Now in days, television shows and movies depict the poor as people with no ambition, no dignity, people who cannot be happy with themselves while living in poverty. These negative stereotypes often fill people with a stigma of being or becoming poor. Many of us in this generation, who grew up in poverty or with blue-collar workers as parents, have dealt…
I agree with the comment that Peter Singer’s argument that individuals should donate to alleviate poverty and save lives does not address the underlying structural socioeconomic causes of poverty. His argument for a redistribution of wealth on an individual basis still operates under an economic system where there is an unequal distribution of wealth. As a result, even if individuals donate money, poorer countries will always be reliant on these wealthier countries and individuals for survival resulting in an increased power imbalance. However, I also think that it is important not to disregard these contributions to people in poverty simply because they do not fix the system, as these contributions do have the power to save and improve lives…
In this article Diana George discusses how poverty is misrepresented by Habitats for Humanity and how this adversely affects the organization’s goal, which is to “eliminate poverty housing from the globe” (pg.4). In an effort to attract supporters the organization paints a very obvious picture of what poverty is in their publicity videos. They show people in rags, living in shacks with despair all around them, and suggests that the issue can simply be solved with good-willing volunteers. The problem with this is that it only shows one dimension of poverty which narrows the population’s ideas about what it is. In order to undermine this, Diana George suggests that we “change the face of poverty” because it doesn't just mean lack of material possessions. The poverty in one country may be different from that of another country.…
While I am not saying that giving to the less fortunate is wrong or those who are at disadvantages because of uncontrollable circumstances should not be given an opportunity to help themselves, I am stating my beliefs that the so-called “Great Society” has not been effective in the reduction of poverty and in many cases may actually be contributing to the continuance of people living in poverty.…
Prior to this activity, I was skeptical that I would not learn anything beneficial or enlightening. After a little debate, I decided to move forward in watching the documentary Poor America. Although this was a short documentary, I felt that every second was impactful. This documentary was the perfect introduction to allow myself to develop within this series of multicultural activities. I felt engaged during the documentary because it showed several different people going through something similar that I have thankfully not had to experience in my life. Prior to this documentary, I do not believe I was aware of true poverty. A lot of the things that I had growing up I did not realize they were such a privilege. Although small, this experience as help me develop a better understanding.…
Based on the article by Peter Singer entitled Famine, Affluence, and Morality, he attempts to move us to do more for charities and gives one astounding example. He uses starving children in Bengali and a drowning child.…
One problem that I identified from the video is that students that fall into the low income class don’t have true support at home which inadequately, cause most students to put in a lack of effort because they don’t have any one to cheer them on. During the parent /teacher conference, no parent for the low-income students showed up, which is concerning because it shows lack of support. According to the power point lecture, Reasons for Lower Educational Achievement, “Low-income parents are less likely to expect their kids to go to college. Low-income parents are less likely to be involved with their child’s education. Low- income parents are more often themselves low academic achievers” (Nguyen, 2014, Ch. 8, slide#21) Students from low- income…
Throughout the text, “Changing the Face of Poverty,” Diana George is certainly precise when claiming that the common representations of poverty limit our understanding of it. She expresses that most of our knowledge of poverty becomes misinterpreted due to advertisements, media, and images. Consequently, the way that we look at poverty focuses around that in which is in third-world countries, but poverty can be anywhere, even in your backyard. American citizens are the audience for the text, because Americans typically portray as being wealthy, happy people who are oblivious to the poverty-stricken areas surrounding them. Diana George’s, “Changing the Face of Poverty” expresses to its readers that non-profit organizations such as Habitat for…
