There are paths out of poverty, to be sure. However, some of the most daunting obstacles lie within the person trapped by circumstance, by heredity, by poor choices or other factors.
Helping hands are outstretched from every direction: teachers to nurture school readiness, build basic skills and develop academic talents; job-training programs and placement services; safety net benefits, including public assistance, food stamps, child-care subsidies and the Earned Income Tax Credit.
But you can’t get from here to there without motivation to break bad habits and make good choices. Here are three big barriers to success that are particularly tricky to overcome:
The culture of entitlement. In 1995, welfare benefits were time-limited for able-bodied adults. It was a harsh incentive to break generational cycles of poverty. Yet the sense of entitlement continues. Public assistance, Medicaid and other taxpayer-funded subsidies are not “earned” benefits like Social Security and Medicare. Even the Earned Income Tax Credit is a drain on other taxpayers. This is not to begrudge the poor the minimal resources they need to survive. But providing those resources is a burden on the rest of society, and those receiving the benefits have a responsibility to try and better their lots.
The culture of victimhood. This human condition occurs at every level of society: Nothing bad that happens to you is your fault. Someone else is always to blame — though taking responsibility usually ends up working to your benefit. Everyone makes mistakes. Learning from them is a sure way to get ahead. Seeking scapegoats and nurturing grievances stunts growth.
Those with little have more reason than most to feel like victims. They see others doing better and wonder why they are so far behind. It’s easy to yield to self-pity and defeatism. What’s hard, and scary, is taking the risk and trying to succeed.
The culture of self-gratification. When life looks like a treadmill, no wonder the “victim” grabs for every “entitlement” in sight. Can you really blame the poor soul who squanders a welfare check on a nice meal, shiny new shoes or another morale-raiser? Drugs and alcohol provide an artificial respite from daily drudgery. Why save for a future that looks unrelievedly grim? Besides, today’s troubles don’t allow much time to think about tomorrow. So do what you can to make today more bearable.
The meager security of the safety net, the alibi of victimhood, the fleeting pleasure of self-gratification are seductions that rob motivation and kill opportunity. Those who fail to recognize these traps are fated to remain stuck wherever they are.