The Irresponsible Poor

We often hear the excuse of those against programs like welfare that those receiving assistance "are not responsible enough" and "put themselves in that position". They complain that they see poor people with iPhones and designer bags and are still struggling to sustain their children or themselves. What most overlook, however, is that these people are not spending their welfare checks on these frivolous things. More times than not, that designer bag is a knock-off bought on the street. The iPhone they are using is old or was a gift. Just because certain facets of these people's lives don't appear to fit their stereotype, assumptions are made immediately.

The assumptions don't stop there though. Because this person is spending their government-handout money frivolously, that means that they are not trying to better themselves by getting a better job, making them lazy. That person is bad at decision making, which is what got them in their position. The minds of those who believe this simply don't stop. We've all seen the lengthy copy-paste posts on Facebook about this, but it's something to consider. Next time you see someone clearly at a low in their life on an iPhone, catch yourself, because you might be making assumptions without even knowing.