--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I believe that poverty is often the…" description: "\"I believe that poverty is often the result of inappropriate behavior - out-of-wedlock births, dropping out of school, crime and drugs - which should no..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2eb/joe-klein-12661_behavior_i-believe-that-poverty-is-often-the-resu_433363.jpg" --- # I believe that poverty is often the result of… ![“I believe that poverty is often the result of inappropriate behavior - out-of-wedlock births, dropping out of school, crime and drugs - which should not be rewarded. But often it isn't, and common decency requires that we take care of the least of these.” quote by Joe Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2eb/joe-klein-12661_behavior_i-believe-that-poverty-is-often-the-resu_433363.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2eb/joe-klein-12661_behavior_i-believe-that-poverty-is-often-the-resu_433363.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2eb/joe-klein-12661_behavior_i-believe-that-poverty-is-often-the-resu_433363.jpg) > “I believe that poverty is often the result of inappropriate behavior - out-of-wedlock births, dropping out of school, crime and drugs - which should not be rewarded. But often it isn't, and common decency requires that we take care of the least of these.” [Joe Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-klein/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He argues poverty often stems from personal choices, yet society must still support the vulnerable. **In simple terms:** Poverty linked to choices, but care needed. Key Takeaway Balance responsibility with compassion. Themes poverty responsibility compassion Mood thoughtful serious Type analytical policy When to use this quote - public assistance - education reform - community support Key Concepts social policy ethical duty Questions to Reflect On - How can we address root causes while aiding those in need? - What policies best combine accountability and support? A Different Perspective Complex causes mean simple blame is insufficient. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Behavior](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/behavior/) [Birth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/birth/) [Care](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/care/) [Common decency](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/common-decency/) [Crime](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crime/) [Decency](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decency/) [Dropping out](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dropping-out/) [Drug](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drug/) [Habits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/habits/) [Inappropriate behavior](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inappropriate-behavior/) [Poverty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poverty/) [School](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/school/) [Wedlock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wedlock/) ## Related quotes > [Poverty is a result of lack of opportunity. Lack of opportunity is about being without power, without being in a position to make choices.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winnie-byanyima/poverty-is-a-result-of-lack-of-opportunity-lack-of-opportunity-is/) [Winnie Byanyima](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winnie-byanyima/) > [South Africa does not have a poverty problem. Poverty is a result of denialism of the way corruption taxes poor people, the inefficiencies that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mamphela-ramphele/south-africa-does-not-have-a-poverty-problem-poverty-is-a-result-of/) Mamphela Ramphele > [“Poverty is a result of poor choices not of poor luck”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/celso-cukierkorn/poverty-is-a-result-of-poor-choices-not-of-poor-luck/) [Celso Cukierkorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/celso-cukierkorn/) > [Believe in poverty and you will be poor. Believe in wealth and you will be rich. Believe in love and you will have love.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/believe-in-poverty-and-you-will-be-poor-believe-in-wealth-and-you/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [“If we’re all led to believe that poverty is just a matter of laziness or stupidity or whatever other justifications we come up with,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-torres/if-we-re-all-led-to-believe-that-poverty-is-just-a-matter-of-laziness-2/) [Bob Torres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-torres/) > [ We believe that poverty does not belong in a civilized human society. It belongs in museums \[...\] A poverty-free world might not be perfect,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-yunus/we-believe-that-poverty-does-not-belong-in-a-civilized-human-society/) [Muhammad Yunus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-yunus/) > [Maybe we are a little crazy. After all, we believe in things we don't see. The Scriptures say that faith is "being sure of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-claiborne/maybe-we-are-a-little-crazy-after-all-we-believe-in-things-we-don-t/) [Shane Claiborne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-claiborne/) > [If we're all led to believe that poverty is just a matter of laziness or stupidity or whatever other justifications we can come up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-torres/if-we-re-all-led-to-believe-that-poverty-is-just-a-matter-of-laziness/) [Bob Torres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-torres/) > [I stand by all the women who have had to deal with inappropriate behavior of any sort.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/momina-mustehsan/i-stand-by-all-the-women-who-have-had-to-deal-with-inappropriate/) [Momina Mustehsan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/momina-mustehsan/) > [“offering her—and her body—everything she needs. Inappropriate behavior in barns, change rooms, and oh-my-gawd phone sex with a cowboy. Six”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vivian-arend/offering-her-and-her-body-everything-she-needs-inappropriate-behavior/) [Vivian Arend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vivian-arend/) > [As children, we said no, we rebelled, we had temper tantrums and meltdowns. We tested our limits. Our parents' limits. All limits. As parents,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/as-children-we-said-no-we-rebelled-we-had-temper-tantrums-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I've been harassed or on the receiving end of sexist and inappropriate behavior almost every place I've ever worked.