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Old June 7th, 2012, 02:04 PM
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Fieldmouse Fieldmouse is offline
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Originally Posted by CostaSmurf View Post
It's not lack of money that makes many people poor...its a lack of respect - both from others aswell as from themselves, its a lack of direction, its a lack of feeling wanted by those around you...and in many cases its also down to basic upbringing that can make someone "poor".

In my travels to various parts of the world, I have seen really shocking levels of poverty, that is....butin those same places, I have seen smiles and heard laughter from the most simple of things.

Not so long ago, every country was reasonably pleased with what they had.....nowadays, we have become materialistic, financial institutions have handed out credit as if it were confetti at a wedding......and as a result, we are paying for it now.

But bottom line, money is not what should make you can be poor financially but you can also be poor through basic lack of love, respect and esteem.

The UK has been treated as a haven for those wanting to better their lives for decades, the misguided idea that we are a rich nation....they soon come back to earth with a bump when they try to run a car when petrol is close to $11 a gallon!
Most of us didn't realize how poor we were until 'educated' by tv commercials, news ads, billboards, and magazines boldly telling us how everybody who's anybody has the newest electronic toy, current cell phone release, kitchen gadget, car/van/suv or home. And if you don't, OMG why not????? And heaven forbid that a child, teen or anyone wanting to be a fashionista not wear the most current fashion fad, no matter how much those stupid tennis shoes or torn jeans cost.

Bigger; better and current that's the key to happiness and proof that you are not (shades of disgrace) poor.

There's nothing that cures that attitude like visiting a 'third' world country to snap a person awake to what ' genuinely' poor means. Where there is NO food banks, welfare, bailout, church relief fund, ATM with extended credit...if you don't have ain't going get it, no way, no how.

That doesn't mean there isn't genuinely poor here. There certainly is!!! But as of this date, most still have the 'perception' that they're now poor because they had to give up certain comforts and niceties like cable tv, downsizing their home size, giving up that new car trade-in and have to send their child to a 'city' college.

I tend to agree with some of the comments previously posted...poor also has to do with attitude and how a person/family deals with their dramatic change in economic circumstances. Some people can be poor and VERY materialistic. Some people are very rich and NOT materialistic at all.
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