The Rights of the Poor
A discussion about the poor (people on Welfare or Social Assistance). I've seen people complain about these people living 'above their means', and I have to wonder - what does this mean? For example, if you're on welfare, is it considered 'living above your means' if you have the following?
1) A flatscreen TV.
2) 1 or more computers.
3) 1 or more home entertainment systems.
4) Internet.
5) A car.
6) A smartphone.
7) A tablet computer.
8) The means to eat steak more than once a week.
9) The means to get good vegetables more than once a week.
10) A bookshelf full of books.
11) A music library of CDs.
12) A video library of DVDs / Blu Rays.
The thing is, I don't see this as 'living above your means' necessarily. There are all manner of methods of getting any of these things, even if you're poor. You'll get presents, some companies offer deferred payments for goods, and there's always loaning / exchanging of goods. To me, being 'poor' doesn't mean you have to live like you're homeless. You don't need to 'look poor', even if you are poor. Being 'poor' doesn't mean you're banned from having nice things.
Being poor means being careful with how much you spend. It means that the first thing you consider is weighing between paying bills and eating. It means looking ahead at how much you'll have after meeting financial obligations and then deciding between saving ahead for a crisis or actually *enjoying* yourself for a day, knowing you'll have to pay for that later.
Being poor means having to choose between being happy, and being secure, and sometimes that line shifts back and forth. But when you choose 'happy', sometimes the choice you make lasts longer. Want a laptop? You'll need to pay for it over the year, sometimes more, but at least you have your laptop. People may condemn you for having something 'for people that can afford it', but that "luxury" is a means of getting into contact with people and being a part of society. The price you pay for it is worth the rewards, even if people think that's "above your means".
It made me angry at one point when someone on Fox News treated having a microwave and a fridge as a 'luxury', and that poor people should be glad they even HAVE those things. Seriously - a microwave and a fridge is almost a life NECESSITY. That is NOT a luxury.
Just because you're poor, doesn't mean you shouldn't have things to give your life meaning. In fact, it is MORE important that the poor have things to give their life definition outside of raw survival. It is these things which make your life worth living. If being poor meant 1) work, 2) eat, 3) sleep, 4) repeat, what is the point of living then? The poor are not cogs in the machines of the rich, nor SHOULD they be. They are people, and have every right to be happy as anyone else is. If this means spending a bit of money to see a movie, or to get junk food, or to get REAL food, or to enjoy the internet, so be it. They're spending security to do it, but the alternative is much worse.
That's my rant for today.