My Definition of Poverty

 

Whenever people talk about poverty, they usually imagine someone sleeping on the street, someone who hasn't eaten for days, or a family living without electricity or clean water, and while that absolutely is poverty, I have always felt that this definition is far too narrow because it ignores billions upon billions of people who are surviving every single day while carrying constant financial fear on their shoulders.

My definition of poverty is different.

To me, you are poor if you cannot afford a safe, comfortable, normal sized home where you can truly relax. You are poor if your car is constantly one breakdown away from becoming another financial disaster. You are poor if paying your bills feels like solving an impossible puzzle every month instead of being a normal part of life.

You are poor if buying healthy food requires calculations, compromises, and guilt. You are poor if you have to walk past foods that would help your body because they are simply too expensive, or if you have to choose the cheapest option instead of the healthiest one because your budget makes the decision for you.

You are poor if taking care of your health feels like a luxury.

If you cannot visit the dentist regularly, fix your teeth when they need fixing, buy the medication your doctor recommends, purchase supplements when blood tests show deficiencies, or book appointments without first wondering whether your bank account will survive the month, then I don't see that as financial stability. I see that as poverty.

The same goes for clothes and shoes.

I'm not talking about designer handbags, expensive brands, overflowing wardrobes, or buying things simply because social media tells us we need another trend. I think spending ridiculous amounts of money on luxury items is unnecessary, and collecting expensive possessions rarely creates happiness anyway. I simply mean being able to replace worn out shoes without stress, buying a warm winter coat when yours is falling apart, or getting clothes that fit well and make you feel comfortable without wondering whether doing so means sacrificing something more important.

I even think about things most people never mention.

For example, prescription glasses and contact lenses.

People who don't wear them probably never think about this, but if your eyesight is poor, having only one pair means constantly living with anxiety. Every accidental drop, every scratch, every moment you sit on them becomes a genuine emergency. In my opinion, being financially secure means being able to own at least a few pairs so that breaking one doesn't immediately throw your life into chaos. And if you wear contact lenses, I think the same logic applies there too. You are poor if you cannot afford to buy daily contact lenses because they are more expensive, or if you are forced to wear your contact lenses past their expiration date because replacing them on time is simply not possible. 

Then there are the ordinary things that every household depends on. A washing machine. A refrigerator. A stove. These aren't luxury items. They're basic parts of everyday life. If one breaks and replacing it means taking on debt or spending months washing clothes by hand while desperately saving every cent, I don't believe that person is financially secure. I believe they are poor.

I also think poverty steals much more than material things. It steals hobbies. It steals creativity. It steals friendships. It steals relationships.

People rarely talk about this because we like pretending that love, friendship, and happiness don't cost anything, but they do. Having coffee with a friend costs money. Visiting someone costs money. Dating costs money. Going to a museum, taking a weekend trip, joining a pottery class, buying art supplies, learning a language, or simply having experiences together all require financial resources.

People often say that the best things in life are free, but I think that's only partly true. Relationships need time, energy, and very often money, whether we like admitting it or not.

What hurts me the most is the constant stress.

Living with the feeling that one unexpected expense could destroy your finances is exhausting. Every strange noise your car makes becomes terrifying. Every headache makes you wonder whether you can afford medical care. Every appliance making an unusual sound creates panic instead of annoyance.

That isn't living.

Constant stress damages your body. It affects your immune system, your sleep, your hormones, your mental health, your relationships, your ability to enjoy life, and eventually even your personality because fear slowly changes the way you think.

To me, not being poor doesn't mean owning yachts, private jets, enormous houses, or designer wardrobes.

It means feeling safe.

Not perfectly safe, because perfect safety doesn't exist, but safe enough that you can breathe. Safe enough that a broken washing machine doesn't become a family crisis. Safe enough that going to the dentist isn't something you postpone for years. Safe enough that you can buy nourishing food without checking every price tag first.

Safe enough that you can replace your glasses, fix your car, pay your bills, enjoy your hobbies, travel once in a while, spend time with people you love, and have savings for emergencies instead of living one accident away from disaster.

That, to me, is what financial stability looks like. So yeah, most of us are poor.

It bothers me that our society has accepted an incredibly low standard for what counts as poverty. If someone has a roof over their head and enough food to survive, people immediately say they aren't poor, and I think that's incredibly sad because surviving and living are not the same thing.

I often feel like we've been taught to believe that unless someone is homeless or starving, they should simply be grateful. That mindset benefits the people who designed the system because it lowers our expectations and convinces us that constant financial anxiety is normal. And rich, powerful people can calmly take more for themselves and create new laws that benefit them while ruining the rest of us.

I don't think it is normal. I don't think people should spend decades working while being unable to afford proper healthcare. I don't think people should feel guilty for wanting financial peace. I don't think replacing broken glasses or fixing a tooth should feel like major life events.

I certainly don't think people should accept chronic stress as an unavoidable part of childhood or adulthood.

In my eyes, the vast majority of people in the world are poor by this definition because we are missing the one thing that really matters, which is the ability to live with dignity, security, and peace rather than constantly calculating, worrying, sacrificing, and hoping nothing else goes wrong this month.

I know not everyone will agree with my definition, and that's okay, but this is genuinely how I see the world. I don't dream about becoming disgustingly rich because I don't admire extreme wealth or the endless pursuit of more, more, and more. In fact, I think there is something deeply unhealthy about accumulating far beyond what anyone could reasonably need while so many people are unable to meet basic needs without fear.

What I wish for is much simpler.

I wish for a world where people can afford to be healthy, where they can take care of themselves without financial panic, where they can build meaningful relationships, enjoy life without guilt, save for emergencies, and wake up without money being the first thing they worry about every morning.

To me, that shouldn't be an extraordinary privilege.

It should be normal.

Thankful for your presence, Neja