If you ask people what poverty is most people will tell you it is the lack of sufficient money.
I'm certain images of people begging, people who are homeless, people who are starving, people with torn clothing or even none at all come to mind.
Financial poverty is certainly top of mind when talking about being poor but is it the worst kind of poverty?
When I was young my family certainly had very little. Perhaps we weren't doing badly by developing nation standards but we didn't have much by Canadian standards. Sometimes there was no food. All the clothes were donations. I never got to participate in field trips that cost money or take band lessons which required the purchase of an instrument.
..... but was I truly poor?
- I was given a strong moral compass by my mother and the church
- I always knew that my mother loved me
- I got an education and my teachers cared about me doing well.
- I had a few friends and a vivid imagination
I actually don't think that I was truly poor. Sure I didn't have any money. However, I don't think lack of money is the worst type of poverty. It is when poverty steals hope, steals imagination, steals morality and limits education that I believe people truly become poor.
Poverty of morality
When people trade away their honesty for money?
That is poverty of morality.
Look at many politicians. Perhaps some well known American ones? They wouldn't know the truth if it came up and hit them on the head. Sure they may have lots of money and power.
However, they are poor in one of the ways that matters most. Truly a bad type of poverty
Poverty of Education
How about those people who are unable to get an education?
Without knowledge it is very hard to see how things work and how to get ahead. Without reading the internet is lost to you. No hive. No blog posts. No sharing ideas with people half a world away. Without math how can someone try to work out the best deal to preserve their money. Without history how can we learn from past mistakes. Without a teacher how can new workers learn a skill?
Unfortunately lack of money can lead to a lack of education. However, even without education parents and community can educate the young. Skilled people can teach the unskilled. Farmers can teach the next generation.
Poverty of education is so limiting it is certainly a bad place to start.
Emotional Poverty
I was so blessed by the mother I had and the community around me. I always felt valued even without money.
It would be heartbreaking to me to think of a life without love and community! A child without money is sad. A child that is neglected by parents? A tragedy!
When I first went to the Philippines I saw a country with so little money. However, I also saw how family came together to support and care for one another. I also saw how the community came together and worked as a unit. Compared to Canada the Philippines was so rich in support for the community and others that it put my country to shame.
Emotional poverty is a terrible thing. I'm not sure if it is the worst type of poverty but it is certainly close if it isn't the worst.
What do I think the worst type of poverty is?
My Candidate for Worst Type of Poverty
Poverty of Imagination
I would almost bet that no-one would agree with me on my decision and there is a strong chance that I'm wrong.
However, without imagination how can someone dream of a better future?
Without imagination there is no hope for a better future because someone can't envision a better future.
Without imagination there is no hope to solve big problems like pollution, inequality, crime, and so many more. It's the imagination which dreams of solutions.
Which leads to...Without imagination people don't dream of what's better and dream of what's best. How could I live without a dream of a better tomorrow.
Without imagination how can someone empathize with another person and think about what they are going through? No empathy means no compassion and again emotional and moral poverty.
Now I recently wrote a post about woodgas and solar cooking to get opinions. If you are curious you can read it here.... Many people gave an upvote which made me happy. However, I got replies like "how much" and "don't think we can get that here" while I would have loved to get replies like "Wow, I have to try and make one".
I'm a dreamer and love imagining ways to make things better.
On my upcoming homestead I'll be doing things that just seem odd..
I'll be using sunlight to make water. I'll be using cooking scraps and yard waste to cook my food. I'll be trying to drive my car using fuel I grow at home. I'll try to ride a bike to watch my movies and other things that just seem odd.
However, I love my imagination and dreaming of ways for a better future.
I hope I can share that spark with others.
.... and maybe change a viewpoint or two....
To be certain.... Poverty of finances is bad. Not having enough is bad.
However, its when poverty of finances leads to other types of poverty that things become truly dire.
Thanks for reading.