POVERTY: NOT JUST LACK OF MONEY

POVERTY: NOT JUST LACK OF MONEY

What does it mean to be poor, and how do we define it?

Poverty is defined as "the extent to which an individual goes without resources," according to Ruby Payne, Ph.D., in her book Bridges out of Poverty. In a nutshell, poverty is a "lack of resources" situation.

But what exactly are these resources? The concept is considerably broader than merely monetary resources. We frequently hear people complain about how unhappy their lives have been as a result of a lack of funds, but this is simply how they feel in their hearts to soothe themselves. They believe that poverty is caused solely by a lack of financial resources. It's alarming how they work themselves up so hard to raise their level of living that they ignore the importance of positioning themselves to raise their standard of life.

Our "Mental health, Physical health, Spiritual strength, Support system (family), and Opportunities" are some of the additional resources that are sometimes overlooked. If the above important resources are neglected for a long period, a person today with all of the monetary resources and luxury may lose it all one day. For example, a well-established man fell into a pit of poverty due to a lack of spiritual conduct. He submerged himself in gambling and, as a result, buried himself in debts, causing mental illness and wrecking his life. His physical health is also being harmed. There's nothing wrong with raising your level of living, but consider whether you're sacrificing your happiness in the process.

Once there was once an extremely wealthy man. He had a son who was always cheerful and uncomplicated. He made friends with children from all walks of life, be they wealthy or impoverished. As a result, his father became concerned about his group of friends. He was trying to keep him away from the poor folks. He decided to demonstrate to him how destitute these people are and how wealthy we are. As a result, he rented a house in a village where only the impoverished live. They stayed in the village for a few days so that his kid could witness how the poor lived. "How was the trip?" the father said after they returned from the village. "It was a fantastic daddy," the response came from the son. "I'm sure you've observed how destitute our country's citizens are." "Yes, daddy," I replied. "What did you take away from this journey?" "I gained a lot of knowledge." We have one small swimming pool to swim in, while they have an entire lake to themselves; we have a few lights in our garden, while they have stars to illuminate their garden; we have servants to serve us, while they serve each other; we have a large boundary wall to protect us, while they have friends and family to protect them; we have a large boundary wall to protect us, while they have friends and family to protect them; we have a large boundary wall to protect us, while they have friends and family to protect them. We are constantly worried about our wealth being stolen, whereas they have nothing to fear; we have to throw a party to meet our friends, whereas they meet their friends every day; we have more money but no time to live our lives, whereas they have little money but plenty of time to live up to their lives. Father couldn't say anything. "Thanks, Daddy, for showing us how impoverished we are," the boy finally remarked.

Sometimes people are so poor that money is all they have. You will always be poor if you require money to be wealthy. The worst kind of poverty isn't about not having enough money, but about not having enough time to live.

Finally, the fourth resource I stated before, "lack of opportunities," plays a significant influence. The quantity of options and amenities available to wealthy people much exceeds what a poor person could ever fathom. Then one can think that social prejudices are evident. Poverty is frequently both a cause and a result of racial, caste, and religious prejudice. Social norms are created by enlisting the help of upper-class people all across the world, not only in India. A family is poor not just because it lacks the necessary financial means to meet its needs, but also because of the so-called class system. Because neither of these creations assists the poor, they remain poverty-stricken.

So, money isn't and never has been a problem. It's a byproduct of the fundamental issue we're dealing with, which is a shortage of resources, of which money is just one.

-BHUMIKA TIWARI