Why poverty has nothing to do with money: Ian Rosenberger at TEDxGrandviewAve

Ian founded both Team Tassy & Thread in 2010 in the wake of the Haiti earthquake. Team Tassy unlocks the inherent power in every person to end global poverty. Thread takes trash from poor neighborhoods & turns it into jobs & useful stuff people love. They work together under the same core philosophy: the biggest problem we face as a species is multidimensional poverty; ending it is entirely possible in our lifetime; & to do it, we need to invest in the poor to create as many dignified, sustainable jobs as possible.
Ian's passion is built upon 10 years of experience studying economic redevelopment in Western and South-Central Africa, Central America, and the Caribbean. Prior to his professional career, Ian attended Penn State University, where he was elected as the university's Undergraduate Student Government President in 2003. In 2005, Ian placed 3rd on CBS: Survivor Palau and has since spoken to tens of thousands of people all over the country about his experiences on the show and in the developing world. Ian was born and raised in Pittsburgh, PA.
In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized.* (*Subject to certain rules and regulations)

[@bluedancelilly]

I'm a social worker and I work with people in poverty. Yes, poverty is about access, but that primarily comes from a lack of money. Poverty is first and foremost an issue about money. And yes, jobs create money. But it still comes down to money.

[@tarotofhappiness8402]

Social workers see the $ part because social workers are fundamentally bureaucrats who are in charge of dispensing $ or $ equivalents. Poverty is NOT about $. Poverty is about lifestyles/independence. This TED talk was not even about USA poverty. It was about unmet medical needs and the consequences of a natural disaster. USA gov provides housing vouchers to lower the medical cists to Medicare & Medicaid. USA gov provides food stamps to lower the shoplifting rates to grocery stores. USA gov provides AFDC to lower the number of women who turn to prostitution to support their children. These programs exist in the USA to further the interests if affluent voters. Read the history of American education. Poor and working class children were constrained almost simultaneously by labor laws and mandatory school attendance laws put in place to expell children from factories in which their presence broke expensive & hard ti replace machines. Property owners demanded that the children not be turned out onto the public streets unsupervised where they were expected to vandalize property. The American ed system was reorganized in the 1800s specifically to babysit non-affluent children. NOBODY even knew if they were capable of benefiting from education to the age of 14! A person willing yo beg can support themselves. Beggars themselves report this to me. 70% of American poverty cannot be eliminated except through government action because 70% of the American impoverished are minors, the disabled, and the frail elderly. Most of the remaining 30% are their caregivers, felons, and addicts. Those unwilling or unable to beg or work are those who need $ or $ equivalents provided to them. Lots if young people are now falling between the cracks because they have not been taught how to work, nor how to seek employment successfully. Only 50% of adults has stepped foot into a college classroom despite college student placement offices being the PRIMARY source of job hunt training in the USA. The single most valuable asset gained in 1 term in college is access to the student placement office! Not only do they train; some employers list jobs nowhere else! At all! Remove from the job market all jobs that are only listed with colleges and trade schools, and the results are amazing reduced. No poverty is not mostly about $. It is mostly about intergenerational family social & other resources. 70% of outcomes for foster children are negative outcomes. They tend not to have roots that supply job recommendations. They tend not to have a housing back up plan. As a social worker, you cannot solve poverty by hiding it with housing vouchers and food stamps--as vital as those programs are to your service populations. You need access to more, not less. Your own training programs don't even teach what else is needed. There us a national shortage of lifeguards. Does every able bodied child who has a social worker get told the children can pay their own way through good colleges working part-time as a lifeguard while living in a modified, used cargo van? Do all those children get told to report early to the student placement office for career seeking skill training? No. Why not? Because social worker degree programs are NOT about creating economically independent children. College lifeguards average $18 to $24/hr. Senior citizens are getting hired as community lifeguard because young people ARE NOT EVEN APPLYING. Information and intelligence and health are more vital than $ ! The only 2 aspects of my 14 years of excellent university training that have stood the test if time and stood up in the face if cultural lies are 1) research skills and 2) communication skills. Rarely do the poor get the information they need because people believe the myth that the poor mostly need $. Food housing and medical care still leave them poor.

