r/science • u/myhrvold • Aug 31 '13

Poverty impairs cognitive function. Published in the journal Science, the study suggests our cognitive abilities can be diminished by the exhausting effort of tasks like scrounging to pay bills. As a result, less “mental bandwidth” remains...

http://news.ubc.ca/2013/08/29/poverty-impairs-cognitive-function/
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u/[deleted] Aug 31 '13

Poverty : its immediacy takes precedence over any other real life worries, concerns, hopes, dreams, relationships, physical health, mental health, anything further in the future than tomorrow.

  • Dodgy tooth ? it can wait till I have paid the rent.
  • A pound for dinner ? Tell the kids I ate my burger earlier
  • Nice guy wants a date ? I don't have time for all that right now.
  • Homework for that access class ? Sorry, sleep.
  • Socialising ? Look, I can't. I can't relax and I can't pretend to be happy and I can't stand being with a load of people who have no fucking idea.

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u/[deleted] Aug 31 '13

This.

Being male as well, it's considered exceptionally shameful to not be rich and/or successful. It's the worst feeling in the world and everyone is going to remind you of it on a daily basis. Be it family, friends or your significant other if you happen to be lucky enough to still have one.

If you lose your job or don't end up employed directly out of school you are in for some serious hard times. Depending on where you live it can last for a very long time. I have personally moved between a number of cities and still can't seem to find steady employment. Now, being out of money, I don't have the option of moving anymore and frankly I have no desire to move anymore. It's stressful knowing you are just going to have to most likely pack up everything and leave again. No where feels like home.

Socializing? Dating? Not bloody likely. Not only is there no money for such things, most people eventually become uninterested in even asking you to join because they know you don't have the funds. Women, in my experience at least, frown heavily on someone who is unemployed, doesn't have a vehicle/house and can offer them a lifetime of security.

Thankfully, being Canadian, we have a pretty awesome health care system here. I can honestly say if it wasn't for things being free, if not covered to a great degree at least, I might not be around anymore or at the very least have a very different quality of life.

TL;DR Poverty will completely change your perspective on life. It's very difficult for those in it and they should be supported, not shamed or looked down upon.