The presentation, "How can we eliminate structural poverty?" focused on the local economic, political, and social structure that the speaker believed was too dependent on waste. I believe that our society today wastes incredibly valuable items that some citizens cannot easily obtain. One of the items, for instance, is food. Whether it's a snack or a meal, many people waste the food on their plate. I think people should take more consideration into the food that we eat and waste because somewhere out in the world, whether it's in a third-world country or in a local city, families and individuals struggle for food. Furthermore, by wasting our food, we are throwing away the hard work of farmers and individuals who spend days and months preparing the food. Without their hard labor and time during the harvest season, we, as consumers, would not have such food to indulge in year after year and season after season.
Throughout the lecture, the speaker also mentioned the public education system and the workforce to contribute greatly to structural poverty. What many people fail to realize about the public education system in America is that it is an opportunity that should not be taken for granted. Be it the area in which they live, the familial situation they come from, or the education system they fall under, some students do not have the chance to pursue a higher education, such as attend college or a university, even if they wish to. Students who are without these education opportunities and are growing up within the poverty bubble possess a limited opportunity to learn as a result of a lack of resources and stability. Therefore, they are at a great disadvantage when it comes to finding jobs and becoming employed. Their lack of ability to enter the workforce make it nearly impossible for poverty-stricken families to obtain an income, resulting in difficulties supporting their families.
A major problem since the mid-1960s when President Lyndon B. Johnson's declared the "War on Poverty," the issue of poverty continues to linger in our society. It is definitely an issue that must not be ignored, but rather, an issue that citizens should raise awareness to. Today, with the economy in a recession, poverty continues to grow as many families are put on food stamps and children are denied the basic resources that are needed to pull themselves out of poverty. I believe that poverty is a crucial issue that should have society wondering how to help those in need. One way to work to alleviate the great disparity between the middle and lower classes is to feed into the structural poverty system with abundant resources, capital, and goods; hence, we should attempt to balance the advantages and disadvantages between the wealthy and poor so that everyone can have an equal opportunity to pursue an education and enter the workforce. Other ways to lend a helping hand include donating to a homeless shelter, serving meals at a food bank, sponsoring a family/child, and even spreading awareness on the issue.
"I am for doing good to the poor, but I differ in opinion about the means. I think the best way of doing good to the poor is not making them easy in poverty, but leading or driving them out of it" ~ Benjamin Franklin
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