I'm the son of an Italian immigrant. When I studied in Italy I found that there's a big difference between Italians in italy, and those who migrated to America, especially those who were children of the mass migrations of the twenties and thirties. We were raised with a poverty mentality. As a result, the noble concept of handing down wealth did not exist here as profoundly as it does in Italy. Here the noble thing was to provide for your immigrant parents who could not speak the language and may not have fared all that well reaching a kind of stasis point in a clean and marginally secure life. This led to a kind of inverted sense of value that it was the children who were to bubble up the benefits to the parents, instead of the other way around which is more common in the mother nation itself.
I'm not an expert in the field, but I am a scientist by training and I tend to think outside the box when solving problems. Not to discount this theory, but in my experience, people are creatures of habit. People will often seek out environments and people that make them comfortable. And more so, what they are simply familiar with. For example, the Amish let their kids go out into the world to explore. Most end up returning to their Amish lifestyle afterwards. I suspect this desire to be in a familiar environment plays a significant role in why the poor stay poor. I have more to say, but I'm on my lunch break and I need to get back to work. I'd love to hear what you have to say about my thoughts, thought, before I say more.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts! Your perspective as a scientist is valuable. You're right; people tend to seek comfort in familiar environments. This desire for familiarity can indeed play a significant role in why some individuals remain in poverty. However, it's also important to consider external factors and systemic issues that can trap people in poverty, regardless of their desire for change. I'm eager to hear more when you have time.
@@mrbrain122 Thanks for being willing to entertain a discussion on the topic! So many content creators that I enjoy have too many commenters to be able to have a meaningful discussion on the topic of their video. While I wish you success and many followers/views, I am glad for this chance to talk with you. I guess where I would go with this is this: While I acknowledge the external factors, those internal factors I mentioned seem to make up a large majority of the reason. For example, in the US people have the freedom to move up (or down) in economic success if they choose to try. The key here is they have to want to try to change it. Climbing out of poverty is not an easy thing. It takes a lot of effort and time. Everyone in the US knows they can go to college or trade school and move up the economic ladder. Student loans and grants make this very easy. The problem I see is motivation and desire to put in the long-term effort. I suppose you could say that the lack of motivation could be an external factor because perhaps they were not motivated enough by their peers, teachers or others, but I would argue that ambition comes from within, not without. Another aspect, one that could be considered a facet of the motivation, is the fact that the "poor" of the US (and likely most of the rest of the developed world) are truly not "poor". They are not, for the most part, destitute. They are relatively well off compared to the poor of the least wealthy countries of the world or when compared to the poor from 100+ years ago. Being "poor" IS after all defined as having an income a certain percent below the median income. Using this measure will always ensure there will be "poor" because there is always variation around an average (whether it is the arithmetic average or the median average). It does not mean they are truly "poor", though. And when people are not actually destitute, they can be comfortable with their "poorness" and not have the motivation/desire to be wealthier. So while I agree there are external factors limiting people from moving up, I just have trouble accepting that they can meaningfully impact the overall poverty rate. All we can do is provide opportunity and let people that the opportunity is there, which we do already. Some people, like myself, are willing to put in the long term effort and investment that is required to move up, but there are not that many like me, in my experience, that are willing to put in that kind of effort.
Thank you for sharing your thoughtful insights and continuing the discussion! Your perspective on the interplay between internal and external factors in the context of poverty is quite intriguing. You've rightly pointed out that motivation and ambition often come from within, and that personal choices play a significant role in one's economic mobility. The availability of educational opportunities and the ease of access to resources like student loans and grants in the US does indeed provide a pathway for individuals to improve their economic situation. Your observation about the relative wealth of the "poor" in developed countries compared to those in less fortunate nations is also an important one. It highlights the complexity of poverty as a concept and how it can be relative to one's context. It's true that the definition of poverty is often based on income thresholds relative to the median, and this can create a situation where individuals may not feel an urgent need to change their circumstances. While providing opportunities is a crucial step, it's also important to acknowledge that not everyone will seize them for various reasons, including individual choices and circumstances. Poverty is indeed a multifaceted issue, and its root causes can vary widely from person to person. Engaging in discussions like this is valuable as it allows us to explore different facets of complex topics like poverty. I appreciate your willingness to share your perspective and insights, and I look forward to further discussions on this and other relevant topics. If you have any more thoughts or questions, please feel free to share them when you have the time! 😊🗨️
@@mrbrain122 How do you feel about the subject? You've presented the video and laid it our very well, thank you again, and you listened to my take on the subject. What is your take on this? What do you feel is the main driver behind the poor remaining poor is? Obviously you've pointed out that there are many facets, but what do you feel is the most impactful and why?
Both internal and external factors can have a significant impact on an individual's economic mobility and I feel it varies from case to case. Motivation and personal drive are universal traits that affect people regardless of their financial status. For instance, even someone who has inherited a fortune can lose it all if they remain in their comfort zone and lack the motivation to work hard. On the other hand, individuals who are already in poverty may face a multitude of challenges within their households and communities. These challenges can limit their exposure to new opportunities and hinder their ability to dream of a better future. Equal access to education and exposure to competent individuals can indeed be transformative. When individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds are given the opportunity to learn and interact with others who inspire them, it can ignite their motivation to strive for positive change. It's about providing the right environment and opportunities that enable individuals to see life from different perspectives and aspire to improve their circumstances. In essence, a combination of internal motivation and external opportunities plays a crucial role in breaking the cycle of poverty and fostering economic mobility.
