Why does poverty tend to run through generations?

Question

WindAtMyBack · Accepted Answer

I have traveled the US extensively by land. I've made stops in hundreds of cities to get a bite to eat. Something I have noticed very consistently are the employees at fast food places and other minimum wage type businesses. The employees in poorer urban areas have really bad attitudes. While the employees in the suburbs and rural areas have much better attitudes. The difference is VERY obvious and consistent.

You'd think it would be the other way around, since the people in the urban areas have more need of money. But it's the kids who grew up middle class who have the best attitudes and are the best workers.

The people in urban areas believe they are in dead end jobs. They believe the odds are against them. They hate having to work.

The people in the suburbs know what it takes to get somewhere. They know it takes hard work and good attitude. They know that it works. That doesn't make it a dead end job. It makes it a stepping stone.

There is always debate about nature vs nurture. The above is nurture. I think there is also a genetic component. For example intelligence has a genetic component. Intelligence breeds intelligence. Add to that the nurture, that some parents place more value on education and hard work. They bring their kids up that way.

Genetics is also a component in skill, and probably personality, both of which can be a factor in success.

It simply gets passed down from parent to child - a combination of nature and nurture.

abc3643 · Accepted Answer

My real answer would be given using mathematics and understanding what a nonlinear system is and what a separatrix is. But, that would be very abstract. So, I'll try to explain it like this...

In short, the less wealth you have, the less ability you have to generate more wealth. You have less connections with wealthy people.
You have less opportunities available to you.
You have more bigotries against you.

In short, you have to work that much harder - IF you have an opportunity to do so - just get to the same position as others who did not have to work so hard.

Now, I want to be clear that life isn't fair and whining about it doesn't help. And working harder MAY help but there's no guarantee of that.

Furthermore, unfortunately, all too often those in poverty may commit crimes because it is just so much easier to get by than having to work just to survive and not make any ground. But, not getting away with it and spending time in prison just sets you and your family back to Square One regarding poverty.

By the way, you might want to learn about Warren Buffett's "Ovarian Lottery" concept.

I know that some people are going to say things like "values" but values only take you so far. There's a good deal of luck involved including the luck of being in the majority so you don't have bigotries against you that can adversely impact you.

purplepoppy · Accepted Answer

Take car insurance as an example, it will be several times higher if you live in a poor neighbourhood. Then costs like travelling to work and household bills take up a greater percentage of your income. The school you went to will probably be crap and even if you get good grades and do a training course many employers won't touch you with a barge pole because of your postcode.

menina · Accepted Answer

Because it's hard to break the cycle. Besides, people are judged for being poor and they don't have many opportunities.

Jersey2 · Answer

Its caused by a failure of the parents to teach their children and sacrifice for them. Poor people will come to this country this year and will be successful as will their children. They just didn’t have opportunity. Other families that have been here for generations will still be poor because they don’t have values.

Unit1 · Answer

Kids see what their poor parents do and repeat after them.

Or they don't explore the parts of society, that separates the rich and the poor. Nor do they do the things the rich do VS the poor. They do not make the necessary sacrifices to get out of poverty like I did or the rich did.

It took me a long time to break out of that cycle for myself. I'm not going back there. My life is wasted either way but at least now it's a comfortable life.

Anonymous · Answer

Because it’s far easier to lose money than accumulate it.

I laugh whenever I hear about so-called success stories who “made it on their own.”

They usually had family who gave them several thousand dollars to get their business going.

Meanwhile something as simple as a car accident, repairs, or some out of the blue fee can really, really set someone back who is already struggling and barely keeping their head above water.

AmeerX · Answer

Because people live in same pattern as their parents, never trying to change themselves or the way they are. And circumstances play a big role in this as well. Like, problems my father faced, I am also facing. And my grandparents also had same habits and it wasn't easy. Things have improved overtime but not much if you ask me:).

NaultD · Answer

It's 100x more expensive being broke. At the same time you'll get years worth of free stuff being a millionaire.

FunkyMonkee · Answer

It does? As far as I know, dad's parents were rich! Dad wasn't rich but got by, pretty well. I've never been rich and have been poor most of my life.

Anonymous · Answer

Because poor people carry on being poor, they have a chip on their shoulder that they leave to their kids about how *because they don't have any* money is evil and so on

Anonymous · Answer

This might help

jahaims · Answer

People in poverty on average have less opportunities/education

OddBeMe · Answer

Because children benefit from their parents wealth.

exitseven · Answer

It is genetic.

Why does poverty tend to run through generations?

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