Being Poor

A book about poverty and being poor? This is as broad a field as writing a book about life itself. Poverty has always existed in the world and probably always will. As diverse as the societies of this world are, so is the definition of “poverty” in the societies. I'm not a sociologist. But anyone who is considered poor here in Germany, because he or she lives below a certain minimum income or receives ALG 2 (social welfare), commonly referred to as Hartz IV, could live comfortably with it in Africa, while it is almost impossible in Germany. In this book I am not concerned with social revolution, otherwise someone like Karl Marx would certainly have his say here, but I am concerned with showing how spiritual beacons of history take a stand on money and possessions. They have their say here, which does not mean that the social situation does not have to change.

Especially in the western industrialized countries there is an ominous connection between the value that is attached to a person and the property that he has accumulated. You are only someone, if you own something. (Money makes the man.) If that weren't bad enough, it gets even worse, when the people who have little put on that shoe themselves and think about themselves as unworthy and worthless. Man/Woman, your worth isn't determined by your wealth. Your life doesn‘t find its fulfillment, because you can travel a lot and you have a large number of followers on Instagram. On the contrary, you may have lost yourself, because you get bogged down in all directions, chasing superficial things that alienate you from yourself.

Today I‘ve becoming aware having forgotten two important people, who are responsible for major social improvements worldwide. It‘s not to bold to say, they contributed with their lives great benefits to mankind: Albert Schweitzer and Florance Nightingale. I also added further thoughts of myself about poverty.