“Urban” Poverty

If you think urban poverty is talking about the people sidelined by the relentless push of capitalist materialism and it’s high spending consumerist proponents, then I am sorry, since Buzzfeed begs to differ.

Spectacularly missing the point, aren’t they?

Ordinary money management causing people to spend towards maintaining an arbitrary set of standards that society churns out is not something to be pitied, is not a problem to be solved. A sense of deservedness arising out of entitlement is not urban poverty.

Living under the bridges, on the streets, forced into decidedly abhorrent professions, unable to raise their standard of living, with all avenues shut, this is the dialogue we need to be having. About eradicating the acute poverty of the denizens living in the underbelly of “smart” and “digital” cities.

What bothers me more is the reality that the article is trying to paint. Is it a true reflection of the cultural mindset? Or a narrow-minded view of what the author thinks is the mental make-up of the modern youngster?

What happened to budgeting? Rationing? Living within your means? Aren't these valuable skills? Aren't these essential?

Glorifying poor monetary decisions and bunching them up with a condition as serious as poverty and painting it with some self pity is quite a leap, and this level of substandard journalism driving reactions for it is particularly worrisome, shocking and yet completely unsurprising, given how topical the general devolution of intelligent discourse is.

Damn Buzzfeed.