Why is it so hard to escape poverty? - Ann-Helén Bay

Explore the paradox of welfare programs, and learn how they inadvertently reinforce generational poverty, and what we can do to fix them.

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Imagine that you’ve been unemployed for months. Government benefit programs have helped you cover your expenses, but you’re barely getting by. Finally, you receive a paycheck— but there’s a catch. Your new job pays enough to disqualify you from benefit programs, but not enough to cover your costs. So how do we design benefit programs that don’t penalize you for working? Ann-Helén Bay investigates.

Lesson by Ann-Helén Bay, directed by Avi Ofer.

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[harrisindustries]

It's also hard to escape it because it drastically affects one's mindset and way of thinking. It literally changes the way one's brain works. It's crippling.

[rishisharma]

One thing I wish to mention: Poverty makes sure you don’t have access to nutritious food. Food that would ensure you have a good mental capacity, longer focus periods. I have seen people struggling with headaches and problems, which renders them unable to think about getting out of poverty.

[moewzer]

This video is almost heartbreaking because it really makes you appreciate how lucky you probably are to be where you are and that you should never take anything that you have for granted

[ethorii]

Rule number one: don't have children unless you have rational confidence that they can be raised without pain to them or yourself. Easier said than done, I know, but nonetheless true.

[alexbravo]

I highly recommend the book “Poor economics” if you want to know more about this subject, it’s a great analysis with a humane look

[Adaginy]

I worked at mcdonalds in high school and college. I always, always had coworkers who would say they could not take any more hours because it would screw up their benefits (and while a reduction can hit immediately, an increase in benefits might take 6 months, so one anomalous paycheck could hit them particularly hard). BUT, these people frequently worked anyway, clocking out and taking home food in lieu of wages. Usually. Sometimes they just clocked out and kept working without the bonus food because they were worried about their job. I always had this story in rebuttal to anyone who said people on benefits were lazy. They were working, and working more than they were paid for.

[hlmgamer]

I still remember the day, where I couldn't find job so I was on government assistance, but when I told them I was planning to go to trade school they said well we can't help, you either stay poor and no job or find a bare minimum job, in both situations I stayed poor, I was penalized because I wanted a better life.
Keep in mind that trade school is very accessible and cheap, has high demand after you finish and it's usually 2 years and under it means that if I was able to get help to finish that school it's win for everyone but no, they want you to be poor.

I eventually had to work illegally and get paid next to nothing just so I can finish school, was literally getting paid less than the government assistance just so I can go to school.

[Brielle-ph]

The problem today is most people always think that, you only need a good job to get rich... These millionaires are operating on a whole other playbook that many don't know exists

[northernkaiser]

My mother who was poor single mother, always said that welfare helped but whenever she got a raise in the hair salon she worked at, they lowered her welfare. Which did give her more independence I suppose but it kept her in the same spot and at a point, she just refused scheduled raises as it would get her welfare taken and make her poorer than ever

[johnshepherd]

This hit home...I remember being excited when I wouldn't need assistance anymore. Until I finished paying bills. Then I wasn't excited. Lived on white rice and salt for flavor for months. As I worked on very little food I lost weight and seemed to be weaker every week. My job got more difficult. I worked at a grocery store. I remember the exact day that I became hungry enough and desperate enough to steal food. I worked in the meat department and we threw away hundreds of pounds of meat every other day. Things that were close to date but perfectly fine. It was the week of Thanksgiving and we were getting our asses kicked. All I could think about was I was going to be eating white rice for Thanksgiving. I couldn't take it anymore. I went to the throwaway cart, put a couple steaks under my beltline and punched for break. I walked straight to my car an put them in the trunk. (It was winter) To this day I don't regret it. I was starving. Thank you past generations for the great place you left us 👍 Bang up job.

[satvik]

That one frame at 1:53 when parent penguin is looking at the empty fridge and then at the expecting baby penguin broke my heart. Reminds me the same exact memory that's burned in my brain from our poverty days and I was the baby. My family worked really hard to get us all out of that state. I'm thankful but also compassionate to anybody else who maybe struggling right now.

[shellylofgren]

Inflation, bank collapse, severe drought in the agricultural belt, recession, food shortages, diesel fuel and heating oil shortages, baby formula shortages, available automobile shortages and prices, the price of living place. <It's all coming together and it could lead to a real disaster towards the end of this year (or sooner). With inflation currently at about 6%, my primary concern is how to maximize my savings/retirement fund of about $300k which has been sitting duck since forever with zero to no gains.

[jeffreyaguilar]

I am very lucky to live in a life out of poverty thanks to my father who clawed his way out of it. I hope that I can maintain or improve our life and pass the same tenacity to my children. Some families who gain wealth fails to pass this skill to the next generation/s.

[Mideezhanti]

The animation is brilliant. I feel like I could watch this with no sound and still get the message.

[heidilady]

I wish this video would also touch on how having a felony or having a poor credit rating further perpetuates poverty.

[cjxgraphics]

My concern with a UBI is that we would have to make sure people didn't just raise rent and prices to match.
For instance, my mother is on disability, social security, and lives in government housing. Every time she gets an increase in those benefits, her rent goes up to match. Add to that, since she has "more income", the amount of food stamps she receives goes down. It's a losing game.

[Benni]

This is a reality for me, I don’t have to imagine this scenario. I live on SSI and I can’t get a job bc I’m disabled and I’m getting assistance for it, but it’s still hard. If I get a too good paying job, then I don’t get any gov’t assistance; if I don’t get a well paying job, then I still need go’t assistance. And for something that I can’t control; my disability.

[lordbaccoon]

I am so immensely grateful for my parents. My dad was the only income and we were lower class barely making it through for a long time. After working for years he got the detrimental raises and promotions that finally let us live a very comfortable life in middle class. I am so grateful for the things he did to make sure I had a healthy and safe childhood.

I have notices my family got better and better with each generation because though they were poor and came from the highlands they were able to make constant good decisions based on the reality of their situation. I am lucky to be born with parents that cared about giving me education and sith that I continued to make good decisions. Life is not easy but making good decisions do help. Most of the environment I know really didn't. Had kids early without preparation and planning, didn't pursue education and put party's first. My family was very encouraging and helped me look at life with a fighting spirit.

[mathiasgadeyt]

Most people end up in the same social class they grew up in