--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Poor people want to be poor; if they just…" description: "\"Poor people want to be poor; if they just worked harder they could have more.\" — Anthony B Pinn" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cde/anthony-b-pinn-34891_people_poor-people-want-to-be-poor-if-they-just_471634.jpg" --- # Poor people want to be poor; if they just worked harder… ![“Poor people want to be poor; if they just worked harder they could have more.” quote by Anthony B Pinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cde/anthony-b-pinn-34891_people_poor-people-want-to-be-poor-if-they-just_471634.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cde/anthony-b-pinn-34891_people_poor-people-want-to-be-poor-if-they-just_471634.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cde/anthony-b-pinn-34891_people_poor-people-want-to-be-poor-if-they-just_471634.jpg) > “Poor people want to be poor; if they just worked harder they could have more.” [Anthony B Pinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-b-pinn/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The statement claims poverty is due to lack of effort, ignoring systemic factors. **In simple terms:** Blaming poverty on laziness is oversimplified. Key Takeaway Recognize structural causes of poverty. Themes poverty work ethic social inequality Mood critical thoughtful Type analytical philosophical When to use this quote - employment - education policy - social welfare - personal finance Key Concepts economics social justice Questions to Reflect On - What structural changes could reduce poverty? - How does this view affect empathy? A Different Perspective Hard work alone often cannot overcome systemic barriers. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Poor people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poor-people/) [Poverty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poverty/) ## Related quotes > [If we want to give poor people soap we must set out deliberately to give them luxuries. If we will not make them rich…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/if-we-want-to-give-poor-people-soap-we-must-set-out-deliberately-to/) [Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/) > [Rich people focus on what they want, while poor people focus on what they don't want.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-harv-eker/rich-people-focus-on-what-they-want-while-poor-people-focus-on-what/) [T. Harv Eker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-harv-eker/) > [“Artists are never poor, they just don't get enough time to make money !”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brahmananda-patra/artists-are-never-poor-they-just-don-t-get-enough-time-to-make-money/) [Brahmananda Patra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brahmananda-patra/) > [“Rich just needs a more expensive shoe, but poor just needs a shoe!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/rich-just-needs-a-more-expensive-shoe-but-poor-just-needs-a-shoe/) [Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [“We are not poor. We just don't have any money!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-augusta-trapp/we-are-not-poor-we-just-don-t-have-any-money/) Maria Augusta Trapp > [When you meet people you don't want them to look at you and say 'poor you.' I just wanted to be treated like a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gianluca-vialli/when-you-meet-people-you-don-t-want-them-to-look-at-you-and-say-poor/) [Gianluca Vialli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gianluca-vialli/) > [I'm poor just like everybody else. If someone kidnaps me, they're getting nothing but a candy, a gum.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-andrade/i-m-poor-just-like-everybody-else-if-someone-kidnaps-me-they-re/) [Jessica Andrade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-andrade/) > [Some people are so poor...All they have is just money..!!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/some-people-are-so-poor-all-they-have-is-just-money/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I have been broke a lot of times, but I have never been poor. Poor is just a state of mind, and my mind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-bokhari/i-have-been-broke-a-lot-of-times-but-i-have-never-been-poor-poor-is/) [Sara Bokhari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-bokhari/) > [“My mom often said "We're not poor, we just don't have much money.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/les-cochran/my-mom-often-said-we-re-not-poor-we-just-don-t-have-much-money/) Les Cochran > [The rich don't exploit the poor. They just out-compete them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brooks/the-rich-don-t-exploit-the-poor-they-just-out-compete-them/) [David Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brooks/) > [If we love (the poor) people, we want to identify with them and share with them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-vanier/if-we-love-the-poor-people-we-want-to-identify-with-them-and-share/) [Jean Vanier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-vanier/) > [Poor people are much more daring than the rich ones, a rich one is so fearful that he move with body guards and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/senoraroy/poor-people-are-much-more-daring-than-the-rich-ones-a-rich-one-is-so/) Senoraroy > [Don't be didactic - don't write about poverty. Write about poor people. When you dramatize their lives and let life and characters be your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mckee/don-t-be-didactic-don-t-write-about-poverty-write-about-poor-people/) [Robert McKee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mckee/) > [“Poor people do not go on holiday; they go home.