I'm the son of an Italian immigrant. When I studied in Italy I found that there's a big difference between Italians in italy, and those who migrated to America, especially those who were children of the mass migrations of the twenties and thirties. We were raised with a poverty mentality. As a result, the noble concept of handing down wealth did not exist here as profoundly as it does in Italy. Here the noble thing was to provide for your immigrant parents who could not speak the language and may not have fared all that well reaching a kind of stasis point in a clean and marginally secure life. This led to a kind of inverted sense of value that it was the children who were to bubble up the benefits to the parents, instead of the other way around which is more common in the mother nation itself.
i love this video, its clear
I'm not an expert in the field, but I am a scientist by training and I tend to think outside the box when solving problems. Not to discount this theory, but in my experience, people are creatures of habit. People will often seek out environments and people that make them comfortable. And more so, what they are simply familiar with. For example, the Amish let their kids go out into the world to explore. Most end up returning to their Amish lifestyle afterwards. I suspect this desire to be in a familiar environment plays a significant role in why the poor stay poor. I have more to say, but I'm on my lunch break and I need to get back to work. I'd love to hear what you have to say about my thoughts, thought, before I say more.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts! Your perspective as a scientist is valuable. You're right; people tend to seek comfort in familiar environments. This desire for familiarity can indeed play a significant role in why some individuals remain in poverty.
However, it's also important to consider external factors and systemic issues that can trap people in poverty, regardless of their desire for change. I'm eager to hear more when you have time.
@@mrbrain122 Thanks for being willing to entertain a discussion on the topic! So many content creators that I enjoy have too many commenters to be able to have a meaningful discussion on the topic of their video. While I wish you success and many followers/views, I am glad for this chance to talk with you.
I guess where I would go with this is this: While I acknowledge the external factors, those internal factors I mentioned seem to make up a large majority of the reason. For example, in the US people have the freedom to move up (or down) in economic success if they choose to try. The key here is they have to want to try to change it. Climbing out of poverty is not an easy thing. It takes a lot of effort and time. Everyone in the US knows they can go to college or trade school and move up the economic ladder. Student loans and grants make this very easy. The problem I see is motivation and desire to put in the long-term effort.
I suppose you could say that the lack of motivation could be an external factor because perhaps they were not motivated enough by their peers, teachers or others, but I would argue that ambition comes from within, not without.
Another aspect, one that could be considered a facet of the motivation, is the fact that the "poor" of the US (and likely most of the rest of the developed world) are truly not "poor". They are not, for the most part, destitute. They are relatively well off compared to the poor of the least wealthy countries of the world or when compared to the poor from 100+ years ago. Being "poor" IS after all defined as having an income a certain percent below the median income. Using this measure will always ensure there will be "poor" because there is always variation around an average (whether it is the arithmetic average or the median average). It does not mean they are truly "poor", though. And when people are not actually destitute, they can be comfortable with their "poorness" and not have the motivation/desire to be wealthier.
So while I agree there are external factors limiting people from moving up, I just have trouble accepting that they can meaningfully impact the overall poverty rate. All we can do is provide opportunity and let people that the opportunity is there, which we do already. Some people, like myself, are willing to put in the long term effort and investment that is required to move up, but there are not that many like me, in my experience, that are willing to put in that kind of effort.
Thank you for sharing your thoughtful insights and continuing the discussion! Your perspective on the interplay between internal and external factors in the context of poverty is quite intriguing.
You've rightly pointed out that motivation and ambition often come from within, and that personal choices play a significant role in one's economic mobility. The availability of educational opportunities and the ease of access to resources like student loans and grants in the US does indeed provide a pathway for individuals to improve their economic situation.
Your observation about the relative wealth of the "poor" in developed countries compared to those in less fortunate nations is also an important one. It highlights the complexity of poverty as a concept and how it can be relative to one's context. It's true that the definition of poverty is often based on income thresholds relative to the median, and this can create a situation where individuals may not feel an urgent need to change their circumstances.
While providing opportunities is a crucial step, it's also important to acknowledge that not everyone will seize them for various reasons, including individual choices and circumstances. Poverty is indeed a multifaceted issue, and its root causes can vary widely from person to person.
Engaging in discussions like this is valuable as it allows us to explore different facets of complex topics like poverty. I appreciate your willingness to share your perspective and insights, and I look forward to further discussions on this and other relevant topics. If you have any more thoughts or questions, please feel free to share them when you have the time! 😊🗨️
@@mrbrain122 How do you feel about the subject? You've presented the video and laid it our very well, thank you again, and you listened to my take on the subject. What is your take on this? What do you feel is the main driver behind the poor remaining poor is? Obviously you've pointed out that there are many facets, but what do you feel is the most impactful and why?
Both internal and external factors can have a significant impact on an individual's economic mobility and I feel it varies from case to case. Motivation and personal drive are universal traits that affect people regardless of their financial status.
For instance, even someone who has inherited a fortune can lose it all if they remain in their comfort zone and lack the motivation to work hard. On the other hand, individuals who are already in poverty may face a multitude of challenges within their households and communities. These challenges can limit their exposure to new opportunities and hinder their ability to dream of a better future.
Equal access to education and exposure to competent individuals can indeed be transformative. When individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds are given the opportunity to learn and interact with others who inspire them, it can ignite their motivation to strive for positive change. It's about providing the right environment and opportunities that enable individuals to see life from different perspectives and aspire to improve their circumstances.
In essence, a combination of internal motivation and external opportunities plays a crucial role in breaking the cycle of poverty and fostering economic mobility.
Interesting subject matter. The guy talks way too fast and to intense to listen for any length of time