[@markysharky03]

If you want a continual flow of money, you need to have a job

[@manictiger]

​@@tarotofhappiness8402 On a logistical nation-sized scale, I agree with your sentiment. However, it ignores the fact that most people are just born to lose. They're not smart, they're not willful, they're not fighters and regardless of hardships or silver spoons, the outcome will always be the same-- they will exist, not thrive. I was one of those "foster children'. I run my own private equity firm, now. I'm the only employee, but if you looked at the budget, you'd think it was an entire trading group. I went from homeless to rich in under a decade. It wasn't "luck". I simply am a warrior. I got sick of life telling me how things are going to be and I started telling life how it's going to be. I had nothing to lose and everything to gain. I sacrificed my fake family and fake friends. I destroyed all the middle class and defeatist propaganda I was fed for the first couple decades of my life. I sacrificed my credit rating and even some of my sanity. Get rich or die trying. So now I'm a success. I have a long-lasting relationship and a fully stocked bomb shelter. If a nuclear war happened, I would be annoyed that the internet is gone. That'd be my main complaint.

[@tarotofhappiness8402]

@@manictiger I am so glad you have succeeded, & I hope you are happy, too. At the age of 11, I wanted a college degree, 5 different changes of weekday clothes, & to be a writer. I became a tenured, university professor, have a nice wardrobe, & have published 13 books. I believe many people believe they have been taught lots of social lies, but they cannot see through the lies to find strategies that work. I am sooooo glad you found strategies to accomplish your goals. Still, real estate development as it is being done now does not favor the over 800,000 homeless in America, nor the 100,000 more who become homeless every year now. Prior to germ theory and anti-biotics, most such died--or were killed off by invading armies. I sincerely hope you are able to continue your successes and have a long & happy life. I am changing my channel to interact with those who enjoy exploring symbols & the subconscious. I might change my channel several more times while I'm waiting to move back to the West Coast. Best Wishes.

[@manictiger]

​@@tarotofhappiness8402 Best wishes to you, too. Yeah, it's funny the things we wished for when we were younger. I used to have huge visions. I wanted to make luxury mega-structures, self-sustaining space stations, etc. Had all sorts of Elon Musk-like ideas before he was even known to anyone. But, Idk. Elon got there and I didn't. But I live a nice life. My only real regret is that I didn't start my business sooner.

[@jennyhesperus]

One of the biggest problems is society's faulty association of poverty with a lack of strength of character. Too often people think financial success or lack of success is an indicator of intrinsic value. The poor are often viewed with suspicion or contempt because surely they must be poor through some personal short-coming like laziness, stupidity, incompetence etc. This is demoralising, dehumanising, and counter-productive to eliminating extreme poverty. This sweeping stereotype also allows the more selfish people to comfortably shrug off poverty as "not my problem". We should not idolise people who live in obscene opulence, but rather admire those who live in reasonable comfort, while helping to lift the less-fortunate out of the pit of poverty and in the direction of reasonable comfort.

[@mhuh]

Sometimes a person's only flaw is being unlucky.

[@devenirdelostiempos]

@@mhuh you're right, I know someone like that, my girlfriend.

[@galaxylucia1898]

Thank you Jennifer that such an important statement. I'm finally coming to terms with my own biases and what's holding me back from helping others. It is a very humbling mental and spiritual exercise, but I'm glad that i'm aware of it.

[@tiffanykyer]

Jennifer Gibbs perfectly stated!

[@samanthasherman6750]

i loved ian so much in survivor palau. i didn't watch it when it aired, but i've seen the whole season. his move at the end was amazing, god bless his south for doing that because he really regained respect from Tom.

