Subject: RE: BS: Poverty in the USA
From: Janie - PM
Date: 20 Mar 07 - 11:44 PM

Values.

I'm gonna ramble a bit and not try to tie things together real tightly here.

There are some who would say that many people who live in poverty make choices that put them there and/or keep them there. I agree.

There are some who say that many people who don't live in poverty make choices that cause or contribute to creating and maintaining poverty. I agree.

In all societies, beyond a certain age, people are expected to take responsibility for the choices they make. (Responsibility is not synonymous with blame.) I think this is reasonable, and when people can see and do this, my observation is that it is empowering. If I don't understand that I have responsibility, how can I ever believe that I have the power to effect change from within or from without?

In all my years of practice have I observed lots of people making bad or ineffective choices? Oh yes indeed!

In all my years of practice have I seen people make impulsive and needlessly uninformed choices? You betcha!

In all my years of practice have I ever encountered one single individual whose goal was to make bad choices? Never. Nada. Not once.

With respect to personal well-being, my observations and experience has been that individuals always make the best choice they know how to make at any particular time given the knowledge and the resources (internal and external) available to them at the time. Not once in 35 years of practice have I observed anyone approach a choice from the standpoint of "I want to make the worst possible decision that I can right now," even when they may in fact be making that worst possible decision....