Rahul Gandhi: 'Poverty is a state of mind.' Do you agree?

  • Poverty is a state of mind

    In some countries poverty is a forced condition. In the USA it is a state of mind and for some a life style. Someone that has a poverty mentality will be poor no matter what. Give them a million dollars, it will be gone with nothing to show. Quickly. I think most people confuse poverty with broke. There has been many times in my life I have not had any money. I was broke, poverty is totally different.
    A lot of these folks think someone else owes them or is holding them down. The only person holding them back is there actions.

  • Fear of Poverty definitely is.

    As long as we fear and dread poverty, one can never come out of poverty. So, yes, I do believe to a large extents poverty is a state of mind. Subsidies by government do not bring one out of poverty, but it simply eases the pressure on livelihood, which may help one to figure a permanent way out of that poverty.

  • Poverty is a state of mind or how else will someone from a 'poor' background rise to the top without help?

    I am not advocating that we do not help those who are not financially able to help themselves, but as an African, we need to start thinking differently and not looking to be help all the time. Some of us have risen from poverty. Being poor is therefore a mindset

  • Poverty doesn't exist in real life

    It is just a single story.Finance is not the only thing that affects life .If you think yourself as rich you will become rich later. Money comes and goes like waves.Where there is a will there is a way
    If someone calls you poor ,it is thier problem not yours. They are trying to compare you to others and as long as you ignore them thier words will do nothing and pass like a breeze.

  • Poverty is a state of mind really

    If we think we are poor then we will be poor if we think we are rich we will be rich . Because man can do anything by using education. Man can invent so many things only by using education. So if a poor man is educated then he can also do great things. So poverty is not in the living sense it is the state of mind

  • Tpoverty is a

    Thevyhht yhu ygh ftuhgft6yh yygv yyyv gygv gtrevggyb gg vyv gg yv yg y yyio ghhbm uhb uuhg hg vh vguh vhg uguguug ughibu ihih ugugu hibubj hibjbu hibubj bjbjb bj n n nhjbj bjbjbj njnj mguyggy gugughgu gugubu gugihibnjkkjkj hiihcyyvh ihhguv 7gihh hihffy 6y7yuu ggg yygbggg ggvgfvf gtt gggg

  • Poverty is also a state of mind, but not "just"

    Poverty is also a physical and economic state of being, and what effects body also affects the mind. Living in such deprived conditions physically, inevitably affects ones mindset. You'll find much of those in poverty just don't know any other way to live even when given the opportunity. So yes when one has lived all their life in poverty it also becomes a state of mind, because they've never known any better.

  • Obviously "Poverty is the state of mind"

    Bcoz. . Everything depends on what people think in their mind. . The main reason is because they have an negative opinion. Once if the think that they are poor then its really difficult to change their mindset. There are people in poverty who have many dreams and many things to achieve but bcoz of their mind set and their negative thoughts lead them to get failure in their life. So at last I would like to say that be strong and positive so that all ur hopes and dreams come true even though u maybe a poor. . . . . . .

  • Poverty is state of mind

    People with negative attitude and weak perception will always think they are poor and this mentality of people is blocking themselves to be rich and happy. People are easily effected by others people opinion and judgment but the reality is if we think we are poor we really are poor thats what poor mentality we keep.

  • Poverty IS a state of mind

    People can rise from poverty. Poverty struck children are always smiling and grateful for what they have, Including family and friends. People that are “rich” always want more and most would not even think of donating a small amount of money to the people that really need it and would be grateful for it. Money does not guarantee happiness and having a positive mindset is the only thing you need.

  • Poverty is not a state of mind... It's a physical living condition.

    a : the state of one who lacks a usual or socially acceptable amount of money or material possessions
    b : renunciation as a member of a religious order of the right as an individual to own property

    1] http://www.Merriam-webster.Com/dictionary/poverty
    2] http://dictionary.Reference.Com/browse/poverty

    Poverty is defined by how much money you don't have... It's not a mental thing. Ask a poor man with starving children and no home if this is all just a 'state of mind.'

  • Education vs jobs

    No poverty is not a state of mind as ,when people are born they are to be given proper education to form there base ,if they won't be having a base they won't be able to secure any position in there colleges but for some people going to the college is a luxury ,some people who even go to good colleges and get a nice degree are still sitting at there homes. So if a person is well educated then only will he/she has a chance for getting a job which could get him/her sufficient income for there own sustainese

  • It's a state that you body is in

    When you've got an entire village, for example, dying from lack of food, living in utter poverty, with no sanitation and no clean drinking water...I don't think it's the state of their minds. When you can't pay your bills, go to Dr or buy food. Plus there is a level of the amount of income that is known as Poverty level.

  • Poverty defined by the specific income/year, it is not a state of mind.

    If poverty is defined with a specific amount of money one is earning in a specific amount of time, then it is absolutely not a state of mind, it is the state of being.

    Although the amount/year for example for the poverty line is also debatable but even if we agree on that, there will be people above that line or way above that line will feel that they are poor. So beyond the set limit, it is a state of mind but primarily it is a state of being.

  • 'Poor' quality of life

    Poor is when the person is unable to enjoy basic amenities. He should have access to drinking water, nutrition, sanitation, shelter, primary education, and elementary medical care. If not, he is poor.

    In response to other comments, not everyone can be Kalam or Walt Disney. Basic amenities should be available for all- from janitor to farmer to construction worker to miner.

  • Poverty is not a state of mind

    Poverty is a state or a situation were one cannot afford one's basic need. It is not within the mind; however, it is the way one lives. Lines set for people who are on the poverty level gives a meaning that they cannot change the situation of poverty; most importantly, one can change one's mind...

  • Poverty is not a state of mind

    You can be educated and shunned in the employment world, forced to work below your education level or intellectual ability. Opportunity is the key. Education with no opportunity is part of the problem. Still responsible for education bills with no way to pay them while supporting yourself with a roof over your head, utilities, transportation, clothes, food, medical etc. The average person is one or two pay checks from disaster. Cities like Flint Michigan, Chicago, Detroit, Baltimore were once thriving metropolises and now are in waste because of lack of opportunity.

  • You don't have a choice into the location you are born in to,nor a physical state, both contribute heavily in your life's direction.

    It is very difficult to overcome learned coping behaviors,albeit seemingly disfunctional.(there usually good reasons they are used when explained) not to mention lack of opportunities when born into poor conditions. The simplest of tasks become exhausting hurdles that over time beat down the spirit,the mind and body that eventually most will succumb to. Not to mention hoards of greedy,soul sucking losers that take advantage at any instant available. I have seen these myself,it's not "a state of mind."

  • Poverty is not a state of mind.

    Poverty is a state of mind ONLY for the rich, ONLY for those who don't ever go hungry because they did not have money to buy food, ONLY for those who say it is, ONLY for those who don't want to see the poor, ONLY for those who are daft

  • The only argument supporting this topic is that "anything is a state of mind. "

    Some people believe that if you believe you are in poverty, You will always be in poverty. Changing your mindset will not change your position in the economy. There are so many factors that affect the economy and a person's position in it. All of these factors come together to conclude that poverty cannot ever be only a mindset. Although people do rise from poverty, This is not because of a change in mindset for most people, And it certainly is not a common thing.
    I recommend reading "Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City" by Matthew Desmond. This is a collection of true stories of people living their lives stuck in poverty.

Leave a comment...
(Maximum 900 words)
David1975 says2016-04-25T12:57:40.770
I understand the "state of mind" argument, but at the end of the day if one rises above poverty they will have money. One can think positive with or without money, but one can't beat poverty without money.