[@EZappa88]

I only agree with this dude to a certain extent. It's certainly true that lack of dignity perpetuates the condition in which one doesn't have the resources to create a sustainable living. When you feel that you aren't worthy of honor or respect, it can be difficult to pick yourself up and make progress towards a better life. However, Ian fails to realize that there are plenty of dignified poor people. There was one time when I attempted to give some food to a homeless man. He refused, stating "I can take care of myself." Poverty is not simply a state of mind, as Rosenberger believes. There are poor people who work hard to improve their lives, take pride in themselves, and still end up sleeping under a bridge at the end of the day because life doesn't always afford people opportunities for further advancement. Ian speaks from a place of superiority, feeling as though he has more dignity than the less fortunate. He doesn't recognize that even the most dignified person can be dealt an awful hand in life.

[@larrysbrain1627]

Excellent, Flex!

[@catosullivan3828]

Youre correct. Then he starts raving about his text and ph going on. He has no idea what it is to be in really reduced circumstances.... It seems it doesnt take much in the US .

[@steve1279]

Its not just a mindset it's also high paying jobs out there literally discriminate against people who don't have a college degree, have terrible credit or worse no credit at all. Im working poor too if i wanted to double or triple my income with my current job i would have to move to a big city but i have a house tieing me down to my town, and a family that doesn't want to get uprooted either.

[@larrysbrain1627]

I know. You're right... But, if you're some-kind of tradesman, that won't matter.. I'm only a G.E.D. educated man. But, my trade has a way of seeing through their garb, giving me greater possibilities. Hey, if you're good at what you do, then make money!

[@SEABLUEFILMS]

100% accurate Flex !

[@ldandco]

Funny to think that just a few minutes ago I saw another TED talk called "Poverty isn't a lack of character, is a lack of cash" I remember the days when TED talks were less subjective

[@aleempervaiz8789]

electronicbits : You pointed rightly. I have also seen "lack of cash".

[@Redactedlllllllllllll]

Seems they allow more than one perspective on their platform.

[@gregorythompson5334]

TEDx talks are the pointlessly subjective talks. OG TED talks were legit

[@sreereddy3833]

It's a matter of perspective. Ted is platform for people to share their ideas. Different people shares different perspectives.

[@monstermind66]

Love this guy, my fav quote has always been "you may be one but you can make a difference" and this guy has shown that and deserved lots praise

[@jaybranche4176]

I grew up this man...he is genuine. He is a quiet giant. He is humble. This is a tough video to watch. I struggled with it. 100 percent of life is perspective. Fundamentally we disagree on some issues . If all of humanity cared as much as my friend we wouldn't be arguing about perspective.

[@antonlords6]

So beautifully put, "the lack of dignity". Very true, and thank you for sharing this pearl of wisdom, as well as illuminating my consciousness.

[@SterlingFultonMHA]

Amazing talk. Not for the content, but because you demonstrated love in action, providing a way for people who are considered throw away to find dignity through work. Not only have you changed Tassy and Marc Noel, but the lives of their children (to come), their children's children and so on... People can lift themselves out of poverty, if the structures of society (access) allow it. Thank you for living this. Thank you for sharing.

[@postmodernfreak]

It is the structures themselves that perpetuate poverty.

[@tnekkc]

In the 1980s I saw Vietnamese boat people that had been wealthy, but were penniless and could not speak English when they settled in the USA. Within 10 years they were wealthy again. After I saw that I realized the only thing keeping me stuck is myself.

[@maureenwm]

That was a passionate talk, I loved Ian's energy. I loved the fact that he actually did something instead of just listening to the news and saying what a shame. Great job Ian.

[@bigmaristuff]

I was down at the country club showing my photo's ........Enough said !

[@NoflectioN]

It is money,period!

[@vee6988]

Thank you 🙅🙌🙌

[@ericmccauleymusic]

why poverty has nothing to do with money, by a rich kid from Pittsburgh

[@Sophy2001]

Why did you assume he is rich?

