At a time when so many of us have so much, why is there still widespread poverty across the United States? Is it really bad decision-making and poor self-control that keeps people from moving into the middle class?
Quartz: “When considering poverty, our national conversation tends to overlook systemic causes. Instead, we often blame the poor for their poverty. Commentators echo the claim that people are poor because they have bad self-control and therefore make nearsighted choices. But psychology research says the opposite might be the case: poverty makes it hard for people to care about the future and forces them to live in the present.”
In his article, University of Oregon professor Elliot Berkman details the “permanent now” those in poverty must live in constantly, focusing attention on immediate needs like food, rent and utilities. Thus, he argues, “the traditional definition of self-control doesn’t make a lot of sense.”
Twin Cities Public Health 