and have a miserable existence. When I say desires I am not speaking of "I want my own space shuttle". I'm talking about being able to go to lets say the mall and actually being able to buy something. To be able to go to a concert if you wish to. To not only be able to put gas in your car, but have a car that can handle highway driving. When you get to that point, you are no longer poor.SilentCom said:
Assuming your talking about "a living" as in not dying then being poor is having to choose between, soap, food or shelter when you scrounge up enough cash. Water and things to use as toilet paper are easy enough to find in the US, for now... And your stomach hurts because you don't eat enough and it hates you for it, cardboard as shelter is better than nothing. Dumpsters are a gamble between usable stuff and stuff that will make you shit yourself to death. When sleeping would you least mind smell, pain, temperature or lack of space pick one and that's the best way to get some shuteye.
Being poor is being hungry, tired, cold, really smelly and a competent manager of available resources. Or a constant drain on everything and everyone around you if your not.
Being poor is being hungry, tired, cold, really smelly and a competent manager of available resources. Or a constant drain on everything and everyone around you if your not.
I am broke, I can't pay my bills, I haven't been able to buy things I enjoy or take my kid out to see a movie. I haven't been able to have Christmas or Birthday presents for anyone in my family for almost 3 years. (BTW: the material thing doesn't matter its the principle).
But I will say I am not poor. I have good friends, a family that gives 2 shits about me, my wife and kid... all in all I could use less stress about money but that doesn't make you poor. I'm rich in life, poor in money.
But I will say I am not poor. I have good friends, a family that gives 2 shits about me, my wife and kid... all in all I could use less stress about money but that doesn't make you poor. I'm rich in life, poor in money.
I'm not sure how is it different of what i stated. Maybe i wasn't clear. Let's see...Zack Alklazaris said:
There are many aspects of life. You may be successful in some but also hopeless in different ones.
For example : you may be a multibillionaire but also complete alone, surrounded only by enemies and leeches. However - and this is important - you may be completely fine with this. As long as you have money and power you're happy. So you're not poor.
Then again, you may be rich, you may be married to good, beautiful wife, i don't know, have kids, health, fame, awards, achievements - whatever you really value. Still, you may feel that there's something missing. Everything seems incomplete, hollow, pointless. Then, one day, you meet some "poor" guy somewhere in world's greatest sh*thole. He never saw half of money you earn monthly, he never got married, and is considered a little "slow" by his neighbors.
Yet he is happy. He smiles all the time, doesn't care about anything. And you can't help but think that he is one rich bastard and you would gladly give away half of what you have just to be as happy as he is.
That's poverty - despite of what you have, who you are, there's envy inside of you.
That's what i think.
If that's really your case, then you're richer than some of celebrities, politicians, actors. I envy you sir.amaranth_dru said:
Pretty much when you have nothing (house, money, food etc) and feel sad about it (you can have nothing and be happy about it).
Between December and March, I had to live on half a loaf of bread and water per day (sometimes my friends would invite me for lunch or lend me a few £), with no heating, shoes that were leaking, a pain in my tooth because I couldn't afford the dentist and a few other "nice" things like that. I was also homeless for 1 day (not sure if that really counts as being homeless but still, it sucked).EBHughsThe1st said:
I think that qualifies as being poor.
To be poor is to lack the luxury of money to buy a computer or pay for internet and to lack the time to watch movies or play games or to browse forums like this one.
Nobody who's actually poor can answer this question, posed in this way. So you're asking privileged people what they consider being 'poor' means, and therefore getting ridiculous, navel gazing answers about 'what really matters in life'.
To anyone who could be objectively described as poor, what really matters in life is having enough money to pay rent and buy food and maybe have something left over at the end of the month. I refer you here to the hierarchy of needs.
At the very bottom it's about not dying today.
I suggest you go find someone feeding five kids on minimum wage and ask them what being poor means. Better yet, do it yourself for a while. Only way you'll ever know.
Nobody who's actually poor can answer this question, posed in this way. So you're asking privileged people what they consider being 'poor' means, and therefore getting ridiculous, navel gazing answers about 'what really matters in life'.
To anyone who could be objectively described as poor, what really matters in life is having enough money to pay rent and buy food and maybe have something left over at the end of the month. I refer you here to the hierarchy of needs.
At the very bottom it's about not dying today.
I suggest you go find someone feeding five kids on minimum wage and ask them what being poor means. Better yet, do it yourself for a while. Only way you'll ever know.
If you're going to be using a variety of media and definitions, a huge part of this project is going to be the act of putting these things together. Since you have the overarching and powerful theme of "what does it mean to be poor," you don't necessarily need to have a narrative or even narration linking these ideas. It also sounds as though you're looking at a series of very different and individual film to link together, even if you are in large part responsible for their creation.EBHughsThe1st said:
Unless a blatant visual sequence emerges in the work, I'd suggest using your own train of thought as a place to start for arranging the pieces.
... You know, I better stop myself right now. I've just had nine hours of contemporary art theory and discussion, and I'm in "rant about art" mode.
But I do think this is a good way to approach the issue, and also a very doable one.
Fear of poverty is one of the strongest human fears, cultivated and promoted by modern society. It's the leash used by our governments and the "chosen" 1% to manipulate population, turning them into tools of their will and greed - forcing most of world population to do what they hate their entire life.
Poverty is relative. In America, being poor can mean struggling to pay rent, or not being able to get needed healthcare. In other parts of the world, being poor means the only available water holds a significant risk of infecting you with potentially lethal parasites.
My brother and I were discussing this the other day. He has a sociology class where they've been watching a series of videos about refugees from Sudan who hiked several thousand miles to various camps, before somehow winding up getting taken to the USA. These people were amazed--absolutely amazed--when they saw light bulbs for the first time.
Light bulbs.
To me, that really highlights the concept of poverty being relative. Someone who is considered poor in the US likely never really considers that there are things they take for granted which others lack. What we call "necessities" others call "luxuries."
Also, if you haven't seen it already I recommend watching The Magic Washing Machine [http://blog.ted.com/2011/03/21/the-magic-washing-machine-hans-rosling-on-ted-com/].
My brother and I were discussing this the other day. He has a sociology class where they've been watching a series of videos about refugees from Sudan who hiked several thousand miles to various camps, before somehow winding up getting taken to the USA. These people were amazed--absolutely amazed--when they saw light bulbs for the first time.
Light bulbs.
To me, that really highlights the concept of poverty being relative. Someone who is considered poor in the US likely never really considers that there are things they take for granted which others lack. What we call "necessities" others call "luxuries."
Also, if you haven't seen it already I recommend watching The Magic Washing Machine [http://blog.ted.com/2011/03/21/the-magic-washing-machine-hans-rosling-on-ted-com/].