[@johnrothgeb5782]

Because he owns shoes for a start. That by definition makes him "rich" on a worldwide standard. Then there is the fact that he is an American with a job and probably college educated, oh yeah, and he is speaking on TEDx. I'm sure I could come up with a dozen more reasons for identifying him as rich, but hopefully you get the point. I disagree with Eric that being "a rich kid from Pittsburgh" disqualifies his view. As a previous poster said, "at least he is getting off the couch and doing something".

[@jacobmarquardt2947]

Eric McCauley I know Ian personally. He is one of the most humble people I know and has done incredible things.

[@larrylylde4318]

He helps people who do you help

[@Gasp7000]

John Rothgeb: The whole point is that "things" don't define wealth or poverty, "behavior" does.

[@TheBarricade32]

Money can buy you happiness. It...really can.

[@vee6988]

Thank you 🙌🙌🙅

[@SuperWillHatch]

That's Ian from Survivor: Palau. Glad to know he's coming up in the world.

[@KurtisC93]

He is definitely one of the nicest, most genuine people ever to play. He could have won the game, but he valued his integrity more than a million dollars. It was painful to watch him quit, but I understand why he did it.

[@SuperWillHatch]

Kurtis C. Absolutely. Ian is one of my all time favorite Survivor characters, and the moment he quit is one of the best character moments on the show imo. For him and for Tom.

[@bicyclist2]

I have to admit I admire what he did, but this guy doesn't understand poverty at all. Poverty has to do with lack of opportunity. There is a lack of opportunity because of the rampant corruption. Thanks.

[@beckywatt5048]

William Kiene Not that govts are ineffective, just not doing what we hired them to do.They /it has become autonomous and self serving.

[@javeesteva2547]

I don't think that lack of opportunity is the main problem here or related to some sort of corruption in society...the main problem is the person, if a person stops believing to achieve something than it will be resulted to poverty...it always comes in character.

[@dulynoted2427]

In short, “Give a Man a Fish, and You Feed Him for a Day. Teach a Man To Fish, and You Feed Him for a Lifetime.” You have to have time and money to do that. So, you elect people of government and you tell them you want them to create job programs and a tax system to fund it. You tell them to also give the unfortunate the means to sustain themselves til they get on their feet. You give them affordable housing and grants and date I say free education... The teapublicons and libertarians don’t believe in that or just don’t care. VOTE PROGRESSIVES 2018/2020!!

[@dennisr.levesque2320]

You can't feed your family with dignity. Eventually, you need to have the physical things that you need. There's a BIG difference between real value, abstract value, and money. You need to to be able to discern when each is needed. Poverty is not a card to play in a game. It's not having a card (physical, abstract, or otherwise) to play at all. Your ability to recognize that, determines whether you can really help or not. Everything else is just superfluous.

[@ENLIGHTENMENTING]

In fact is an interesting conference about money and dignity. Dignity is not lost by lacking money nor work or home. Even is not lost by starvation. Dignity is lost when you think that money, and material things are determinant and preeminent in your life so that you should yield your liberty, your personality, and your respect for a single place-work. They who are on the streets homeless lost his dignity not because they stay without money: they more well stay without money and homeless because previously they lost their dignity like persons. Thanks and salutes.

[@christopherbradley5575]

I think its great that someone that has no reason to care actually does care. Maybe we need more people like this. There are a million problems in Haiti and around the world that no single person can fix, yet If one person can focus on what he can do and make a difference, why can't we all?

[@Tavera12]

*Rolling my eyes to the back of my head.

[@vee6988]

Nauseated. This makes me sick.

[@donaghocallaghan8302]

I think this is the same dude who came third on survivor Palau !!! haha

[@dianer8881]

My brothers earn more than 100,000 per year, but live beyond their means. I raised 2 daughters on less than $15,000 per year and saved every extra penny. I'm comfortably retired and my brothers will never be able to retire. It requires sacrifice and discipline to learn to live without.

[@zanelegeire8683]

You either raised your daughters in decades past or you are completely full of s***

[@abbyjensen9824]

I was researching about poverty in Haiti for school, and I stumbled upon this. The stories presented are very heartwarming and I will definitely cite some of the quotes, especially the one given by his friend about money and their organization. Thank you!

