Stereo types imposed upon the Poor

I agree with you. In my state (West Virginia), the poverty level is one of the highest in the country. Most receive some sort of government assistance, anything from food stamps to CHIPS (childrens health insurance plan). In our state, it is the lack of well paying jobs that contribute to the poverty, and if one is designated at poor, they often can not find the means to leave the state and find a job. THus the circle of family welfare begins. I know of many poor people that have raised children in their Christian homes, and although they don't have many material things, they have the love of one another and the love in Christ. This to me makes them more wealthy than the millionaire who has nothing to do but count his earnings rather than his blessings. Good topic...here's a plus for you my friend!

I agree that these are unfair stereotypes of poor people. I have worked in a daycare for low income families and in very affluent neighborhoods, and I can tell you there were just as many rich people who don't know the first thing about parenting as poor people. The difference is they have the money to pay someone else to deal with their problems so they don't have to deal with it themselves. I think a small part of these stereotypes are based in truth. For example, a poor person has to spend time working to pay the bills and doesn't have as much time to clean house, where as a rich person hires someone to do it. But it works the other way too. I have seen rich people keep their children in pull ups until they are 4 years old because they can't be bothered to potty train. A poor person wouldn't do that because pull ups are expensive and they can't afford it.

Lets not get sentimental over this. Instead I believe your very correct observation requires a more practical approach towards a plausible explanation. I have had several rosy ideals about the poor and had harboured similar notions of insults being heaped on them by society at large but believe me, living day in day out among the poor for over 10 yrs has opened my eyes to the stark reality of their everyday existence. The poor know very little about health, nutrition, hygiene, basic cleanliness, education, entertainment and the other such requirements of basic living not because they are poor, but because they genuinely cannot afford them. They cant afford a single room tenement with its own toilet, they cant afford two decent meals a day, they cant afford a basic public school, decent clean clothes and such and its not their curse…its our collective curse but its also the reality which we can never overlook. And since they have known of no better life, they continue to live in their squalour with little thoughts for self-improvement. They lack skills. Yes they certainly do but not because they are born into poor families but because poverty prevents them from pursuing alternate career skills and goals. Today if I want my son to take up a vocational course for career, I would have to invest a certain minimum amount on him which most poor families cant afford. So they opt out instead. And then there is the curse of drink. I would be very frank when I say that the curse of drink on the poor is more than on the rich. Just because the poor have few other means of entertainment, any extra income is more often than not spent on drinks on one evening and the money is gone. Its not that the poor should not drink, its that they can little afford it yet they know of no other way of saving the money. So its easy blaming the clichéd ideas and ranting against them but believe me, most of the clichéd ideas are very very correct. Maybe its our collective fault, maybe we should all pitch in to give them a better tomorrow but that’s another story.

Perpetuating stereotypes of "poverty causes crime" or "poor people just can't do it by themselves" enables people to either excuse their own ignorance or capitalize on the ignorance of others. Class warfare arguments are almost always based on stereotypes of "rich", "poor" and "middle class".

I know what you mean on this and it is really unfair. I wish peopl could use a little common sense when looking at situations. Someone who is "poor" can't afford brand new furniture and household items and let's face it a brand new carpet is always going to look cleaner than one that's 10 years old even if they are cleaned equally as often. Same with a lot of clothing items and shoes and a lot of other things. My very old Nike's look like crap because I don't have the money to replace them every 3 months...but at least they are usually clean. People with money can afford top of the line hair products and salon visits, the rest of us have to deal with store brand shampoo and the neighborhood "beauty shop" so of course we aren't going to look as put together...it doesn't mean we don't wash our hair though. I remember the WIC tests. They were a bit nerve wracking for me only because the answers seemed so obvious I thought for sure I must be wrong...as if the test couldn't possibly be that easy so they must be trick questions somehow. And then of course were the questions about if I had a working stove and did I know how to use it....I couldn't afford $120 a month for formula, I wasn't an idiot! I also remember being asked if I had my GED, naturally I answered no and the lady started telling me about free classes to help me get it. I had to stop her and say that not only did I have my real high school diploma but that I graduated a full semester early and had gone on to college...she just assumed that poor young mom equalled high school drop out, never even considered that my (then) husband worked 6-7 days a week to support our little family of 4 and we just wanted that little extra help, actually she was surprised that I had a husband.