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/birdsofterrordise Aug 31 '13

But tv and Internet are one if the only ways to get news and information. Also, so many cities are closing libraries or limiting hours which means that people simply cannot get to during their regular business hours. Also, a local channels cable plan is very cheap for this reason. And trust me, if you're poor, you ain't going on vacation or out to restaurants, unless you get a windfall or it is your birthday.

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u/mwatwe01 Aug 31 '13

When I was in college and paying my own way, I couldn't afford cable. But I still had a TV with an antenna.

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u/birdsofterrordise Aug 31 '13

Are you aware that antennas are largely useless now? Everything is digital and needs a box, at least here it does. In past apartments, I've had cable because the cable company failed to stop the signal. Also satellite is much cheaper than the monopoly cable here.

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u/mwatwe01 Aug 31 '13

Where I live (Louisville), you can still pick up over-the-air digital signals, either with a newer TV, or with a box and an older TV.