After reading “When Handouts Keep Coming, The Food Line Never Ends”, it got me thinking why this article was even written. Everyone knows about poverty and people going hungry at Thanksgiving time. Everywhere you go in the month of November you see the salvation army collecting money, different work places and schools having food drives, homeless shelters and soup kitchens offering meals, as well as churches taking extra donations to help local families in need. The main idea in this article is to end poverty, if we ended poverty then naturally it would end the hunger cause. This whole article talked about food distribution centers, food bank trucks and raising money for the food to help spread amongst the people who needed it, but is this really ending poverty? Or by this generous, good hearted help, is it letting people continue living in poverty because it’s easier taking what’s being handed to you then to get out there and work hard to get out of poverty? In this article I think the main points are to get awareness out about how much poverty is out there in the world, and what is already being done about it. To let people know about the food distribution centers, food banking culture, food bank trucks, food insecurity and poverty. I have mixed emotions about this article, and maybe it’s because I don’t fully understand what it is like to be in poverty. I don’t understand how in the United States we have as much poverty as we do. How with all the technology that we have, free libraries with books and internet capability, such generous people giving food to the homeless why people who are in poverty can’t get out of it. If I were in their shoes I would be working hard to get my GED or getting myself cleaned up to get a job to make a life for myself. So these people living in poverty are they really stuck in poverty or is it easy for them? Easy to do not work and live on the streets or in shelters and taking free food. On the other hand it does warm my heart…
While the world continues to progress technologically, faster than it’s growth in technology, it’s retrogressing morally and spiritually. While life seems to become easier theoretically, in theory, when you analyse life today, we have such advanced modes of transport, such easy ways of communication, in theory life seems easier than previous times, but practically life has become more challenging than the previous times. Tension, depression and frustration has become the order of the day. Happiness, joy and prosperity is something of the past. The very fears that haunt the minds of every individual that are ever lurking, “i must never be poor” “i must never be diagnosed with cancer” this must never happen, these fears are ever lurking in the heart and in the mind of every man is sufficient depression in the life of every person. The only way to avert financial depression is to convince yourself that Allah is the sustainer. The fluctuation in the currency and fake predictions of the economists, the competitors in the market will not make a difference to you. This is the modern day poverty. In the midst of comfort and luxury there is no joy. Prophet Muhammad saw said in the narration of ibn hibaan “know abu zar, wealth in essence is the contentment of the heart” nothing in this world can give you that contentment that is divine from Allah. The one who has contentment in his heart, then no amount of calamities and tragedies will harm or depress this…
story against poverty in this autobiography. Yunus explains the ineffectiveness of charitable donations when compared to micro-lending as he believes credit is a basic human right and that hand-outs only "increases their misery, robs them of incentive and, more important, of self-respect." (Yanus, p. 205) The success of the Grameen Bank in Bangladesh and elsewhere raises some interesting philosophical questions: 1-Should poverty be eliminated in the context of a capitalist economic system or 2-is a socialist solution required? Yunus is aware of these differences and disputes that we should put emphasis on a social-consciousness driven private sector.…
Whether poverty fosters crimes remains a continued source of contention politicians, socialists, economists, psychologist as well as members of the general public. On the one hand, opponents of the debate claim that the problem of crime in the society should be qualified as the consulted outcome of poor structural on security and reliable mechanisms for the nurturing and safeguarding of responsible citizens (Regoli, et al., 2009). On the other hand, proponents in the debate assert of the far-reaching effects of poverty in negating the socioeconomic wellbeing of the people as well as the ability by the government to engage in effective security measures (Kriesberg, 2009). All in all, given evidence of a strong link between poverty andinability by individuals to engage in useful activities, there is no doubt that poverty foster crime. This paper is a critical argument in support of the view that poverty foster crime.…
• Hancock, G. (1991). Lords of Poverty: The Free-Wheeling Lifestyles, Power, Prestige and Corruption of the Multi-billion Dollar Aid Business. London: Mandarin.…
Poverty is an elusive concept that almost defies a standard definition. This is because it assumes different meanings under varied conditions or…
I wrote this piece as a way to share the negative aspects of poverty with the public, and hopefully turn them against it.…