Bridges Out of Poverty

As part of In-Service Training in Columbus earlier this month, I attended a "Bridges Out of Poverty" seminar.

It was a condensed version of the typically-several-days-long seminar based on the book of the same title.

The basis of the book is that an individual brings with him/her the "hidden rules" of the class in which he/she was raised, so that even though the income of the individual may rise significantly, many of the patterns of thought, social interaction, cognitive stategies, etc., remain with the individaual.

Because schools and businesses operate from the norms of the middle class, sometimes people coming from poverty have trouble fitting in and succeeding -- not because they can't, but because they don't know the hidden rules.

It stands to reason that in order to move forward from poverty to middle class or from middle class to wealth, an individual must give up relationships for achievement (at least for some period of time).

For example, when people from lower classes have aspirations for higher education or a different life, instead of being supported, they are often mocked or sabataged, looked upon with scorn or suspicion, with a "Who do you think you are? Think you're better than us?" mentality.

Other thought-provoking points from the book:

-Everyone, regardless of class, has varying levels of resources: financial, emotional, mental, spiritual, physical, support systems, relationships/role models, knowledge of hidden rules and coping strategies. The more resources one has, the more possible it is to move to successfully navigate the world or possibly move into a higher class.

-Schools and workplaces operate in the "formal register" -- the register of the middle and upper classes -- where speech is linear and direct. The typical register of the lower classes is the "casual register," which tends to be rambling and circular. All the information is there, but doesn't tend to be presented in a straightforward manner.

I've seen this tendency in action when working with people to fill out applications as well as working as a reporter. It's helpful to remember that sometimes it's more productive to let people talk and get it all out their own way, rather than cutting them off and forcing them to get quickly to the point.

-There are many forms of welfare, but the poor are the only ones who are labeled undeserving. Others who recieve welfare are students wtih government fellowships, homeowners with federal-tax and mortgage-interest deductions, corporations with government subsides, and military bases that are kept open to prevent job losses.

-The focus of each class is different. For food, the lower class asks "Did you have enough?", the middle class asks "Did you like it?", while the upper class asks "Was it presented well?" For money, the lower class is concerned about how it is used/spent, the middle class with how it is managed and the upper class with how it is invested. For humor, the lower class jokes about people and sex, the middle class about situation and the upper class about social faux pas.

-Finally, there were interesting checklists entitled "Could you survive in poverty?" "Could you survive in middle class?" and "Could you survive in wealth?" with skills/knowledge you'd need for each lifestyle.

I had read this book before this session and thought there were parts that seemed overly simplified or stereotyped, but there are definately helpful pieces to be gleaned from it. A worthy read.