Your Brain on Poverty: Why Poor People Seem to Make Bad Decisions

 And why their "bad" decisions might be more rational than you'd think.

In August, Science published a landmark study concluding that poverty, itself, hurts our ability to make decisions about school, finances, and life, imposing a mental burden similar to losing 13 IQ points. 

It was widely seen as a counter-argument to claims that poor people are "to blame" for bad decisions and a rebuke to policies that withhold money from the poorest families unless they behave in a certain way. After all, if being poor leads to bad decision-making (as opposed to the other way around), then giving cash should alleviate the cognitive burdens of poverty, all on its own.

Sometimes, science doesn't stick without a proper anecdote, and "Why I Make Terrible Decisions," a comment published on Gawker's Kinja platform by a person in poverty, is a devastating illustration of the Science study. I've bolded what I found the most moving, insightful portions, but it's a moving and insightful testimony all the way through.

I make a lot of poor financial decisions. None of them matter, in the long term. I will never not be poor, so what does it matter if I don’t pay a thing and a half this week instead of just one thing? It’s not like the sacrifice will result in improved circumstances; the thing holding me back isn’t that I blow five bucks at Wendy’s. It’s that now that I have proven that I am a Poor Person that is all that I am or ever will be. It is not worth it to me to live a bleak life devoid of small pleasures so that one day I can make a single large purchase. I will never have large pleasures to hold on to. There’s a certain pull to live what bits of life you can while there’s money in your pocket, because no matter how responsible you are you will be broke in three days anyway. When you never have enough money it ceases to have meaning. I imagine having a lot of it is the same thing.

Poverty is bleak and cuts off your long-term brain. It’s why you see people with four different babydaddies instead of one. You grab a bit of connection wherever you can to survive. You have no idea how strong the pull to feel worthwhile is. It’s more basic than food. You go to these people who make you feel lovely for an hour that one time, and that’s all you get. You’re probably not compatible with them for anything long-term, but right this minute they can make you feel powerful and valuable. It does not matter what will happen in a month. Whatever happens in a month is probably going to be just about as indifferent as whatever happened today or last week. None of it matters. We don’t plan long-term because if we do we’ll just get our hearts broken. It’s best not to hope. You just take what you can get as you spot it.

When neuroscientists Joseph W. Kable and Joseph T. McGuire studied time, uncertainty and decision-making, they found that virtues like patience and self-control weren't as simple previous studies suggested. In the ubiquitous Marshmallow study, for example, kids who ate the treat quickly were deemed impatient and kids who waited had self-control and, on the whole, went on to lead more productive lives, the study found.

 HOW TO END POVERTY IN YOUR COMMUNITY

The Cliff Effect

Circles USA has chapters in more than 20 states that bring community volunteers into partnership with families who are committed to getting out of poverty. In 2014, the Circles network was asked what is the biggest barrier to getting out of poverty. The answer was unequivocally the Cliff Effect that is built into assistance programs. The Cliff Effect occurs when assistance programs like childcare subsidies and Medicaid remove benefits faster than people can earn enough income to replace them. By not pro-rating the exit ramp to these programs, the government creates a financial crisis for people as they earn more income.

Tolearn more about the CLIFF EFFECT visit the website: CLIFF EFFECT

 THIS IS HOW BASKETBALL COURTS LOOKS LIKE NOW IN THE SUMMER TIME"

                                                             EMPTY

Outdoor activity and basic hand ball or community sports is taking a back seat to today's gadgets with all it's new technology and our younger generation are not as fit or strong as they used to be and it is time to DETOX our youth and get them involved in outdoor activities sports bike riding climbing or hiking swimming soccer etc.

On our traveling sales  crew for example there was a time on the week ends we would prepare two or three vans to take people out , one to the movies two clubbing and three just going out to shoot ball then go shopping at the mall etc. but today when we try to attempt that these young folks just want to stay in their rooms and play games eat fast foods and get fat and so we THE LEADERS need to get the group back into fun time activities on the week end which is good for their health while building their muscles and bones but all these techno gadgets and computer games are not the only culprits Social media cell phones  and texting has made our youths anti-social and unfriendly"

 Our youth now love luxury. They have bad manners, contempt for authority; they show disrespect for their elders and love chatter in place of exercise; they no longer rise when elders enter the room; they contradict their parents, chatter before company; gobble up their food and tyrannize their teachers."
-Socrates

"It has become exceedingly obvious that our technology has exceeded our humanity."  
-Albert Einstein

Kids' behavior and technology: Neither is a wholly new set of conundrums, but the increasing availability of social media makes this an important time to talk about them both.

Take a sheet of paper. Crumple it up. Now try to smooth it back out again. The wrinkles won't ever completely come out, will they?

Think of this as a metaphor for information we post about ourselves on social networking sites; once it's there, it's very hard if not impossible to remove. And it's about as easy to share material this way—even very personal material—as it is to crumple a sheet of paper.