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/poor-people-do-not-go-on-holiday-they-go-home/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) ## More by Anthony B Pinn > [Perhaps God gives us a hint about whom God favors through physical and material prosperity. So those who are doing well are probably favored…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-b-pinn/perhaps-god-gives-us-a-hint-about-whom-god-favors-through-physical/) [Anthony B Pinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-b-pinn/) > [The ministers argue that within the context of scripture there's a requirement given by God that you've got to give ten percent of your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-b-pinn/the-ministers-argue-that-within-the-context-of-scripture-there-s-a/) [Anthony B Pinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-b-pinn/) > [So long as there's been black churches in the United States, there's been a relationship between spiritual well-being and material acquisition. This has always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-b-pinn/so-long-as-there-s-been-black-churches-in-the-united-states-there-s/) [Anthony B Pinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-b-pinn/) > [I think of the US as an empire. The UK at one point, because of its reach, was an empire. But these megachurches -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-b-pinn/i-think-of-the-us-as-an-empire-the-uk-at-one-point-because-of-its/) [Anthony B Pinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-b-pinn/) > [There's a separation of church and state. If you want the perks that churches have traditionally received, then abide by the rules. If you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-b-pinn/there-s-a-separation-of-church-and-state-if-you-want-the-perks-that/) [Anthony B Pinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-b-pinn/) > [The problem is poverty. And it hides the problem. We often associate black churches with a history of protest. But prosperity gospel and megachurches…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-b-pinn/the-problem-is-poverty-and-it-hides-the-problem-we-often-associate/) [Anthony B Pinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-b-pinn/) > [Churches can easily bring together, in a short period of time, a substantial number of people, and politicians have to assume that these folks…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-b-pinn/churches-can-easily-bring-together-in-a-short-period-of-time-a/) [Anthony B Pinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-b-pinn/) > [If one has good faith, you can unlock the secrets of scripture, and in unlocking the secrets of scripture, you have access to everything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-b-pinn/if-one-has-good-faith-you-can-unlock-the-secrets-of-scripture-and-in/) [Anthony B Pinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-b-pinn/) > [Churches typically argue is that God wants God's people to have a good life, and that a good life involves prosperity. This prosperity is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-b-pinn/churches-typically-argue-is-that-god-wants-god-s-people-to-have-a/) [Anthony B Pinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-b-pinn/) > [What we ought to be trying to do is limit the harm that Christian communities and other religious communities can do. But we can't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-b-pinn/what-we-ought-to-be-trying-to-do-is-limit-the-harm-that-christian/) [Anthony B Pinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-b-pinn/) > [The key figure in the Christian faith involves a story of suffering so that others do well. You're only going to get so much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-b-pinn/the-key-figure-in-the-christian-faith-involves-a-story-of-suffering/) [Anthony B Pinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-b-pinn/) > [You get a sense that it's okay to have good stuff and still claim a relationship with God. So enslaved Africans rethought their predicament…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-b-pinn/you-get-a-sense-that-it-s-okay-to-have-good-stuff-and-still-claim-a/) [Anthony B Pinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-b-pinn/) > [The American Dream has really good PR. It's kind of difficult to live in the United States and not on some level be pulled…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-b-pinn/the-american-dream-has-really-good-pr-it-s-kind-of-difficult-to-live/) [Anthony B Pinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-b-pinn/) [Explore all 14 Anthony B Pinn quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-b-pinn/) ## More People quotes > [If I am going to be phased out by whatever powers, then I want people to know that it is not because I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/parvathy/if-i-am-going-to-be-phased-out-by-whatever-powers-then-i-want-people/) [Parvathy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/parvathy/) > [Some people still believe you should just fall in line with what's going on - and that's scary. It makes a mockery of freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-robison/some-people-still-believe-you-should-just-fall-in-line-with-what-s/) [Emily Robison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-robison/) > [The truth seems to be that propaganda on its own cannot force its way into unwilling minds; neither can it inculcate something wholly