Now before you pick up that book that tells the right way to live life is by having a 'rich' mindset - perhaps Think and Grow Rich, or Rich Dad Poor Dad - and gather your philosophical defenses, hold it because this time we're doing a reality check.

Are you guilty of looking down on the server at your favorite fast food?
Perhaps it has crossed your mind that they could only work there 'cause they can't do any better when they served you the wrong meal.
That newspaper peddler that sells candies & cigarettes too, why is he settling for such a small enterprise?
That habal-habal driver who won't stop bugging you when you're obviously waiting for your Angkas, he can get passengers if he just signed up as a rider, couldn't he?
Or the creepy rappers in the jeepney that rely on your coins for their next meal being risks for your safety? Ugh! Why don't they just go to school so I can sit here in comfort, so I can rummage through my coin purse for my fare, without feeling obliged to spare some for them?

I used to be guilty of that too.
But as I learned more facts about society and opened my eyes to harsh truths on how this world works, I became more understanding & empathetic.

Poor people exist because they are trapped in a system that is designed to make the rich richer, and make the poor stay poor.

In my exposure to marginalized communities, I've met people who don't have birth certificate - a document that legitimizes their existence. Some of them don't even know their birthdays, & don't know how old they are. They aren't part of the 104 million population and are simply the margin of error in statistics. They're from a peace loving community called the Sama tribe (more known to many as 'Badjaos') and they live in the slums.

Poverty is a systemic problem, not an individual one.

"If we blame the victim we would spend our limited dollars to address the personal failings of individuals who suffer from poverty, illiteracy, poor health, eating disorders, and other difficulties.
If instead we blame the system, we would focus our attention on the various social conditions (decrepit schools, social services, and the like) that account for these difficulties. A sociological perspective suggests that the latter approach is ultimately needed to help us deal successfully with the social problems facing us today."

Businesses are designed to make profit, and while they serve the interest of consumers & provide employment, they rely on a system that earns by giving minimum wage . Billionaires don't become billionaires without exploitation. We're just thankful that we have entrepreneurs who take care of their employees and treat them well.

And as much as you hate to believe this, people in power serve the interests of these corporations, sometimes also for their personal gain.

The fast food server you looked down on wanted to finish college but couldn't, because they prioritize feeding their younger sibling. And that pregnant woman carrying a child who asked for alms on the street? You expect her to practice birth control when she can't even read.

While you are sitting in the comfort of your home with your phone computer reading this article, people below the poverty line can't think of anything but their next meal.

This may recall rags-to-riches stories of people who built empires from scratch - John Gokongwei, Manny Pacquiao & Oprah Winfrey to name some - and while their stories continue to inspire many, only a very small fraction of the poor make it to life that way.

Does this mean we should never rely again on personal development and self-improvement books to guide our way of seeing life? Not at all.
By all means be inspired by the stories of Henry Ford or Warren Buffet or Dale Carnegie, but don't use it as an excuse for you to treat poor people like they wanted to stay there.

Even in the pages of Think and Grow Rich, the author mentions that you're lucky to get a hold of the book because not everyone has access to that information.

Not everyone has the same opportunities that were handed to you. If you were born with a roof over your head, an access to education, & enough meals in a day, it's a privilege. And remember that it is supposed to be a r i g h t.

Next time, before you think you're above the service crew that prepared your food, think again.