Comments on: Poverty and Purpose

By: Rick Wilson DMD

Rick Wilson DMD — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 16:44:53 +0000

I've seen enough evidence to believe that teaching a man to fish is highly effective, and giving handouts more than two or three times fails catastrophically. I say two or three times because certainly there must be an allowance for acute needs, for triage so to speak.

Trouble is, there are some people who don't want to learn to fish. Those present the greatest challenge to society.

Looking back at the positive side of things, have you ever seen someone "learn to fish"? It's a magnificent thing to watch. ;}

By: Rick Wilson DMD

Rick Wilson DMD — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 11:44:53 +0000

By: Rahul Deodhar

Rahul Deodhar — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 05:13:01 +0000

Acumen fund is my favourite – they are amongst the very few who have figured out poverty. They are one part of the solution. But poverty problem is also structural – and without other parts it is difficult to get out of it.

Sorry for pimping some of my posts but I have put up few thoughts on poverty and how sometimes people are condemned to it structurally and otherwise. http://rahuldeodhar.blogspot.com/search/label/P…;

By: divabat

divabat — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 21:56:28 +0000

I vaguely remember the passage you mean, but I don't really remember where in the book it is. If I recall I'll tell you!

Another useful link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bottom_of_the_Pyramid

By: Megan M.

Megan M. — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 20:14:38 +0000

Two things -

* Do you remember the part in Made to Stick where it discusses how people lacking basic needs often place quite a lot more importance than people expect on the higher needs when making decisions? I can't remember if you said you read this, and I can't EXACTLY remember the passage I'm talking about, but maybe I'll get lucky and you did and you will. If so, where do you think that fits in?

* Responsibility to assist & provide: I was thinking about that too—that maybe the “help the rich get richer” guilt I'm experiencing is just a reaction to finding myself in such far better circumstances than many others out there, and my goal might want to be “build up people who build up others”—just like my positive impact business plans all along the line. Maybe I'm more aligned with myself than I think!

By: divabat

divabat — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 19:51:06 +0000

This is all related to Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs. Once you have fulfilled the needs in one rung, you move on to the other. Passion and self actualisation is at the very top; basic living needs is at the very bottom.

Those who are still struggling with their basic needs may consider the other rungs to be important (feeling of belonging, protection, etc) but it's not going to be a huge priority until the basic needs are met. The rest of us have already jumped that rung and now have the option of jumping up.

Finding your passion is a very privileged thing to be able to do. But perhaps that just means that those of us with privilege have an immense responsibility to assist and provide for those who do not – to bridge the privilege gap.