Poverty Rationalization

The set of beliefs that attribute systemic, structural economic deprivation to the moral, cultural, or intellectual failings of the poor themselves. It uses anecdotes of exceptional escape ("pull yourself up by your bootstraps") or pseudo-scientific theories about intelligence and work ethic to rationalize inequality as a natural and fair outcome.

Example: Blaming poverty on a "culture of dependency" or poor financial choices like buying smartphones. This poverty rationalization ignores structural factors like wage stagnation, discriminatory policies, and capital concentration. It transforms an economic outcome of systemic design into a character judgment, protecting the system from critique.

Poverty Rationalization by Abzugal February 8, 2026

mental poverty 

Mental poverty is simply an impoverished mind. It is a way of living for some. It is a condition and state of mind where there are limited educational resources and if there are educational resources, one chooses to avoid them. It is a system that exists where the norm is ignorance and refusal. Refusal to change, to try and learn new and better ways of not only thinking but also putting thoughts into action. It is essentially a poor mind.

In today's state of environmental crisis, only someone who is afflicted with mental poverty could choose not to recycle or not to worry about the effects their choices have in regard to the sustainability of the planet.

mental poverty by stara13 May 13, 2011

Period Poverty 

Period poverty is the lack of access to: period products, clean and private bathrooms, a safe space, and information and education about your period.

You can help make period poverty a thing of the past by donating to Period.org.

Period Poverty by knowwhatimean? November 25, 2021

Compound Poverty 

When you condition your mind that there is not enough money rather than there is more than enough, because while growing up, money was scarce, and your parents or loved ones were struggling to make ends meet—when you focus on saving money rather than making money.

Poor people tend to focus on their lack, which over time leads them to develop a compound poverty mindset; wealthy folks look for new streams of income that would yield compound interest by embracing an abundance mindset.

Compound Poverty by Fasters February 10, 2023

Thunder Bastard Poverty Sicles 

n. Warm weather snack, highly efficient anti-boredom tool.

Take one of the ready-mixed packages of Kool-Aid lemonade and sink the entire package in a pitcher of water. The higher concentration, the better. After all the Kool-Aid dissolves, get a bottle of lemon juice concentrate. Add as much as you feel like, a lot or a little, it really doesn't matter. After you stir that in for awhile, pour the mix into an icecube tray, cover it in saran wrap, and put toothpicks in each one, making poverty sicles. The end result will be a sickeningly sweet lemonade popsicle.

However, you don't have to use lemonade mix, or even the ready-made Kool-aid packages. You can use any flavor, just so long as you get the sugar right (or wrong, depending). I recommend a minimum of 10 packets if you're going to go that route, then fill the pitcher about halfway and add as much sugar as the water will hold. Test, correct where needed.

Tyler drew the short straw and had to test the first batch of Thunder Bastard Poverty Sicles. He took one lick and about went into sugar shock.

Thunder Bastard Poverty Sicles by Kyren Graves September 27, 2005

Penis Poverty 

Someone with a dramatically small penis.

His dick isn;t just small, that man is living in Penis Poverty.

Penis Poverty by Racer XXX May 3, 2022

Paragon poverty

See Paragon Security.

It is the condition of living in poverty but to the extreme. It is a special kind of poverty that you can only find while working for Paragon Security. The condition of being in Paragon poverty is having a full time job which you are working hard on long shifts, many being night shifts, while doing overtime constantly, and working weeks on end without any days off all at minimum wage, yet making somehow less than a Mc. Donald's employee.

Paragon Security: "Hey Mike you NEED to work tonight for a one hour shift. Don't worry we will pay you overtime."

Mike (Paragon Guard): "One hour? Are you crazy? I have just enough subway tickets to last me for the next week of work. I can't afford to come into work today! I'm living in Paragon poverty!"

Paragon poverty by Matthew E December 1, 2007