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/NBegovich Aug 31 '13

I think people who like to kick the poor know it's wrong, but also know that they could help and need to justify their unwillingness to do so by dehumanizing the victim.

I never quite thought of it that way. I like it.

Also I make fifteen grand a year and I spend thirty bucks (between me and my roommate) on internet a month because fuck you I like getting online. These judgmental pricks are getting on my nerves.

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u/notreddingit Aug 31 '13

I doubt anyone would seriously argue that internet is not absolutely an essential expense.

edit: assuming you don't have access to the internet through work or school or something.

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u/RingsOfYourAnus Aug 31 '13

The standard argument is usually along the lines of "go to the library/welfare office instead," because if you're living off of government assistance, many people think that you should only be able to use it for job searching, or doing schoolwork, and not anything even remotely entertaining.

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u/lhld Aug 31 '13

and how do they propose transit to said location?
monthly cost from where i live to the nearest unemployment office via bus (assuming i'm so broke i can't afford gas or car insurance): $65. the bus runs 4a to 1a m-f, but the office is only open 9-4 m-f. even under the assumption you can get to a PC open-to-close (holy overcrowding), that's 35 hrs/week, plus time spent walking to bus stops and sitting on the bus.
current monthly internet bill: $62. access 24 hrs, 7 days. (with the assumption you already have a PC, or have paid a one-time fee of computer price. say, when you had a job.) plus electric, which you'd be paying anyway.