new;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/the-truth-seems-to-be-that-propaganda-on-its-own-cannot-force-its-way/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [From Augustine down, theologians have tried to compel people to accept their special interpretation of the Scripture, and the tortures of the inquisition, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matilda-joslyn-gage/from-augustine-down-theologians-have-tried-to-compel-people-to-accept/) [Matilda Joslyn Gage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matilda-joslyn-gage/) > [I wanted to write about voodoo tradition that I feel has been very important to survival of black people here: people of the African…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesmyn-ward/i-wanted-to-write-about-voodoo-tradition-that-i-feel-has-been-very/) [Jesmyn Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesmyn-ward/) > [I feel like I definitely have a real sporty style, more so than a lot of people in G.O.O.D. Music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/big-sean/i-feel-like-i-definitely-have-a-real-sporty-style-more-so-than-a-lot/) [Big Sean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/big-sean/) > [I feel like the future is unwritten. So many of the things that we write now haven't been about educating people on the environment,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-flansburgh/i-feel-like-the-future-is-unwritten-so-many-of-the-things-that-we/) [John Flansburgh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-flansburgh/) > [The only people who think the Internet is a calamity are people whose lives have been hurt by it; the only people who insist…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-klosterman/the-only-people-who-think-the-internet-is-a-calamity-are-people-whose/) [Chuck Klosterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-klosterman/) > [Crony capitalism is essentially a condition in which... public officials are giving favours to people in the private sector in payment of political favours.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-greenspan/crony-capitalism-is-essentially-a-condition-in-which-public-officials/) [Alan Greenspan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-greenspan/) > [I think, here's what I've realized from interviewing people, and I've been very open about my Catholicism and my love of Christ and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-mohr/i-think-here-s-what-i-ve-realized-from-interviewing-people-and-i-ve/) [Jay Mohr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-mohr/) > [For us who are now in power, we need to be challenged to serve the people and ignore our own egos and personal interests…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wangari-maathai/for-us-who-are-now-in-power-we-need-to-be-challenged-to-serve-the/) [Wangari Maathai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wangari-maathai/) > [When I was trying to come up with a stage name, I thought 'Lord' was super rad, but really masculine - ever since I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorde/when-i-was-trying-to-come-up-with-a-stage-name-i-thought-lord-was/) [Lorde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorde/) > [By eating many fruits and vegetables in place of fast food and junk food, people could avoid obesity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-h-murdock/by-eating-many-fruits-and-vegetables-in-place-of-fast-food-and-junk/) [David H. Murdock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-h-murdock/) > [Some people give you that motivation to work harder simply to get the hell away from wherever they are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dane-cook/some-people-give-you-that-motivation-to-work-harder-simply-to-get-the/) [Dane Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dane-cook/) > [Pain is meant to wake us up. People try to hide their pain. But they're wrong. Pain is something to carry, like a radio.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-morrison/pain-is-meant-to-wake-us-up-people-try-to-hide-their-pain-but-they-re/) [Jim Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-morrison/) [Browse all 211,607 People quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Poor people want to be poor; if they just worked harder they could have more.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Anthony B Pinn" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-b-pinn/poor-people-want-to-be-poor-if-they-just-worked-harder-they-could/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "People" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-b-pinn/poor-people-want-to-be-poor-if-they-just-worked-harder-they-could/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cde/anthony-b-pinn-34891_people_poor-people-want-to-be-poor-if-they-just_471634.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cde/anthony-b-pinn-34891_people_poor-people-want-to-be-poor-if-they-just_471634.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cde/anthony-b-pinn-34891_people_poor-people-want-to-be-poor-if-they-just_471634.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Poor people want to be poor; if they just worked harder they could have more.” — Anthony B Pinn", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Anthony B Pinn", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-b-pinn/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Poor people want to be poor;...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-b-pinn/poor-people-want-to-be-poor-if-they-just-worked-harder-they-could/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-b-pinn/poor-people-want-to-be-poor-if-they-just-worked-harder-they-could/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```