[@Shellyshocked]

What about people who have jobs but, are still very poor? Both my parent's worked when I was a child but, they could still barely pay the bills. And I remember they were always paid but, in a certain order from most important to least. They would always pay the rent first then the electric bill then the gas bill and what was left over was spent on food. It's pretty sad when buying food is last on the list. But that's how it is if you don't pay the bills first you end up homeless. Then you have more money for food but, no where to keep it. There was barely anything for clothes shampoo toilet paper dish liquid laundry detergent and so on. They both worked in a fish packing plant. And my father would also go out at night to collect cans or do odd jobs under the table so he could get us a few new things to wear to school here and there. They were always exhausted and stressed out. They both passed away recently. My mother was only in her early sixties. Neither of them got to enjoy retirement.

[@alkistisTV]

Congratulations to this young man for his humanitarian work !

[@dianer8881]

The path from poverty to wealth involves sacrifice and discipline. Learn to go without and save every penny. There are millions of things that you do not need.

[@davidking4779]

Being poor is not having money, poverty is a mindset. My family was poor, but not poverty stricken with a victim defeatist attitude.

[@dianer8881]

I diet by fasting and eating small portions. My grocery bill is $35 per week. I only eat nutrient-dense food, such as fish, eggs, cheese, whole grains, veggies, fruit and water. This saves a tremendous amount of money and maintains my health.

[@marabueno3803]

I agree, but just in parts. Fact is: without money there's no access to almost everything.

[@jasonbaca2934]

I was only talking about poverty with people who are capable of working. Charity is protecting those who can't protect themselves due to some misfortune not caused by themself.

[@garybsg]

Most poverty has nothing to with misfortune, it has to do with unvirtuous behavior.

[@noracolmenares8789]

Says who? Where is the data for this affirmation?

[@reneelucero2923]

@@garybsg no it doesn't.

[@franklinfalco9069]

There's a link between hard work and success but poverty is as much a social problem as an individual one.

[@elviaknoll4705]

i love this video. thank you for sharing. sticking with them until they don't need you.... great point. GREAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@shireenhendricks2194]

Beautiful. You and your team well done. Love the intro hugs. You amazing.

[@ColonelCustard]

My immediate impression of this guy is he has the forced joviality of a used car salesman. The hug on demand designed to give a warm fuzzy to the audience to soften them up to being receptive to his message.

[@marliokono6292]

So I believe this presentation is a comment about the ldea that each person can make a difference to a community by the action and effort they are willing to commit.

[@Capjedi]

Inn our current economical crisis, access to jobs is only part of the issue: Suppose that you are sick, disabled, impoverished, homeless? These obstacles are insurmountable, until they are addressed. While some disabled can work, they risk losing thier benefits. Some may get well on thier own, through education, exercise, proper diet, as long as they are capable of making a beginning. When you consider the literal decimation of an entire country, such partial measures are ridiculous attempts to assuage responsibility. Let us not forget the fact that employers require that you have your own transportation, place of residence, drug screening, and contact information. A homeless, impoverished, plaque ridden populace, simply cannot meet these requirements.

[@angelablackthorne3026]

We push people who are already at risk down way too hard. Meanwhile, we have the wealthy corporations on welfare and we can't give them enough.

[@steve1279]

Don't forget we create poverty too! Do You think the syrian, afghanis, iraqis who had their towns demolished in airstrikes really like being homeless and having life, home and business destroyed....

[@0hhtecMusicianTheNotecianHero]

*the real economical crisis is kerosenian economics...)* anyway, that aside, we have dealt with the(se) issue(s). The problem is we can't fund unproductive activity! However, I can guarantee that there must be some solution that is "better than welfare" maybe Learn Liberty or Foundation for Economic Education has the answer; usually, they do. I thank God that they exist...

[@Ruthavecflute]

Its a good point, and his talk is certainly simplistic. Also I'm not sure that putting a dangerously incompetent driver on the road helps anyone. That said his work is probably doing some good - it's hard to argue with getting a kid the healthcare they otherwise could not access.

