I am riding the bus one afternoon to pick up my Blazer from the garage. This older guy gets on. He asks the driver about his kids. His English is unrefined. His attire suggests poverty. But he loves his kids. He wants to make sure they got off at an earlier stop. They did. He wanted to make sure they were okay.
My sympathies go out to the man. Poverty haunts me. There were things I wanted that I did not get as a kid. We weren't poor. I have never been hungry. But I empathize. There were times when I felt poor. Feeling poor is the worst feeling I have ever experienced. Seeing poverty reminds me that I have a heart. Seeing poverty makes me want to cry.
What do I do? Rent movies. Employ people. Do economic research? Teach his children?
Do I keep on rockin' in the free world?
It is all about doing something.
3 comments:
what kind of feelings do you think wealth produces? which makes for a stronger family and stronger heart? who can better endure adversity? (this is strictly relating to americans). who would you rather have blocking for you in football.
for all we know, that guy and his kids may ride the bus to protect his $450,000 retirement account so he will not burden his children in the future.
there has been and will continue to be times where we all have to do without. these are the times that I think our truest colors come through. these are truly the times that I have the most pride. I know I do not live in africa, and dong without is completely relative to ones pre-eisting state of "doing with". but many do without to the bare minimum, and their pride cannot be phased. those who have lost the pride are the ones I truly want to help. I may not seem it, but there was a time in my life that I always befriended the 'non-cool' outcast or the overweight classmate because I hate seeing people feel ashamed. I fucking hate it. I had somewhat drifted from that person, but I'd like to think Im getting it back. and as you know, when you treat them with pity, it demoralizes their existence. we might not think it, but we all know there are people on welfare who really are busting their back but circumstances just won't allow enough. instead of crying for the man, why not sit beside him? I admit, I am still a long way from being the person that will reach out at every opportunity that presents itself, but hopefully I can get there.
GGM
ps. I realize that I took that in another direction from your objective, but I guess I could just say that an applied economic approach (and i know there is) which incorporates empowerment concepts to economic and human development is a good idea.
GGM
I am not saying wealth solves anything.
And I certainly don't pity people.
I always befriended the "not cool" guy too. Shit, I befriended anyone willing to be my friend. It was never about pity, but a friend is a friend.
I believe that there is always something to be said about going without.
God knows I support the empowerment strategy of economic growth.
One point of the post is that I am extremely privleged. You are too. I am so privleged I can ask myself unanswerable and foolish philosophical questions about poverty and what to do about it.
The other point is that I am scared to death of feeling poor. Not necessarily money poor, but just that feeling of poverty. It isn't about money. It is about feeling alone.
It had nothing to do with they guy. It has to do with me.
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