Leo Babauta in his latest blog post in mnmalist.com said that even those in poverty can embrace the minimalist lifestyle. Minimalism benefits the poor, too. In fact, we need it the most. I personally think that it's one of the ways we can be happy even if we have fewer possessions. For all the benefits that minimalism has to offer, there's a strong possibility that a minimalist lifestyle will be met by disdain by less enlightened folks. In fact, being a minimalist can be misconstrued by most as being poor.
Almost all personal finance blogs I've read said that in order to become rich, we have to act poor. In fact, some millionaires or billionaires live simple lifestyles. I know a millionaire who still line up for discount seats in Broadway shows and who shop at Wal-Mart. So why don't we act poor? Why is there so much fear about becoming or acting poor?
Then, I remembered. When I was in the sixth grade, my family was invited to a family reunion in Isabela. The invite came from distant relatives on my father's side. Now, when you're in the Philippines, a reunion means knowing 10 people and meeting a hundred strangers who will be introduced to you as "relatives." I am not kidding.
The reunion was a real event. The organizers even had parlor games prepared for the kids. Since I was 12 going on 13, I scoffed at the parlor games and contented myself to being a spectator. I noticed that most of the kids wore their Sunday's best. Little girls wore pretty dresses; little boys looked spiffy in their obviously brand new clothes. Then there were the less-fortunate relatives whose clothes were threadbare. While others wore shoes, there were those who had flip-flops that had seen better days. Yet, those in threadbare clothes outran their better-dressed peers. I knew some of them worked in the fields, helping their farmer parents. That probably explained their lithe bodies.
When the parlor games were over, the reunion's organizers said that they'd be giving gifts to all the kids. The kids shrieked with joy and started to line up. Then the organizers discovered that they didn't have enough gifts for all the kids. Their solution? They asked the ones in threadbare clothes to go to the end of the line. Need I elaborate on who didn't get a gift? One little boy contented himself with the gift wrappers which were thrown away by their "richer" relatives.
To my utmost shame, I didn't do anything when I watched this scene unfold. But that little boy who picked up the gift wrappers while other kids played with their new toys remain vivid in my mind. The organizers didn't even think twice not giving gifts to the poorer kids.Yet, this scene is played everyday in slightly different ways in our country. The poor are treated unfairly, disrespectfully, while the rich gets to have free coffee and what-have-you in banks where they deposit their millions. To put it brashly, money talks, people!
So I do understand why we go to great lengths not to appear poor in this country. Call it superficial or just plain wrong, but that's how it is. How can we change it? While we cannot change how the whole world thinks overnight, we could make a commitment not to judge a person based on how she or he looks or what he or she has. Strive to treat everyone equally, but to treat the poor with more compassion. We could also give back in whatever way we could.
12 comments:
Yea this is true that its to hard to spend a poor life and has you shared a story with us of that class relations as you have seen in your family is really hard to believe... good and intresting blog
Sad but true. I feel for the little boy :(
That surprises me that the rich kids were given toys first. I'd assume here in Canada, they'd have the kids either pick out names in a basket for good random orders or let the less fortunate kids go first.
The poor are definitely given the short stick. That is, if they LOOK poor.
There are very rare cases here where people act poor (beg, etc) and in fact they have quite a lot of money from being frugal, saving & redeeming tin cans etc.
@krissy, I know.. *sigh*
@Fabulously Broke, I know. There were a million ways they could have made the gift-giving more equal among the children.
Now that you've commented, I think there's a difference between "acting" poor and "looking" poor. I bet, "acting poor" will give you more opportunities towards financial freedom, but "acting poor" doesn't mean you have to "look poor." There goes the solution to my fear... Thanks for the idea.
First off, what awful people to do that. I feel so sad for those children.
I think the intersections between minimalism and looking/acting poor are interesting, though, and I hope you'll pardon me for what will no doubt be a long comment.
I grew up in a very poor county, though I'd consider myself then more "working class", then truly poor. ("Poor" were my friends without running water and huge holes in the floor of their trailer.)
Now I find myself firmly in the middle class, though beating back debt from times of struggle and foolishness both.
And, I am a minimalist.
Some of the stuff I bought before, before becoming minimalist, wasn't too *look* rich per se. Most of it was to *feel* rich. I felt rich when I couldn't decide which of two things to buy and my husband would say, "Let's just get both!" I felt rich going into stores that weren't thrift stores and eating out frequently (back home, eating out was for a VERY special occasion).
But, when my house became cluttered and I started totaling up the credit card bills, then I didn't feel rich anymore.
Now, as a minimalist, I get mixed reactions from people. On the one hand, I do have a lot of people who compliment me on it and see that the stuff I have is really nice. (Minimalism doesn't mean having threadbare clothes, just fewer unless that's your thing.)