[@tarotofhappiness8402]

In that way, employment is restricted to the affluent. The cultural problem is that affluence is defined as a display of competence when in actuality affluence is a display of selfishness.

[@deckuofm]

Poverty of these days is a limited or no access to technology.

[@LemmingAttack]

Technology is more available than ever before. Poverty is about money.

[@Snowy84557]

I was waiting to hear a real answer. Not some perspective fluff.

[@somethingelse4150]

Thank you for saving me 15 minutes

[@gregorythompson5334]

@T South so its not about cash then? Its about doing?

[@heathermimiwahlquist5587]

Best Ted talk out there. Chills. Well done, dear sir. I’m off to do stuff. You inspired me

[@KittyClark4433]

Poverty is about money & the options that brings yes. But u can give $100 to a person with a mindset of poverty & he will do something very short sighted with it. This is what is different about a person with little money but who has dignity. He brings his money to his family & says today we eat. Your father worked today. Two completely different mindsets

[@hoshboshbgosh514]

Golly, teared up at the end there.

[@ZandPyr]

While this is a nifty talk, him talking about up and going to Haiti for a week took a lot away from his story, because it's not something that everyone can do. Someone in America, who is in poverty working two McJobs just to pay the rent can't afford to up and buy plane tickets on short notice to travel to another country, let alone take a week off of work. Treating people who are poor with dignity and giving them a hand up is great. I think this guy has a good approach, and it's an approach we have to take, but poverty is a complex problem, not one simply explainable by lack of dignity. Wage stagnation, inflation, housing shortages created by greedy corporations, lack of access to medical care, the cost of education and the gate keeping. The rate at which we get those in the greatest need, the disabled, the poor, the elderly etc help verses how fast they need it. The shrinking gap between rich and poor, the trickle-down economics, the off-shore tax havens and corporations not paying their fair share.

[@MadMan-xx8sf]

Loved the story. Thank you.

[@joshmnky]

He hasn't convinced me that dignity and the absence of wealth aren't both involved, especially with that closing statement, lol.

[@TheLordsForce]

Awesome story, keep up the good work.

[@navi6981]

Looked at the comments to see if this vid was successful and saw a lot more Marie Antoinette "let them eat cake" bullshit comments/ideas than I expected. Poverty is a state of mind my ass. Fucking thanks Ben Carson.

[@equteachme]

Safety from violence and respect of human rights would really help too.

[@infopackrat]

Unfortunately this is only a temporary solution. Right now cars are driving themselves and there's going to be more of that soon. Basically all unskilled labor is at risk for automation. It's a scary time in history.

[@tmazightcom]

this video made me cry I want be richer to help people thanks for the speech Regards

[@aliciamorasse51]

this is absolutely amazing!

[@aliciamorasse51]

I really appreciate your story

[@alexrios2960]

It's not just jobs. I'd say it's a little bit of this, a little bit of that. If your paycheck can't provide for you and/or your family for things like food, shelter, healthcare, transportation then having a job won't take anyone out of poverty. Jobs are meant to sustain ourselves on our journey to achieving independence and become self-reliant. This means right pay + affordable housing + affordable healthcare + affordable ??? = no more poverty. My thoughts. Alex

[@QDinar]

capital letters does not necessarily mean yelling. capital letters are even normal letters, historically, and small letters are modification.

[@kamkox9273]

I need a hug.....

[@WileyCylas]

Ok, not gonna lie he is gorgeous & charismatic.......

[@GeckoHiker]

I'm disappointed in his talk. In a country like America, poverty is a mindset. It is possible to live well with little money, but one has to have the expectation that living with less is not inherently bad. I personally know people who have chosen to live on a part-time, minimum wage income and deliberately keep their expenses low so they can achieve that goal without relying on government assistance. The things people believe are necessities didn't even exist when our parents were born and they grew up just fine. If you live on minimum wage you shouldn't be spending it on television, cable, DVD's, cell phones, music, fingernails and manicures, haircuts, car payments, furniture, clothes, household goods, or anything other than basic food, minimal utilities, and thrift store clothes to keep you working until you get more money behind you and a job that pays more. Period. No excuses. Otherwise, you will doom yourself and your family to a cycle of permanent poverty of the psyche.

