--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Fighting poverty has huge benefits that…" description: "\"“Fighting poverty has huge benefits that we have been blind to until now,” Shafir points out. In fact, he suggests, in addition to measuring our gross ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f98/rutger-bregman-2463_poverty_fighting-poverty-has-huge-benefits-that_3071082.jpg" --- # Fighting poverty has huge benefits that we have been blind… ![“Fighting poverty has huge benefits that we have been blind to until now,” Shafir points out. In fact, he suggests, in addition to measuring our gross domestic product, maybe it’s time we also started considering our gross domestic mental bandwidth. Greater mental bandwidth equates to better…” quote by Rutger Bregman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f98/rutger-bregman-2463_poverty_fighting-poverty-has-huge-benefits-that_3071082.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f98/rutger-bregman-2463_poverty_fighting-poverty-has-huge-benefits-that_3071082.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f98/rutger-bregman-2463_poverty_fighting-poverty-has-huge-benefits-that_3071082.jpg) > ““Fighting poverty has huge benefits that we have been blind to until now,” Shafir points out. In fact, he suggests, in addition to measuring our gross domestic product, maybe it’s time we also started considering our gross domestic mental bandwidth. Greater mental bandwidth equates to better child-rearing, better health, more productive employees – you name it. “Fighting scarcity could even reduce costs,” projects Shafir.”” [Rutger Bregman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutger-bregman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Addressing poverty expands societal capacity, improving health, productivity, and child development while lowering overall costs. **In simple terms:** Fighting poverty boosts mental capacity and reduces expenses. Key Takeaway Invest in anti‑poverty policies. Themes poverty reduction public health economic productivity Mood optimistic analytical Type policy economic When to use this quote - government policy - community health programs - business cost‑saving strategies Key Concepts gross domestic product mental bandwidth social welfare Questions to Reflect On - How does mental bandwidth affect societal outcomes? - What policies best translate poverty reduction into economic gain? A Different Perspective Limited resources may hinder implementation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bandwidth Greater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bandwidth-greater-5194950/) [Fighting Poverty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fighting-poverty/) [Fighting Scarcity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fighting-scarcity-5194948/) [Mental Bandwidth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mental-bandwidth-5194947/) [Poverty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poverty/) [Scarcity Reduce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scarcity-reduce-5194949/) ## Related quotes > [Task switching is hard because we do not control what is on our mind. Despite our efforts, the original task continues to occupy our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sendhil-mullainathan/task-switching-is-hard-because-we-do-not-control-what-is-on-our-mind/) [Sendhil Mullainathan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sendhil-mullainathan/) > [“The paradox of health care is that it is one of the most powerful ways of fighting poverty, yet can itself become an impoverishing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-lancet/the-paradox-of-health-care-is-that-it-is-one-of-the-most-powerful/) [The Lancet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/the-lancet/) > [We must appreciate that all over the world, right down the centuries, there have been great religions that have encouraged the idea of giving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/we-must-appreciate-that-all-over-the-world-right-down-the-centuries/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [When I want to explain why empowering girls and women is critical to fighting poverty, I often tell a person's story. It's easier to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helene-d-gayle/when-i-want-to-explain-why-empowering-girls-and-women-is-critical-to/) [Helene D. Gayle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helene-d-gayle/) > [If I were president, I would want to spend a lot of time going to the legislatures and telling them about best practices, whether…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kasich/if-i-were-president-i-would-want-to-spend-a-lot-of-time-going-to-the/) [John Kasich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kasich/) > [While government clearly plays the major role in fighting poverty through policies on things such as education, tax, and trade, business creates the wealth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sergio-ermotti/while-government-clearly-plays-the-major-role-in-fighting-poverty/) [Sergio Ermotti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sergio-ermotti/) > [Whether our task is fighting poverty, stemming the spread of disease or saving innocent lives from mass murder, we have seen that we cannot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kofi-annan/whether-our-task-is-fighting-poverty-stemming-the-spread-of-disease/) [Kofi Annan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kofi-annan/) > [Fighting poverty is nothing new for the Conservative Party, but during the 1980s the emphasis placed on individualism and prosperity was sometimes seen to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grant-shapps/fighting-poverty-is-nothing-new-for-the-conservative-party-but-during/) [Grant Shapps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grant-shapps/) > [In 1995, world military spending totaled nearly $800 billion. If we redirected just $40 billion of those resources over the next 10 years to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scar-arias/in-1995-world-military-spending-totaled-nearly-800-billion-if-we/) [Óscar