On the other hand, there are people who don't understand, especially since I'm very frugal, too (and I probably get as much grief about being frugal). I've had (usually very broke) people imply that I was acting poor by not having a television (though every poor person I've ever known had at least two -- though not necessarily ones they bought) or by keeping the thermostat set to the edge of comfortable. But, I deal with that by telling them that I'm just picky and I love my space and hate taking care of crap I don't really want and it's greener, anyhow. And that's the truth.
In any case, it doesn't feel like acting poor to me. "Acting poor" to me involves feeling very worried and even feeling ashamed (not that I think the poor should feel ashamed). I feel neither about my minimalism. "Acting poor" also means settling for cheap stuff because you don't have the luxury of better. As a minimalist, I try to by the best fit for my needs/desires (within reason price-wise).
But one of the big differences I've noticed compared to the poor (at least here in the U.S.), is that many of the poor hear buy a lot of cheap stuff just to make themselves feel better or to keep their kids from thinking they're poor (or yes, to keep others from thinking they're poor). Some of the poorest people I've known have had the most cluttered homes. I can understand buying as an escape. I don't blame them. I've been there and done that. But, I do think that they could benefit from minimalism. It would definitely help them financially (might not be life-changing financially, but every bit counts). More than that, minimalism helps force oneself to find pleasure in non-material things -- things that one can enjoy no matter what your income is. That's been one of the best benefits to me.
@Meg, oh, please don't apologize for the long comment. I love hearing from other people's views so that I can learn from other people's experiences.
You are right in all your points. I confess that I bought stuff because it reminds me that I am not poor anymore. However, this mindset does not bring me to my goal, which is to be financially free. That's why when I read this article about "acting poor" to curb your buying impulse, I reflected on why I didn't want to "act poor" and this is the result of that reflection.
I've concluded that to be a minimalist, you have to deal with how other people would react to your lifestyle. I'm still mustering up enough courage not to care about what other people think. I'm getting there.
Thanks, Miss Guimba!
"I've concluded that to be a minimalist, you have to deal with how other people would react to your lifestyle. I'm still mustering up enough courage not to care about what other people think. I'm getting there."
There's a lot of truth in that. Minimalism definitely isn't mainstream. It even goes *against* mainstream values to an extent. So, with anything like that, there's going to be some push back.
It's hard to not care about what others think -- at least, it has been for me. I'm really quite thin-skinned by nature. I hold a lot of non-mainstream beliefs, though, so it's been something that I'm learning more and more out of necessity.
I shared this sa FB of It's Time, ha :)
I am scared of looking poor, but I can proudly say I act poor most of the time (haha!). Sometimes, though, I feel like I've deprived myself so much then I eventually splurge but not too much, I'm not crazy like that. I do think about my expenses a long time, if I'll have ROI from it, at least.
By looking poor I'm referring to old, ratty clothes, poor hygiene and you know the ones. I know it's not a crime but sadly, the instances you mentioned are happening everywhere.
Thanks for this post. Now ko lang nabasa! :(
Nahiya naman ako, Teeyah, but thanks for the share. Now, it's my turn to read one of your past posts... I'll just comment there.
You almost made me cry sa comment mo. Ano ba :D Hehe. I have not much idea about you, your life but for some reason, konek talaga ako sa posts mo. I read your last post, I couldn't help but nod. Tapos ko na yung hurdle ko nung sa post na Chasing Dreams and now I'm dreaming yet again, hopefully mafinish ko ang list ko.
It's funny how I am exactly the picture of how I imagined myself to be when I was younger. Not perfect (ie. not swimming in money haha) but I have got it down pat so much I almost feel like it's a deja vu. The power of thinking really does so much, yes? :)
Best of luck with your dreams, Marj. Somewhere in there is that girl who flew to Japan with $200, the one who conquered Baltimore (and NYC can I just add??) and next up is whatever you are dreaming of. We might not have met each other but I'm there with you and along the way :)
Wow. This is a very fantastic read, Miss Guimba.
I remember a comic strip in Pugad Baboy and the dialogue when like this, "Di bale ng magutom, wag lang magmukhang mahirap."
Four years working as a financial advisor, I have witnessed people who need to keep up with their peers even though their resources won't allow them.
Society tends to put too much pressure on material things. The more you have, the more privileges you get.
And you're right, there's a difference between acting poor and looking poor. My upbringing taught me to act poor today, so I can be rich tomorrow.
Doesn't happen everyday though.
Thank you for your kind words, Kendrick. Now that I think about it, what I'm praying for is to have the courage to push against society's notions of "success" and "wealth" and to live with courage. I hope that I can teach my daughters to live this way, too.
Post a Comment