There’s a lot of talk and a lot of vagueness surrounding first world poverty. Meaningless numbers and guilt aimed rhetoric abound but it’s hard to know what is more than arbitrary percentages.

Poverty is an overused and poorly defined term that is is losing the impact battle. There needs to be more clarity, honesty and openness to get public sympathy and support.

Something that would help (a lot) in addressing ‘poverty’ is to have some clear indication of what it refers to, how many people are genuinely suffering from ongoing poverty, why they are, and what would be necessary to address it affordably without throwing money at too many people who don’t need or deserve it.

If the fog is cleared those most in need of more assistance have a much better chance of sensibly targeted help.