Arias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scar-arias/) > [There are people in communities who are actually out there fighting poverty eye-to-eye, soul-to-soul, in neighborhoods that actually do well, that succeed. But for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-ryan/there-are-people-in-communities-who-are-actually-out-there-fighting/) [Paul Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-ryan/) > [Left-wing politicians take away your liberty in the name of children and of fighting poverty, while right-wing politicians do it in the name of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-browne/left-wing-politicians-take-away-your-liberty-in-the-name-of-children/) [Harry Browne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-browne/) > [Making loans and fighting poverty are normally two of the least glamorous pursuits around, but put the two together and you have an economic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-surowiecki/making-loans-and-fighting-poverty-are-normally-two-of-the-least/) [James Surowiecki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-surowiecki/) > [“The power of imagination is strongest in the place of solitude.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunday-adelaja/the-power-of-imagination-is-strongest-in-the-place-of-solitude/) [Sunday Adelaja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunday-adelaja/) > [I know that in the rap game you've got a lot of people, that come from poverty, was born in poverty and if it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-connor/i-know-that-in-the-rap-game-you-ve-got-a-lot-of-people-that-come-from/) [Jon Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-connor/) > [The image of blacks usually is one of people who are suffering from hunger, unemployment, and poverty. The idea of them as agents and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-lee-boggs/the-image-of-blacks-usually-is-one-of-people-who-are-suffering-from/) [Grace Lee Boggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-lee-boggs/) ## More by Rutger Bregman > [“If all the developed countries would let in just 3% more immigrants, the world’s poor would have $305 billion more to spend, say scientists…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutger-bregman/if-all-the-developed-countries-would-let-in-just-3-more-immigrants/) [Rutger Bregman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutger-bregman/) > [“When Lehman Brothers collapsed on September 15, 2008, and inaugurated the biggest crisis since the 1930s, there were no real alternatives to hand. No…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutger-bregman/when-lehman-brothers-collapsed-on-september-15-2008-and-inaugurated/) [Rutger Bregman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutger-bregman/) > [I think one of the most important facts of basic income would be that it's not only a redistribution of income, but also of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutger-bregman/i-think-one-of-the-most-important-facts-of-basic-income-would-be-that/) [Rutger Bregman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutger-bregman/) > [The great thing about money is that people can use it to buy things they need instead of things self-appointed experts think they need.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutger-bregman/the-great-thing-about-money-is-that-people-can-use-it-to-buy-things/) [Rutger Bregman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutger-bregman/) > [“The idea that the GDP still serves as an accurate gauge of social welfare is one of the most widespread myths of our times.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutger-bregman/the-idea-that-the-gdp-still-serves-as-an-accurate-gauge-of-social/) [Rutger Bregman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutger-bregman/) > [Most of Mark Zuckerberg's income is just rent collected off the millions of picture and video posts that we give away daily for free.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutger-bregman/most-of-mark-zuckerberg-s-income-is-just-rent-collected-off-the/) [Rutger Bregman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutger-bregman/) > [“To calculate the GDP, numerous data points have to be linked together and hundreds of wholly subjective choices made regarding what to count and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutger-bregman/to-calculate-the-gdp-numerous-data-points-have-to-be-linked-together/) [Rutger Bregman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutger-bregman/) > [“Countless studies have shown that people who work less are more satisfied with their lives.37 In a recent poll conducted among working women, German…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutger-bregman/countless-studies-have-shown-that-people-who-work-less-are-more/) [Rutger Bregman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutger-bregman/) > [“Precisely when we should be shouldering the historic task of investing this rich, safe, and healthy existence with meaning, we’ve buried utopia instead. There’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutger-bregman/precisely-when-we-should-be-shouldering-the-historic-task-of/) [Rutger Bregman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutger-bregman/) > [Believing in the good of humanity is a revolutionary act - it means that we don't need all those managers and CEO's, kings and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutger-bregman/believing-in-the-good-of-humanity-is-a-revolutionary-act-it-means/) [Rutger Bregman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutger-bregman/) > [Poor people aren't making dumb decisions because they are dumb, but because they're living in a context in which anyone would make dumb decisions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutger-bregman/poor-people-aren-t-making-dumb-decisions-because-they-are-dumb-but/) [Rutger Bregman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutger-bregman/) > [“The bottom line is that wealth can be concentrated somewhere, but that doesn’t also mean that’s where it’s being created. This is just as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutger-bregman/the-bottom-line-is-that-wealth-can-be-concentrated-somewhere-but-that/) [Rutger Bregman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutger-bregman/) > [“Recently, the International Monetary Fund published a report which revealed that too much inequality even inhibits economic growth.22 Perhaps the most fascinating finding, however,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutger-bregman/recently-the-international-monetary-fund-published-a-report-which/) [Rutger Bregman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutger-bregman/) > [“Not coincidentally, the countries with the shortest workweeks also have the largest number of volunteers and the most social capital.