[@leahpucci]

This was beautiful and you nailed it; dignity!

[@terrie001]

After 6min... he hasn’t get to his point yet... I am closing this vid.

[@1ucasvb]

Only 10% of this talk has content, everything else is fluff. And job worship is part of the problem.

[@salsero2004]

I thought that 90% of his talk (his stories about people) brought life and truth to the other 10% of his talk.

[@MickHuerta]

1ucasvb! If you have the solution, take action. At least this person got off the couch.

[@partner348]

Yea I just got to 11:00 and realized he was still doing his setup, and I probably I needed to go ahead and bail. Seems like a good guy that's doing a good thing.

[@chapstic593]

He's lecturing people about why poverty has nothing to do with money . Yet the first thing he talks about is having to fly to poorer areas for his marketing job. Do you not see the clear contradiction there? why don't all poor people get marketing jobs? because they don't get chosen to work those jobs or they don't exist you fucking moron.

[@girtszosens7719]

serebro

[@Sophy2001]

Not what i wanted to hear, in The US people have jobs and they still can't make ends meet, there is more to poverty than just not having a job.

[@sigigle]

Solid practical advice that we can all follow. Apparently all the poor need, is for us to travel to other countries and help them become employed by spending hundreds on each person and thousands on travel and accommodation costs. Brilliant.

[@SuddenlyMadeSage]

Incredibly engaging guy and story... Thank you for sharing this.

[@palomapepe1]

Truly inspirational. Great presentation. Thanks for sharing.

[@LondonLadsArt]

I was homeless in the USA during 2008 crash, and poverty is absolutely about £££. I understand all the self help nonsense about dignity, etc. But if you haven't got $$$, you can't eat,you can't drink, and even going to the toilet becomes a problem, and you want to talk about dignity. You sir, I'm sorry, have no real experiences of your own.

[@CO8848_2]

All these people from rich countries who never experienced poverty keep telling us about poverty. Shut up already.

[@craigniemen7935]

You are an inspiration

[@MrAlexanderLang]

Next up on TEDx : "Why hunger has nothing to do with food".

[@jacobgoldenofficial4321]

HE'S NOT TALKING ABOUT THE POOR PEOPLE IN USA HE'S TALKING ABOUT THE ULTRA POOR THE ONES THAT DON'T EVEN HAVE A RESTROOM OR A FRIDGE.

[@GravitonCA]

Two types of physical 'money': income and wealth. Only one type of income but may stem from many sources/occupations but only two types of wealth: mentality/mind over matter and the literal dollar. You can't solve poverty by using monetary value as it only exists within our head.

[@foxy19681904]

In a finite economy where everyone thinks success is individual wealth creation, and there are no limits on individual wealth, you have a serious problem. When one person becomes excessively wealthy the money in the economy has to be redistributed to accommodate that person's increase. The money doesn't come from the rich though. It comes from the middle class and the poor, or the government borrows it or prints it. The more super rich you have the worse the problem gets. You cant have the super rich unless you have the super poor, and there are a lot more poor people than there are rich people, because it takes a lot of people to make one rich person. You humans you don't see the connections. When you go to work you don't make money you are participating in an enterprise that redistributes the wealth of the community and the bigger the company the more unfair the redistribution of that wealth. Bigger is not better and the economies of scale just mean less staff and greater profits for the people at the top. Morons

[@MaraBradley]

Jonathan Maydwell what makes you say the economy is "finite"?

