There are many issues in the world that require serious attention. Whether it be racism, sexism, classism or the unfortunately near perpetual poverty. Something that exists as result of so many different things and is sustained by many different mechanisms both as intentional and unintentional consequences of our socio-economic structures. And we are lucky that people actually pay attention to these issues and call for a solution. Although not all solutions given are equal the very fact that these things are discussed is a sign of progress.

Now I’ve talked, discussed and been both online and offline with a quite few different people. I know we do not all share the same ideas and opinion, thank god for that as live would be dull. Yet it none the less shocks me quite a lot when I’m confronted with the ignorance or even maliciousness of some people when it concerns specific topics, especially when it involves poverty and economic equality. In many ways this is to be expected from particular political wings whose premise is based around perpetuation of certain existing structures and are inclined to ignore of dismiss consequences therefor. Yet of all the arguments made against tackling certain problems, the one that just strikes the wrong note with me on so many levels of my being is any one that contains the phrase ‘just get a job’.

Yes just get a job, if the poor and disenfranchised people who spend nearly everything they get on their basic needs and have to deal with the many social consequences of poverty (violence, stress, crime) would just get a job it would be all solved. If the many working poor in this world would just ‘work harder’ they would get a better job and then everything would be solved. Because apparently the only thing stopping people from not being poor is a job. And if they already have a job they need to stop whining and either get a better job or take what they have. Bonus points if you suggest they should live within their means.

I just don’t get it. I just don’t get the level of ignorance or malice required to even say something this. In the words of Oscar Wilde. “To recommend thrift to the poor is both grotesque and insulting. It is like advising a man who is starving to eat less.” So why don’t they get a job? Well maybe it’s because there aren’t any jobs, maybe because our system imposes restrictions and limitations due to property law, education and simple systematic limitations as a result of the way capitalism works. When you don’t have a lot and spend everything you have on your basic needs you probably don’t have time to find a better job, your kids will probably don’t get a better education because you’ve brought them up in an environment that prevents them from doing so. As instability in their lives will stimulate behavior can detract from being successful in school (a system that by design functions to condition society through forcing a particular set of standards required as means of rising, limiting people who fall out of that narrow line), often these schools do not receive the funds or other support they’d need to deal with this problem as well. Perhaps their family cohesion and health suffers from their status. Perhaps people responsible for hiring them would be prejudiced towards them because of their social status, further limiting them. Perhaps their deprivation has already influenced their behavior to the point that they can only think in terms of making it through another month and any other ambition that might jeopardize their immediate well being is repressed.

There as as many reasons as there are poor people, there are often multiple factors combined that help create these conditions. It is the Cycle of poverty.

And I grow tired of endlessly repeating myself to these people. That we do not exist in a vacuum and as such many things (no matter how we would want it to be other wise) are not the result of just our own choices and actions. ‘Personal responsibility’ only goes as far as we are truly within realistic reach of achieving our dreams. Otherwise it serves as nothing more than a mantra of self justification, so that those supporting this system can dismiss its negatives consequences even though it creates the structures and environments that not only cause, but help maintain poverty.

 

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