--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Most people don't see themselves as…" description: "\"Most people don't see themselves as sitting on that bottom rung as a defense mechanism. The more they blame poor people for their poverty, the further ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/034/stephanie-land-5532_blame_most-people-don-t-see-themselves-as-sitt_1353210.jpg" --- # Most people don't see themselves as sitting on that bottom… ![“Most people don't see themselves as sitting on that bottom rung as a defense mechanism. The more they blame poor people for their poverty, the further they feel from being in the same place. Even the working poor who qualify for food, childcare and housing benefits don't see themselves as such.” quote by Stephanie Land](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/034/stephanie-land-5532_blame_most-people-don-t-see-themselves-as-sitt_1353210.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/034/stephanie-land-5532_blame_most-people-don-t-see-themselves-as-sitt_1353210.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/034/stephanie-land-5532_blame_most-people-don-t-see-themselves-as-sitt_1353210.jpg) > “Most people don't see themselves as sitting on that bottom rung as a defense mechanism. The more they blame poor people for their poverty, the further they feel from being in the same place. Even the working poor who qualify for food, childcare and housing benefits don't see themselves as such.” [Stephanie Land](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-land/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People often distance themselves from poverty, blaming the poor, which deepens social division and prevents empathy. **In simple terms:** Blaming the poor creates distance and division. Key Takeaway Cultivate empathy for the disadvantaged. Themes poverty empathy social division Mood empathetic concerned Type social activist When to use this quote - policy making - community outreach - education programs Key Concepts sociology psychology inequality Questions to Reflect On - How can we foster solidarity across economic lines? - What actions reduce stigma toward the working poor? A Different Perspective Blame can be a defense against confronting personal privilege. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Blame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/blame/) [Blame Poor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/blame-poor-294400/) [Defense mechanism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/defense-mechanism/) [Food](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/food/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [People Poverty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people-poverty/) [Place](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/place/) [Poor people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poor-people/) [Poverty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poverty/) [Poverty Feel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poverty-feel-1208153/) [Rich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rich/) [Working Poor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/working-poor-641704/) ## Related quotes > [“To fight the poverty, we must feel the poverty.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-f-moonzajer/to-fight-the-poverty-we-must-feel-the-poverty/) [M.F. Moonzajer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-f-moonzajer/) > [The working poor are the people suffering out subprime mortgages and fatal loans and more and more of our money - you know, capitalism…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-graeber/the-working-poor-are-the-people-suffering-out-subprime-mortgages-and/) [David Graeber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-graeber/) > [Poor people are bonsai people. There is nothing wrong in their seeds. Simply, society never gave them the base to grow on. All it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-yunus/poor-people-are-bonsai-people-there-is-nothing-wrong-in-their-seeds/) [Muhammad Yunus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-yunus/) > [Simply put, unsustainable debt is helping to keep too many poor countries and poor people in poverty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/simply-put-unsustainable-debt-is-helping-to-keep-too-many-poor/) [William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/) > [The U.N. has been focusing on the global goals in terms of trying to fight and eradicate poverty, and I feel like education is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/connie-britton/the-u-n-has-been-focusing-on-the-global-goals-in-terms-of-trying-to/) [Connie Britton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/connie-britton/) > [Not to understand a treasure's worth till time has stole away the slighted good, is cause of half the poverty we feel, and makes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-cowper/not-to-understand-a-treasure-s-worth-till-time-has-stole-away-the/) [William Cowper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-cowper/) > [Poverty made me feel weak, as if I were coming down with an awful, debilitating, communicable disease - the disease of being without money.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/faith-sullivan/poverty-made-me-feel-weak-as-if-i-were-coming-down-with-an-awful/) [Faith Sullivan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/faith-sullivan/) > [(on African poverty) We have everything. They have nothing. I feel so moved and so saddened, but also hopeful that we can all help…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leona-lewis/on-african-poverty-we-have-everything-they-have-nothing-i-feel-so/) [Leona Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leona-lewis/) > [In a sane, civil, intelligent and moral society, you don't blame poor people for being poor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-young/in-a-sane-civil-intelligent-and-moral-society-you-don-t-blame-poor/) [Andrew Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-young/) > [“This is the dark side of the “American dream.” We blame the poor, accusing them of being poor because they do not work hard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ogyen-trinley-dorje/this-is-the-dark-side-of-the-american-dream-we-blame-the-poor/) [Ogyen Trinley Dorje](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ogyen-trinley-dorje/) > [There was something missing In my foundation Why blame the poor walls?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/javed-akhtar/there-was-something-missing-in-my-foundation-why-blame-the-poor-walls/) [Javed Akhtar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/javed-akhtar/) > [We continue to blame the poor for their own condition. They are lazy. We do not want to know that the poorest of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-m-kunin/we-continue-to-blame-the-poor-for-their-own-condition-they-are-lazy/) [Madeleine M. Kunin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-m-kunin/) > [“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/) > [One of the things I tell my students is that if you want to understand what's been going on and also what needs to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-reich/one-of-the-things-i-tell-my-students-is-that-if-you-want-to/) [Robert Reich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-reich/) > [ “… what right \[do\] people in wealthy countries have to blame the poor for their poverty, much less for humanity’s environmental dilemma, when it… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-hertsgaard/what-right-do-people-in-wealthy-countries-have-to-blame-the-poor-for/) [Mark Hertsgaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-hertsgaard/) ## More by Stephanie Land > [I expected college to feel like a major accomplishment. I walked across the stage, eight months pregnant with my almost seven-year-old daughter watching in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-land/i-expected-college-to-feel-like-a-major-accomplishment-i-walked/) [Stephanie Land](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-land/) > [I don't think there is a true cure for PTSD.