NOTE: This is NOT a thread asking for advice! This is a bitching and moaning thread. Advice threads have already been posted elsewhere, please do not deposit any here!
This is my Poverty Sucks Thread. It’s why and how Poverty Sucks. Please, anyone else who is currently undergoing poverty, or has had unwanted poverty thrust upon them in the past, feel free to contribute.
Poverty Sucks Because - sometimes people just don’t understand that you’re blowing off steam and pissed at things you can’t control and no, you’re not looking for advice, this time you’re looking for plain old sympathy.
Poverty Sucks Because - officious little church ladies say pious-sounding things like “you’ve learned a lot from this, haven’t you?” No, biitch, I knew poverty sucked before I was poor. I really didn’t feel a need to BE poor to confirm this.
Poverty Sucks Because - a lot of people really don’t understand that no, you do NOT have $20 (or whatever) to do XYZ because you really do have to spend that on groceries or whatever. Yes, you may actually possess a $20 bill at the moment but that doesn’t mean you are free to spend it however you like (assuming you’re at all responsible).
Poverty Sucks Because - non-poor people say shit like "but if you’re poor how were you able to afford that nice leather coat (or some other valuable object). Because I wasn’t always poor you fucking moron! Apparently they think the moment a person falls on hard times they are to trade all normal clothing for sackcloth and ashes, swap their current vehicle for something twice as old that is largely the color of primer, and otherwise LOOK poor. Heaven forbid you retain anything of any value whatsoever.
Poverty Sucks Because - there’s always some asshole who will quip something along the lines of “What the fuck is wrong with you? Why can’t you just go out and get a job?” Because it is possible to look for a job and not find one for quite some time.
Poverty Sucks Because - there’s always some do-gooder that gets pissed off because you won’t accept THEIR help on THEIR terms whether it helps or hurts you. Ya know, if I don’t happen to need that particular sort of help myself maybe you should give it to someone who really does need it.
Poverty Sucks Because - a lot of fuckwits assume you’re poor because you’re drunk or on drugs or a criminal and not simply because you were laid off a few months ago simply haven’t found a decent paying job because the sector you were working in is shedding people and you’re working scut and entry level crap again.
Poverty Sucks Because - people tell me I have to have health insurance. No, I have to eat. You can not eat health insurance. If it’s a choice between health and insurance and food I’m going with food
Poverty Sucks Because - I have to work so fucking hard. In addition to scrabbling for part-time and temp work until I get something full-time and permanent, I spend inordinate amounts of time negotiating reduced fees for important services (like health and dental care) and also winding my way through the bureaucratic mazes that surround any sort of public aid program.
Poverty Sucks Because - food pantries are not set up to accommodate people with food allergies. Granted, this hasn’t happened this time around, but I recall one time when a food pantry worker flew into a rage because I wouldn’t take the cans of spaghetti. Lady, spaghetti makes me seriously ill (tomato allergy), it’s not a matter of ingratitude. I will not accept jars of peanut butter or bags of corn meal that I can’t eat - give them to someone who can use them and don’t get pissed off at me for safe-guarding my health.
That’s it for this morning - maybe I’ll add more later. Feel free to contribute. Remember - NO ADVICE, just bitching and venting, m’kay?
I think I did exactly what the OP said to do. I bitched about poverty as I have experienced it. If that’s threadshitting, then oh well.