«Poverty is inherited»: is it true?

In the middle of the XNUMXth century, the American anthropologist Oscar Lewis introduced the concept of «culture of poverty». He argued that the low-income segments of the population, in conditions of dire need, develop a special worldview, which they pass on to children. As a result, a vicious circle of poverty is formed, from which it becomes difficult to get out.

“Children look up to their parents. Low-income people have established patterns of behavior, and children copy them, ”explains psychologist Pavel Volzhenkov. According to him, in poor families there are psychological attitudes that prevent the desire to lead a different lifestyle.

WHAT HOPES TO GET OUT OF POVERTY

1. Feeling hopeless. “Is it possible to live otherwise? After all, no matter what I do, I will still be poor, it happened in life, — Pavel Volzhenkov describes such thinking. “The man has already given up, he is used to it since childhood.”

“Parents constantly said that we have no money, and you can’t earn much with creativity. I have been in an oppressive atmosphere for so long among people who do not believe in themselves that I have no strength,” says 26-year-old student Andrei Kotanov.

2. Fear of conflict with the environment. A person who has grown up in poverty, from childhood, has an idea of ​​his environment as normal and natural. He is used to an environment where no one makes an effort to get out of this circle. He is afraid to be different from relatives and friends and is not engaged in self-development, Pavel Volzhenkov notes.

“People who failed to achieve their goals take out their dissatisfaction on ambitious guys. I didn’t receive a salary of more than 25 thousand rubles a month, I want more, I understand that I deserve it and my skills allow, but I’m damn afraid, ”continues Andrey.

WHAT MONEY MISTAKE POOR PEOPLE MAKE

As the psychologist explains, low-income people tend to have an impulsive, irrational attitude to finances. So, a person can deny himself everything for a long time, and then break loose and spend money on momentary pleasure. Low financial literacy often leads to the fact that he gets into loans, lives from payday to payday.

“I always save on myself and simply don’t know what to do with the money if they appear. I try to spend them as carefully as possible, but in the end I spend everything in one day, ”Andrey shares.

30-year-old engineer Sergei Alexandrov admits that it was difficult for him to master healthy financial habits, since no one in his family thought about tomorrow. “If parents had money, they strove to spend these funds faster. We didn’t have any savings, and for the first years of my independent life, I didn’t even suspect that it was possible to plan a budget, ”he says.

“It is not enough to earn money, it is important to keep it. If a person improves his qualifications, masters a new profession, gets a higher-paying job, but does not learn how to handle finances competently, he will spend larger sums just like before, ”warns Pavel Volzhenkov.

GETTING OUT OF THE HERITABLE POVERTY SCENARIO

According to the expert, composure and attentiveness help to earn and save money, even in very cramped circumstances. These qualities need to be developed, and here are the steps to take:

• Start planning. The psychologist advises setting goals by a certain date, and then sorting out what turned out to be realized and what didn’t. Thus planning becomes a means of developing self-control.
• Do self-analysis. “You need to honestly fix your problem when spending funds,” he urges. Then you need to ask yourself questions: “Why am I losing self-control?”, “What sequence of thoughts does this give me?”. Based on this analysis, you will see what pattern that leads to poverty is in your behavior.
• To conduct an experiment. By acknowledging the problem, you can change the pattern of behavior. “Experimenting is not a scary way to do things differently. You do not immediately start living in a new way and you can always return to the previous pattern of behavior. However, if you like the result, you can apply it again and again,” says Pavel Volzhenkov.
• Enjoy. Making and saving money should become self-sufficient activities that bring joy. “I like making money. Everything works out for me”, “I like to save money, I enjoy the fact that I am attentive to money, and as a result my well-being grows,” the psychologist lists such attitudes.

It is necessary to set aside funds not for the purchase of an expensive product or service, but for the formation of stable savings. The airbag will allow you to confidently make decisions regarding the future and expand your horizons.

“I didn’t change my attitude towards money overnight. First, he distributed debts to his friends, then he began to save very small amounts, and then the excitement turned on. I learned to keep track of what my earnings go to, cut down on rash expenses. In addition, I was motivated by the unwillingness to live the same way as my parents, ”adds Sergey.

The psychologist recommends working on changing all areas of life. So, the daily routine, physical education, healthy eating, giving up bad habits, raising the cultural level will contribute to the development of self-discipline and improve the quality of life. At the same time, it is important not to overstrain yourself with composure, remember to rest.

“The feeling of hopelessness will quickly disappear by itself, as soon as a person begins to develop good habits. He does not fight against the attitudes of his environment, does not conflict with his family and does not try to convince them. Instead, he is engaged in self-development, ”concludes Pavel Volzhenkov.