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutger-bregman/not-coincidentally-the-countries-with-the-shortest-workweeks-also/) [Rutger Bregman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutger-bregman/) > [It matters so much that from a very early age we encounter different kinds of different people, because that's what real life should be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutger-bregman/it-matters-so-much-that-from-a-very-early-age-we-encounter-different/) [Rutger Bregman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutger-bregman/) [Explore all 164 Rutger Bregman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutger-bregman/) ## More Poverty quotes > [The image of blacks usually is one of people who are suffering from hunger, unemployment, and poverty. The idea of them as agents and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-lee-boggs/the-image-of-blacks-usually-is-one-of-people-who-are-suffering-from/) [Grace Lee Boggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-lee-boggs/) > [I know that in the rap game you've got a lot of people, that come from poverty, was born in poverty and if it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-connor/i-know-that-in-the-rap-game-you-ve-got-a-lot-of-people-that-come-from/) [Jon Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-connor/) > [“The power of imagination is strongest in the place of solitude.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunday-adelaja/the-power-of-imagination-is-strongest-in-the-place-of-solitude/) [Sunday Adelaja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunday-adelaja/) > [Give me, indulgent gods with mind serene, And guiltless heart, to range the sylvan scene, No splendid poverty, no smiling care, No well-bred hate,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-young/give-me-indulgent-gods-with-mind-serene-and-guiltless-heart-to-range/) [Edward Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-young/) > [Parents who are stressed or disturbed will have more difficulty in meeting their children's needs. Parents who have little support--from friends, relatives, neighbors, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheila-kamerman/parents-who-are-stressed-or-disturbed-will-have-more-difficulty-in/) [Sheila Kamerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheila-kamerman/) > [“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/) > [In comparative terms, there's no poverty in America by a long shot. Heritage Foundation political scientist Robert Rector has worked up figures showing that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/in-comparative-terms-there-s-no-poverty-in-america-by-a-long-shot/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [“In places where government priorities and market imperatives create a world so capricious that to help a neighbor is to risk your ability to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-boo/in-places-where-government-priorities-and-market-imperatives-create-a/) [Katherine Boo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-boo/) > [All our efforts to defeat poverty and pursue sustainable development will be in vain if environmental degradation and natural resource depletion continue unabated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kofi-annan/all-our-efforts-to-defeat-poverty-and-pursue-sustainable-development/) [Kofi Annan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kofi-annan/) > [“I've always been after the trappings of great luxury. But all I've got hold of are the trappings of great poverty. I've got hold…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-cook/i-ve-always-been-after-the-trappings-of-great-luxury-but-all-i-ve-got/) [Peter Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-cook/) > [Who, being loved, is poor?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/who-being-loved-is-poor/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Hundreds of millions of human beings on our planet increasingly suffer from unemployment, poverty, hunger, and the destruction of their families.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-kung/hundreds-of-millions-of-human-beings-on-our-planet-increasingly/) [Hans Kung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-kung/) > [There are 200 million poor in the world who would gladly take the vow of poverty if they could eat, dress and have a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen/there-are-200-million-poor-in-the-world-who-would-gladly-take-the-vow/) [Fulton J. Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/) > [Every one is weary, the poore in seeking, the rich in keeping, the good in learning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-herbert/every-one-is-weary-the-poore-in-seeking-the-rich-in-keeping-the-good/) [George Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-herbert/) > [A beautiful woman, if poor, should use double circumspection; for her beauty will tempt others, her poverty herself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/a-beautiful-woman-if-poor-should-use-double-circumspection-for-her/) [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) [Browse all 7,240 Poverty quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poverty/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Fighting poverty has huge benefits that we have been blind to until now,” Shafir points out. 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