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Defining poverty : Comments
By Peter Saunders, published 8/8/2005Peter Saunders argues there is a difference between poverty and inequality.
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Posted by daggett, Wednesday, 31 August 2005 1:00:05 PM
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One of the biggest problems for the havenots, is that the people making the decisions that most affect them are made by haves with little or no understanding of what it is like to live in poverty in this society. Many of your subscibers are obviously well educated, with university degrees who treat this discussion as purely discussion.A programme well worth watching "30 Days" by the maker of "Super Size Me" graphically portrays what it is really like to live in poverty. How many know what it is like to live on less than $20,000 per annum,(for a family) when the average wage is $50,000 per year. How many of your subscribers know what it is like to be unable to buy food, pay the rent, not even afford second hand clothes
or shoes, cant go the Doctor or buy the prescription needed, cannot afford decent glasses, can maybe run a car, but cannot afford to maintain or insure it, cannot afford home insurance and the list goes on. For those in poverty there is so much that most take for granted that they cant afford. And the display of wealth by the haves, without any consideration for those less well off, is offensive to the havenots. No wonder we have crime and spiralling rates of despair and depression. Australia is for the clever ones, for those without a high rate of intelligence and ability,there is little space. They are shut out and deprived and live in both economic and psychological poverty.In our endless search for profit we are denying many the means for a worthwhile life and creating poverty. CMcK Posted by CMcK, Friday, 10 August 2007 1:40:17 PM
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CMcK,
Poverty in Australia is a state of mind or otherwise a poor management of Centrelink payments. I am a pensioner now on basic age pension. I have grown up in a large farming family who survived floods, drought and fires. We lived on Bank finance and managed by hard work to repay debt. Anyone who has two capable hands is able to work and has no need to cry poor. We have a very fair welfare system to assist the vunerable, aged and carers. Envy is the greatest cause of a mental criple. Today I do voluntary work greatly rewarding for self esteem. Posted by Philo, Saturday, 11 August 2007 8:22:34 PM
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Philo,
Would you care to explain your personal circumstances? My guess is that you own your own home in a pleasant area close to all amenities and have and been able to have stocked it well with furniture, white goods and tools from when you had a wage. Whilst it may be to your credit that you are able to live, as a pensioner, more modestly than most on a pension, if I am correct about you, I don't believe that you are in a position to cast judgement upon many who have not been as fortunate as yourself. Have you read "Dirt Cheap" by Elisabeth Wynhausen published in 2005? She is a journalist who chose to attempt to live for 12 months as a low-skilled low-paid worker. She found it literally impossible to exist on those wages. I suggest that before you make any further pronouncements against Centrelink payment recipients and low-wage earners that you take the trouble to read that book and to suggest to Elisabeth Wynhausen how she should have better managed her finances during that year. Note I made a similar challenge to Peter Saunders and he has, unsurprisingly, failed to respond. But of course, that won't prevent him and his kind from continuing to peddle his message that allows so many Australians to remain indifferent to the treatment of their fellow citizens by this government. --- CMck (http://forum.onlineopinion.com.au/thread.asp?article=3737#89863), Thanks for your excellent post. (If you will permit me to beat my own drum, have you had a chance to check out my article "Dictatorial Conduct" at http://www.onlineopinion.com.au/view.asp?article=6261 ?) Posted by daggett, Sunday, 26 August 2007 3:57:05 AM
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Apologies.
The sentence in my previous post, which began: "Whilst it may be to your credit that you are able to live, as a pensioner, more modestly than most on a pension, if I am correct about you, ..." Should have began: Whilst it may be to your credit that you are able to live, as a pensioner, more modestly than most, ..." --- Interesting that Philo, with his harsh judgemental views about the working poor and welfare recipients is also a very vocal fundamentalist Christian. Check out http://forum.onlineopinion.com.au/thread.asp?discussion=940#16356 I doubt very much that if the historical Jesus would have been very impressed with Philo's views either here or there. Posted by daggett, Sunday, 26 August 2007 12:19:23 PM
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http://forum.onlineopinion.com.au/thread.asp?article=211