Le Pavre

I've been asked to give a presentation about poverty to rich seventh graders.

Poverty is about not having the skills to manage one's resources. There are three basic reasons for this: lack of education, mental illness, and drug abuse. Sometimes it is actually the system which has let the impoverished person down...but only sometimes.

Of course there are all kinds of sociological theories about poverty. The Weberian way of thinking says that the system is set and there is nothing one can do to change it. This theory is sometimes cited and used as a crutch for those who want to take advantage of the system. Of course another contributing factor is that these people don't actually know they're using the theory: their lack of education prevents that knowledge. Irony in its truest form.

Several years ago, the US experienced the deinstitutionalization of mental health facilities. This sent thousands of unmedicated patients out into the world to be taken care of by the shoddy welfare system. When you can't get your medication or don't want to take it anymore, sometimes you self-medicate. There's the tie in with drug abuse.

Welcome to the cycle of poverty.