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-land/i-don-t-think-there-is-a-true-cure-for-ptsd/) [Stephanie Land](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-land/) > [I signed my first book contract without paying much attention to what it said. I didn't know at the time that the book would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-land/i-signed-my-first-book-contract-without-paying-much-attention-to-what/) [Stephanie Land](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-land/) > [My family, for generations, has struggled through the effects of working blue-collar jobs long past the age of retirement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-land/my-family-for-generations-has-struggled-through-the-effects-of/) [Stephanie Land](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-land/) > [I've seen, and experienced, the anxiety of not being able to find work for months on end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-land/i-ve-seen-and-experienced-the-anxiety-of-not-being-able-to-find-work/) [Stephanie Land](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-land/) > [Remember The Nothing? It was a gigantic, black storm from 'The Neverending Story' that fed on fear and doubt and sadness and hate and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-land/remember-the-nothing-it-was-a-gigantic-black-storm-from-the/) [Stephanie Land](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-land/) > [I'm a huge believer in universal childcare.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-land/i-m-a-huge-believer-in-universal-childcare/) [Stephanie Land](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-land/) > [There is no planning in a life of fighting to keep a roof over your head. It's pure survival.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-land/there-is-no-planning-in-a-life-of-fighting-to-keep-a-roof-over-your/) [Stephanie Land](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-land/) > [We need leaders who are able to vividly remember how it feels to experience hardship, trauma and pain, who make us feel less alone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-land/we-need-leaders-who-are-able-to-vividly-remember-how-it-feels-to/) [Stephanie Land](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-land/) > [I see my self-identity in the same way I see most things: a list, in greatest to least importance. I've found I can't use…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-land/i-see-my-self-identity-in-the-same-way-i-see-most-things-a-list-in/) [Stephanie Land](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-land/) > [As a mom raising two kids on my own, my life requires a certain kind of constant juggling that is hard to keep on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-land/as-a-mom-raising-two-kids-on-my-own-my-life-requires-a-certain-kind/) [Stephanie Land](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-land/) > [Tinder makes it obvious that I'm not alone in being single and that there are plenty of single parents looking for a partner. A…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-land/tinder-makes-it-obvious-that-i-m-not-alone-in-being-single-and-that/) [Stephanie Land](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-land/) > [If you work a job outside of the hours a daycare that accepts government grants operates, if you are self-employed or you take classes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-land/if-you-work-a-job-outside-of-the-hours-a-daycare-that-accepts/) [Stephanie Land](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-land/) > [The small things that make Christmas magical are the things children will remember. It doesn't matter what they open on Christmas morning, I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-land/the-small-things-that-make-christmas-magical-are-the-things-children/) [Stephanie Land](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-land/) > [We need to look marginalized people in our community in the eye and listen to their stories of struggle, heartache and impossibility.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-land/we-need-to-look-marginalized-people-in-our-community-in-the-eye-and/) [Stephanie Land](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-land/) [Explore all 100 Stephanie Land quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-land/) ## More Blame quotes > [“I have to blame myself for not finding any way of reaching him, but I can't feel that either Ruth or I had anything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wallace-stegner/i-have-to-blame-myself-for-not-finding-any-way-of-reaching-him-but-i/) [Wallace Stegner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wallace-stegner/) > [Me mum used to always have the radio on - even now she has it on in every room. Me girlfriend sort of blames…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-pilkington/me-mum-used-to-always-have-the-radio-on-even-now-she-has-it-on-in/) [Karl Pilkington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-pilkington/) > [I like to praise and reward loudly, to blame quietly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-the-great/i-like-to-praise-and-reward-loudly-to-blame-quietly/) [Catherine the Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-the-great/) > [Some of the things that I said I hated to say, but blame yourself mother fucker you made it this way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jedi-mind-tricks/some-of-the-things-that-i-said-i-hated-to-say-but-blame-yourself/) [Jedi Mind Tricks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jedi-mind-tricks/) > [Holy shadows of the dead, I'm not to blame for your cruel and bitter fate, but the accursed rivalry which brought sister nations and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-the-great/holy-shadows-of-the-dead-i-m-not-to-blame-for-your-cruel-and-bitter/) [Alexander the Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-the-great/) > [“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/) > [“Stop Blaming Others For Your Own Actions”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-g-roldan/stop-blaming-others-for-your-own-actions/) [Alexis G. Roldan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-g-roldan/) > [We know from this book entitled... What is it? Surrendered? Succumbed? I can never remember the title perform. And we learn from this book…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/we-know-from-this-book-entitled-what-is-it-surrendered-succumbed-i/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [I don't blame anyone .. I did this to myself .. It's my fault .. Everything is my FAULT ...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nurnizz95/i-don-t-blame-anyone-i-did-this-to-myself-it-s-my-fault-everything-is/) [Nurnizz95](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nurnizz95/) > [“They would congratulate themselves every morning on keeping their integrity, and blame themselves each night for that missed opportunity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/they-would-congratulate-themselves-every-morning-on-keeping-their/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [I try to live my life where I end up at a point where I have no regrets. So I try to choose the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darren-aronofsky/i-try-to-live-my-life-where-i-end-up-at-a-point-where-i-have-no/) [Darren Aronofsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darren-aronofsky/) > [How come you don't feel that magic in the air? I guess I knew you'll never be there. 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If you want to blame us for making Donald Trump president because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katy-tur/listen-the-guy-was-not-created-by-coverage-from-msnbc-and-cnn-if-you/) [Katy Tur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katy-tur/) [Browse all 3,779 Blame quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/blame/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Most people don't see themselves as sitting on that bottom rung as a defense mechanism. The more they blame poor people for their poverty, the further they feel from being in the same place. 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