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirsten-powers/i-ve-been-harassed-or-on-the-receiving-end-of-sexist-and/) [Kirsten Powers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirsten-powers/) > [“I’m now a man on a mission. It’s time to engage in some reckless, inappropriate behavior with a hot slut.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kendall-grey/i-m-now-a-man-on-a-mission-it-s-time-to-engage-in-some-reckless/) [Kendall Grey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kendall-grey/) > [“Glorious Destinations Are Safeguarded With the Right Person When we enter life with an incorrect and unjust partner, we can no longer safeguard anything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jan-jansen-easy-branches/glorious-destinations-are-safeguarded-with-the-right-person-when-we/) [Jan Jansen Easy Branches](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jan-jansen-easy-branches/) > [“the answer might seem obvious: of course yoga is appropriate—why else would thirty-six million of us be spending billions of dollars every year on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-rosen/the-answer-might-seem-obvious-of-course-yoga-is-appropriate-why-else/) [Richard Rosen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-rosen/) ## More by Joe Klein > [You know, when George Bush talks about freedom not being America's gift to world but God's gift to all humankind, it smells like market…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-klein/you-know-when-george-bush-talks-about-freedom-not-being-america-s/) [Joe Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-klein/) > [When I started in the press there were really ink-stained wretches. Not everybody went to college. 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It makes them more understanding of the flaws that the rest of us have.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-klein/i-m-in-favour-of-politicians-having-extra-marital-relationships-oh/) [Joe Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-klein/) > [In point of fact, 'Simpson-Bowles' has become a symbol, or SimBowl, rather than an actual plan, political shorthand for the process of long-term deficit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-klein/in-point-of-fact-simpson-bowles-has-become-a-symbol-or-simbowl-rather/) [Joe Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-klein/) > [I believe, I believe that the people who voted in those primaries for Donald Trump were at least helping him along with his message…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-klein/i-believe-i-believe-that-the-people-who-voted-in-those-primaries-for/) [Joe Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-klein/) > [“Faith, unaccompanied by rigorous skepticism, is a recipe for myopia and foolishness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-klein/faith-unaccompanied-by-rigorous-skepticism-is-a-recipe-for-myopia-and/) [Joe Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-klein/) > [This dilettante notion that the global economy is evil because big corporate leaders make too much money... they do make too much money, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-klein/this-dilettante-notion-that-the-global-economy-is-evil-because-big/) [Joe Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-klein/) > [I got into journalism because I came of age in the '60s. It just seemed one way for me to get things done.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-klein/i-got-into-journalism-because-i-came-of-age-in-the-60s-it-just-seemed/) [Joe Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-klein/) > [Bush the Elder's stature as president grows with every passing year. 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Begin to act the part of the person you would like to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/as-you-begin-changing-your-thinking-start-immediately-to-change-your/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“I now know that deep within the human concept is something dark, selfish, and completely willing to do whatever is necessary to support the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-west/i-now-know-that-deep-within-the-human-concept-is-something-dark/) [Melissa West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-west/) > [“We are endowed with genes which code out our reaction to beavers and otters, maybe our reaction to each other as well. We are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-thomas/we-are-endowed-with-genes-which-code-out-our-reaction-to-beavers-and/) [Lewis Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-thomas/) > [The number of poor, and poorly prepared, students who succeed in college and beyond undercuts the simplistic notion that economic or educational disadvantage is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roland-merullo/the-number-of-poor-and-poorly-prepared-students-who-succeed-in/) [Roland Merullo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roland-merullo/) > [To behave creatively in art means behavior with skill; and skill comes from discipline, not derangement. The artist who knows the rules -and proportion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burne-hogarth/to-behave-creatively-in-art-means-behavior-with-skill-and-skill-comes/) Burne Hogarth > [You don't put milk in chamomile tea - that's disgusting behavior! That's not right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-fraser/you-don-t-put-milk-in-chamomile-tea-that-s-disgusting-behavior-that-s/) [Laura Fraser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-fraser/) > [The laws of thermodynamics, as empirically determined, express the approximate and probable behavior of systems of a great number of particles, or, more precisely,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-willard-gibbs/the-laws-of-thermodynamics-as-empirically-determined-express-the/) J. 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