Does Poverty Diminsh Human Dignity
Observers of the global economy have noted that in some places life is so impoverished that it is inhumane and not worthy of the dignity of a human being. ... Does living in poverty diminish human dignity? ... You cannot just present the generalization “poverty diminishes human dignity,” and have it cover every single situation. A reason poverty does not diminish human dignity to the point of a mere animal is every human being is above an animals existence because we humans can reason. ... I can do calculus, chemistry, and physics to which they wouldn’t have a clue how to do, but is my level of dignity better because of this? No, I believe it is all about how what you know betters your life, and that is where your level of dignity is justified. Many people in religious circles take a vow of poverty. Do these people not possess a certain appreciation of human dignity? Of course these people have their dignity as human beings, even though some peoples’ level of dignity may be higher than others. ... Marys High School in Calcutta, but the suffering and poverty she glimpsed outside the convent walls made such a deep impression on her that in 1946 she received permission from her superiors to leave the convent school and devote herself to working among the poor in the slums of Calcutta, India.