Being Poor

Posted on September 3, 2005
Filed Under /dev/null/ | 289 views |

John Scalzi has written an excellent essay titled “Being Poor” that everyone should read. I can only assume he’s written in response to hearing one too many times someone else wonder why the poor people didn’t “just leave” Louisiana. I know I’ve heard that ignorant question often enough in the past few days to last a lifetime.

Being poor is hoping the toothache goes away.

Being poor is knowing your kid goes to friends’ houses but never has friends over to yours.
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Being poor is thinking $8 an hour is a really good deal.

Being poor is relying on people who don’t give a damn about you.
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Being poor is knowing you work as hard as anyone, anywhere.

Being poor is people surprised to discover you’re not actually stupid.
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Being poor is people wondering why you didn’t leave.

Comments

6 Responses to “Being Poor”

  1. Deacon on February 1st, 2006 8:42 pm

    Some more on being poor, as an adult…

    Being poor is finally getting the stereo you always wanted during high school…. 15 years later at a thrift store.

    Being poor is hoping that your threadbare pants don’t give out on the way to a job interview.

    Being poor is one pair of shoes standing between you and going barefoot.

    Being poor is praying that you can get a job before you run into your old classmates on the street.

    Being poor is being ashamed of the minimum wage job you have when you go to your high school re-union (all the while hoping no one asks..)

    Being poor is realizing that all your work makes you as much as you’d make if you were on welfare… only without the benefits.

    Being poor is when running out of money before you run out of month isn’t due to your wasting money (there just isn’t enough…)

  2. Chris on February 1st, 2006 10:56 pm

    Thanks Deacon - I’m glad this post is still getting hits and generating thought six months later. It’s too easy for this sort of thing to be forgotten once it drops out of the media’s spotlight.

  3. KIM on May 19th, 2006 10:17 am

    Thanks, wish everyone could read this!
    I lived in poverty as a child, I guess somewhere along the way I made some good decisions and changed my path, but I did not do it alone, I have so much appreciation for so many people that helped make my vision come true. I continue to contribute to my community and have over the past 16 years been a foster Mom to thirteen kids, it is easy to love and understand poor children and adults because I was one also. Those years have been the most rewarding!
    As years go by I realize, my family was poor, but we were so rich!

  4. jasmine on January 22nd, 2008 4:34 am

    Being poor is not wanting to attend that high school reunion.

  5. jasmine on January 22nd, 2008 4:41 am

    Being poor is feeling that you dont deserve to go out with boys from better families. What if they come and see your house.

    Being poor is being ashamed of your house too then.

    I speak from experience. I never invited friends to my house.

  6. Karina on June 11th, 2008 3:29 am

    Being poor is not living in a house.

    Being poor is a scrambled egg and ketchup sandwich and a refilled bottle of water in a plastic grocery bag to take on your field trip.

    Being poor is telling your mom you don’t want to attend Gifted And Talented Education class once a week at another school because her she works until 4:00am and you don’t want her to wake up 4 hours after she went to bed.

    Being poor is walking to the laundromat with your wire cart because you don’t have a car to drive all your clothes down the street.

    Being poor is hating that time of year when kids get their fund raiser packets in class because no one you or your family knows can afford to buy even little 3.00 pack chocolates.

    Being poor is people appalled that though you were born and raised in America, you can speak English without an accent, and better than Spanish.

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