Understanding Poverty

In order to eradicate poverty, we must first understand it, and its causes.

Just like other diseases, poverty has many causes, and many different manifestations.

There are those who suffer from chronic poverty, which is indeed the majority of those living below the poverty line, and also the most invisible. They are the single mothers raising a few children, living from day to day, paycheque to paycheque, or welfare cheque to welfare cheque, depending on food banks, and charity donations. They are the ones living the lives of quiet desperation.

The most visible poverty is seen among those who suffer from acute poverty, who are homeless, often pushing a cart from dumpster to dumpster, living in cardbox shelters in alleys and under bridges. They are usually those who also suffer from another disease, most often addiction of one form or another, perhaps even multiple addiction, from alcohol to cigarettes, from prescription drugs to illicit nacortics. Increasingly, with advances in technology, addiction can also take the form of online gambling, casino gambling, sex, or food, or video games. The depth of poverty, or the intensity of the acute poverty depends on the severity and multiplicity of the addiction.

Finally, there are also those most transient of the poor, who suffer from marginalized poverty, those who hover above and below the poverty line, living from day to day, barely making ends meet, paying for all the "necessities" of today's consumer society, holding multiple jobs, often part-time jobs at minimum wages. They hang on to their dignity and self-respect by the smallest of margins, by the skin of their teeth. They waver over the margins of society, at one time or another mingling with the chronically poor, and with the lower working class.

Just like in medicine, treating the poor, helping them to help themselves, requires different treatment for different causes.

To use the same dogmatic mantra for every situation is as ineffective, and as irresponsible as using antibiotic indiscriminately for all patients.

An ancient Chinese proverb says, "Treat the illness with the right medicine."

First understand the person's root cause of poverty, then decide which course of assistance is most appropriate for that individual. To be a Good Samaritan requires more than good intention and a willing compassionate heart; it also calls for humility and emptiness (as discussed in M.Scott Peck's book, Different Drum) to hear the cries for help and understand what is needed, not just what we want to give.