It has lasting effects. My childhood was on the poverty line. I’m now, due to plenty of hard work but let’s face it - luck and opportunity (I’m very aware of my privilege in this regard), I’m now considered a high income earner in my country.
But I still struggle to make purchasing decisions without extremely close scrutiny of the value comparisons. I harbour anxiety about running out of money, despite being comfortable and debt free.
My childhood left permanent scars. When you are poor your baseline is stress. It impacts everything you think and do. Even when your situation changes, you can’t completely shake it off.
I think people who’ve never experienced it, somehow think it’s compartmentalized from the rest of your life. Like, ‘oh well, I have no money - that’s ok, everything else is fine’. It pervades every part of your identity.
When I was in college, food stamps helped me a lot from having to take a third job just to eat.
When I was laid off, food stamps helped me feed my family until I can get back on my feet.
It’s a critical piece of basic living. The social stigma and all the arguments about it is stupid to me.
People who have never been poor don’t understand what being poor really means.
It has lasting effects. My childhood was on the poverty line. I’m now, due to plenty of hard work but let’s face it - luck and opportunity (I’m very aware of my privilege in this regard), I’m now considered a high income earner in my country.
But I still struggle to make purchasing decisions without extremely close scrutiny of the value comparisons. I harbour anxiety about running out of money, despite being comfortable and debt free.
My childhood left permanent scars. When you are poor your baseline is stress. It impacts everything you think and do. Even when your situation changes, you can’t completely shake it off.
I think people who’ve never experienced it, somehow think it’s compartmentalized from the rest of your life. Like, ‘oh well, I have no money - that’s ok, everything else is fine’. It pervades every part of your identity.
Oof this brings me back.
How has this society not collapsed?