Brampton, Ontario CANADA Not being able to buy the necessities, food, clothes, medicine, shelter, as opposed to wants, Tv's, VCR's, CD's, jewelry, etc. Judy, 62
Easton, KS USA poor is such a relative thing. Many Americans (even those on welfare) are rich compared to many in the world. And then there are those that have nothing materially, but are rich in spirit. Felicia, 36
Lowell, MA USA I would consider myself poor if I didnt have my family and friends. They make my life rich. (Oh, and also my dog. I wouldnt sell him for a million dollars.) Tam Over the years I've been poor in a variety of categories: Graduate student poor, young married poor, single-again poor, raising kids poor, early retirement poor..... I do rather well at being poor because I regard stretching money as a prestigious sport and I was raised to avoid spending money I don't have. I have no need to keep up with the Jones--in fact, my mother's maiden name was "Jones". My basic recreation is reading--from the public library. Unfortunately, a solid middle-class upbringing prepares a person for poverty in ways that growing-up poor doesn't Unless you know there is a rich world available which does not depend on money and how to reach that world, poverty is a soul-killing dead end.
Jill, 61
Saylorsburg, PA USA
Poor is a relative term. It can be used to describe many people. In the US, most college students are "poor", eating Roman Noodles for dinner every night, what little money that have going to beer. But "poor" in the US can also be the homeless or near-homeless. In other nations, it's completely different. "poor" in other countries is barely living, starving children, no shelter, no medical services, no food. To answer the question "what does it mean to BE poor", it means you are struggling to get by, struggling to survive in your respective area.
Doug2, 29
Overland Park, KS USA
Being poor means you have no love in your life.
Nicci, 27
Las Vegas, NV
USA
There's all kinds of poverty -- monetary, spiritual, emotional, vows of poverty.
Laura, 37
Lowell, MA
USA
To me it would mean no more buying all my electronic items I love. Or not being able to help my adult kids or give the grandkids whatever they point at. But for others it could mean no roof over their head and no food for their kids or no medical insurance.
Laney
TX USA
Depends on the context. But traditionally, it means you don't have enough money to live comfortably.
Karen, 22
Ames, IA
USA
Honestly, I don't think you can answer that if you have money and a comfortable life. I always complain about money, but I have absolutely no room to do so. I have an education, a job, a family, a house, a car and all the rest. There are people out there with none of the above. I just have to constantly remind myself, and thank whoever is in charge, for all the things that I do have. And to hope that one day I can give back and help those in need.
Tracy, 24
Ocean City, NJ USA
To have inadequate food, shelter and clothing, and, worse, to fear losing what little you have.
Jane, 62
West Linn, OR
USA
If you want to be literal, it means lack of money to sustain you/your family. If you want to be figurative/spiritual, it means lacking enrichment/joy/fulfillment in life.
Talia, 24
Wilton, CT
USA
I'm not sure I know what it means to be poor in America anymore. If you take the poorest homeless person in downtown Washington DC and compare that person to a poor person living in a third world country, well, there IS no comparison.
Reba, 50+
Silver Spring, MD USA
I would say it is to lack anything that is needed to fit into societies eyes. That could include financial substance, personality, intellegence, or morals. The sad thing is that when you have plenty of one, you ususally are missing another.
Ryan, 28
Riedlingen GERMANY
I think it's a misconception that one has to be deeply in debt to be poor. There are folks who are so needy that they don't even have the means to generate a damn bill (meaning they have no credit cards and can't even get electrical power, phone service, etc). To some, being poor has nothing to do with money or lack thereof. There are those who are poor in spirit, in emotion, in heart. Those are the ones I really feel sorry for...they usually have little means to drag themselves out of the hole they're in. I once heard a great line though..."I'm so poor I can't pay attention."
Fisch, 47
Preston, CT
USA
Gahanna, OH USA My father always said that poverty is a state of mind, but at that time, I was living with my mom in abject poverty, getting by month by month on child support checks, and let me tell you, paying for dinner with pennies isn't a state of mind. Cancer, 20
NYC, NY USA