Teach your teens or young folks how to have a TIME OUT moment from their gadgets"

computers games cell phones  etc, no texting no facebook no twitter nor any social media for at least 24 hours on a week end and learn to use that time to interact with friends & family going outdoors and just enjoying real contact with real people taking in the sights and sun or getting physically active in some type of sports , B ball bowling soccer bike riding hanging with friends whom also believes and follows this concept so as not to get tempted.

We need to stop letting our gadgets  take over and control our lives and way of thinking and get back to being active strong healthy and friendlier with others so learn to get your POWER back"

UNEMPLOYMENT IS WORSE IN MINORITY COMMUNITIES "

 POWER NEWS

Black Teens Hit Hardest by Unemployment in Illinois

Reports from around the country still paint a dismal employment picture even though national unemployment is now around 8 percent. Older workers and younger workers are usually the hardest hit and both have considerably higher unemployment than the national averages. Illinois is not much different from any other state.

Not much different, that is, until you factor in unemployment among black teens. While overall teen unemployment is at least three times the state average, unemployment among black teens is considerably higher currently averaging around 47 percent. Joblessness with white and Hispanic teens goes up and down with the economy. Not so with blacks.

Currently in Illinois slightly less than 12 percent of the black teen population is working. The numbers for white teens is 30 percent and Hispanics around 26 percent. The statistics are daunting and it does not appear that anyone has a clear answer or solution to the problem.

One interesting dynamic is that white and Hispanic teens may be taking lesser jobs than they normally would thereby filling the employment pipeline. Black teens are somehow left out and their unemployment numbers rise dramatically and stay high. Economists are not sure how to analyze this phenomenon, as, by their own admission, they have not seen this before.

One troubling side note to black teen employment is that they have never been expected to enter the job market. Just completing high school has been considered a major accomplishment among black inner city students. In some circles, it was just assumed they lacked the motivation to enter the workforce. Another component among young blacks is lack of skills, even among high school graduates.

CREW LAW

 Nationwide travel jobs  is a traveling direct sales marketing crew who works to offer opportunities to young men & women nationwide where up to 60 or more people will live travel and work together....

During a persons training & orientation management will assume all expenses dealing with hotels meals training and transportation therefore since we offer a unique opportunity to young inner city men and woman nationwide and many will be sharing rooms with other participants for the safety & protection of the crew we DO NOT allow any weapons on the crew , guns, knives, clubs, brass knuckles daggers bullets etc

When applying and joining the crew management has the right to search any and all belonging to check for possible weapons. If found we will confiscate them ,bag them , label them and store them until it is sent back to your hired destination .

This organization will offer great opportunities to financially advance your life in many levels but when traveling with such a large group for long lengths of time WE MUST factor in SAFETY"

While on the crew inspections for possible weapons will be conducted by management twice a month every month .

If a person after being notified is found with a weapon that could be grounds for termination.

 ATTN: ALL TRAVEL SALES CREWS"
In studying or analyzing the direction that this industry is moving to I've come to the realization that in order for the industry as a whole to advance grow or even survive we MUST go back to the core basics to it's guidelines rules and regulations"
While it is Okay to change with the times in accordance to improving in technology, advancing it's benefits and adding to the recreation /activities etc we must not deviate away from the principal basics that is the glue which keeps it all together.
I've watched several crews fall apart or is damm near there because they've deviated away from it's basic pushing more towards QUANTITY rather than QUALITY " to increase their sales.
In anything if you take away the core basics of the foundation to life it's like weakening the roots to an oak tree,
In family values
In religion
In education
In politics
In government
In business etc
Once you take away the basics to it's respect level there is no longer a sound positive productive structure and it opens the doors to chaos , mutiny and destructive and reckless actions by it's members"
Just look at our society today and where we're at as appose to 20 years ago with regards to the lack of respect our young have with their parents and in society, like the lack of belief or respect people have towards religion, the decay of our farming & agricultural industry with our young no longer interested in that field, the quality of teaching and education is hurting in today's society, our military is weaker, the divorce rate is higher than the unemployment rate, the job market as a whole no longer show incentives packages or appreciation towards it's employee's our younger generation is lacking in outdoor activities in sports & fitness and the general socialization with one on one people to people contact skills or activities since social media the computer and cell phones became a major dominating factor in their lives so everywhere you see the basics is an important necessary factor to keeping it all together so it's okay to change with the times when it comes improving in technology and tweeking or renovating it's look and design and even making life more fun and beneficial while also keeping the basics in tact which is the root core foundation holding it all up"
Therefore especially in our field if you want to continue to grow or become extinct like the dinosaurs then examine your true priorities"

DON'T BELIEVE THE NEGATIVE HYPE ON THE INTERNET ABOUT TRAVELING SALES CREWS , NOT ALL CREWS ARE ALIKE: CLICK BLOG : TOPS CREW

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