The new PBS POV program "Waging A Living" has already sparked a lot of conversation.
Perspective A: Working people should be able to make ends meet. If you're working full time, you shouldn't be living in poverty. There's something wrong with the system if hard-working people are still not making it.
Perspective B: People who make bad choices in life will be poor.
I really don't know which perspective "Waging a Living" show takes. I haven't seen yet, but is described
At the POV website
But I wanted to put forth some of the arguments advanced by Perspective B, because they are the same arguments that blame those dispossessed by Hurricane Katrina for their plight.
Perspective B:
1. If you don't complete your HS education or get a degree, you will not get good jobs that lead to advancement. Get an education and you'll succeed.
- Good jobs carry insurance. If you don't get a good job with benefits, that's your problem.
- Good jobs offer good pension plans. If you don't consider that in your career choice, that's your problem.
2. Don't be a single parent. Good partner choice, good family planning is essential.
3. Don't be an addict. Drug and alcohol abuse, gambling addiction, these are a matter of personal responsibility.
4. All these "poor" people have cell phones, cable tv, eat restaurant meals, and indulge in other petty luxuries. If they made sound financial decisions, they wouldn't be poor. Put 'em on a budget and they'll be fine.
Now on the surface, all these arguments make sense. Of course getting an education provides more opportunity. Of course everyone's responsible for living within their means.
What concerns me about Perspective B is the blaming. If you're poor it's your fault because of bad decisions you made. If you lived right, you'd be ok. If you hadn't chosen that no-good husband you wouldn't be a struggling single mom. If you hadn't chosen a house below sea level, you wouldn't have gotten flooded out in the hurricane.
Most of the people advancing these arguments are well-educated people living fairly comfortably. They may have a bootstrapping story of their own about working two jobs to get through college. Their argument is, if I can do it, why can't they?
I don't propose any solutions in this diary. It's just a window into the bootstrapping mentality. Any thoughts?