Your Anoxistan argument seems valid as far as it goes—if one critical input is extremely hard to get, you’re poor, regardless of whatever else you have.
But that doesn’t seem to describe 1st world societies. What’s the analog to oxygen?
My sense is that “poor people” in 1st world countries struggle because they don’t know how to, or find it culturally difficult to, live within their means. Some combination of culture, family breakdown, and competitive social pressures (to impress potential mates, always a zero-sum game) cause them to live in a fashion that stretches their resources to the limit.
Low income people who struggle insist on living alone when having roommates would be cheaper. On buying pre-made food, or eating out, instead of cooking. On paying for cable TV. On attending colleges to obtain degrees that don’t result in enough income increase to pay the borrowing costs. On buying clothing they can’t really afford. On purchasing things in tiny quantities (at high per-unit prices) instead of making do without until they can afford to buy a quantity that’s sold at a reasonable price. And on borrowing and paying interest for consumption goods.
These are bad strategies. For the most part, they do it because they don’t know any better. It’s how their parents did it, and how the people they know do it. People at the bottom of the income scale are rarely brilliant innovative thinkers who can puzzle their way out of crippling cultural practices—like most sensible (and non-brilliant) people, they take clues from those around them, avoiding moving Chesterson’s fences.
Your Anoxistan argument seems valid as far as it goes—if one critical input is extremely hard to get, you’re poor, regardless of whatever else you have.
But that doesn’t seem to describe 1st world societies. What’s the analog to oxygen?
My sense is that “poor people” in 1st world countries struggle because they don’t know how to, or find it culturally difficult to, live within their means. Some combination of culture, family breakdown, and competitive social pressures (to impress potential mates, always a zero-sum game) cause them to live in a fashion that stretches their resources to the limit.
Low income people who struggle insist on living alone when having roommates would be cheaper. On buying pre-made food, or eating out, instead of cooking. On paying for cable TV. On attending colleges to obtain degrees that don’t result in enough income increase to pay the borrowing costs. On buying clothing they can’t really afford. On purchasing things in tiny quantities (at high per-unit prices) instead of making do without until they can afford to buy a quantity that’s sold at a reasonable price. And on borrowing and paying interest for consumption goods.
These are bad strategies. For the most part, they do it because they don’t know any better. It’s how their parents did it, and how the people they know do it. People at the bottom of the income scale are rarely brilliant innovative thinkers who can puzzle their way out of crippling cultural practices—like most sensible (and non-brilliant) people, they take clues from those around them, avoiding moving Chesterson’s fences.