Is Poverty a Choice?

While I don’t believe this applies to everyone, I know many people do choose to live in poverty. It sounds ridiculous that someone would want to live poorly, but the people who choose to live in poverty do it because to them, it’s the easiest thing to do. They don’t have to work to get money; the government gives it to them in the form of food stamps or LINK cards. Many of these people even get free cell phones or reduced internet and cable costs. Of course I believe that those who are less fortunate than us deserve to be helped, but I have a problem with that when they aren’t trying to get a job or doing anything to get out of poverty. Many of these people feel entitled to the same things wealthier people have even if they can’t afford it. If you’re poor for whatever reason, it’s not necessary to have cable TV, internet, or cell phones. Knowing that they can get this stuff for cheaper or free if they’re poor makes them not want to work for it. Why would you want to work for something that you could get for free? Many people are comfortable with a life of poverty because they know everything they need will be provided for them without them having to work for it.

Then there are the people who live in poverty due to unfortunate circumstances and try to get out. Many people don’t want to rely on government assistance to survive. They want to go out and make their own money to support their families and themselves but can’t. They may not be able to find a job at all due to the horrible economy, or they might have to take a very low paying job that’s just not enough but that’s all they can find. I respect these people who try their best to make it out of poverty and strive for something better. But I think these people are less common that those who just accept it because it’s easier to rely on someone else. It’s unfortunate that poverty exists, but too many people are not trying to get out of it. If everyone tried their best to overcome the bad circumstances, poverty would definitely decrease over time.