[@foxy19681904]

Wow. You don't understand money and the economy. Simply this. Government can't print money to pay for things all the time because when they do, every dollar in the economy is devalued by the amount of money you print and put into the economy. That only works that way because there is a fixed amount of money in each countries economy. Thats why to take money out of an economy and park it in a tax haven is very damaging to that economy because it then has to try to operate with less. The more companies and individuals do this the harder it is for an economy to actually function. Eventually the government will have to print money and add it in to try to stimulate the economy, but if the rich plunder that stimulus and again move it out of the economy into a tax haven, the stimulus package ends up creating inflation pushing prices up but does not get the economy moving. CAP-IT-ALISM without a CAP ON IT is like playing Monopoly with the planet. A small number of people end up with everything and a large number end up with nothing. Success or individual wealth creation, creates poverty, because the money to make someone rich has to come from the community and it doesn't come from the rich so it has to come from the middle and low income portion of the community. CAP-IT-ALISM with a CAP-ON-IT is never ending. Everyone has money, there is no poverty, there is plenty of money to provide for the community, its reasonable, its sustainable and everyone is better off. This is the model we should be using. Not one that eventually has a winner and everyone else looses. Government of the world dont want you to understand this because they borrow vast sums of money on the communities behalf and never pay it back. They like to trick you by saying they will give you a tax reduction but they also borrow a large amount of money on your behalf so in reality you never get a tax break because they off set it by borrowing far more than they give. The population is being bribed with debt. I find it very hard to understand how humans can't see this. Its like they are unable to connect the two and that they think the government debt is not theirs. Unfortunately its not the governments debt it is the communities debt. In America every man woman and child ows about 64,000 dollars. Your economy is ready to collaps. That level of debt is not reasonable. You have allowed a corrupt government to bribe you with debt for far too long.

[@OrionCanning]

Eric Richter every rich person profits off the labor of someone who makes less than them. The ceo of McDonald's makes hundreds of times more than someone making burgers at one of their restaurant, not 2×. Many companies use sweat shops to profit from the labor of people who have next to nothing while they make millions.

[@jennyhesperus]

There's nothing wrong with a CEO making more than an ordinary employee. There IS something wrong with a CEO making 100 to 300 times the income of an average employee, because what the CEO brings to the table is not 100 to 300 times more valuable than the average employee's contribution. I have a friend whose uncle worked his way up from nothing to be the current CEO of a telecommunications company in North America. He makes almost 13 million a year (that's base salary plus various bonuses). He is a serious business man and good at his job, so he deserves an appropriate income. Appropriate does not mean the income of 185 employees combined. Only a few decades ago a CEO's income was more likely to be something like 40 times that of an employee. Did CEOs quadruple (or more) their contribution and talents in such a short period of time? No.

[@mikesi5531]

Is it? You should look better. The economy can only grow at the expense of the environment. We take from the earth to grow the economy. I hope you do see that the earth is finite?

[@jtc1947]

Is this guy for real? Poverty is the LACK of MONEY! You can have all the DIGNITY in the world and it doesn't do You squat!

[@kapitzrick]

I feel his warmth and his energy. He clearly has a good heart. However, at the end of his talk I have no idea what his thesis is. I’m not convinced that family was brought out of poverty, and I don’t quite get what he’s getting at with his dignity comment. Poor people just need dignity? Yeesh...

[@MaryamAli-vd1xv]

Wow, beautiful, thanks for sharing

[@freedomsworthafight6451]

End the Federal Reserve together Jan 25th 2017 please join us

[@jenniraisovna5698]

It won't ever, until the whole country crashes down. I'm with you, the only difference I'm realistic. Good luck with your plans.

[@freedomsworthafight6451]

Jenni Raisovna we can together so tell friends and family then tell them to tell friends and family. We can as we.

[@jameseverett4976]

What do we do on Jan 25th to end the fedReserve?

[@freedomsworthafight6451]

Believe and talk to friends families and anyone you can. You convince them that the Federal Reserve is a gang of banks extorting their money for a promise not to be imprisoned. A task this large doesn't start with action it starts by changing the minds of the many so that the few will follow.

[@jenniraisovna5698]

Sour DarmY I understand, but family doesn't care and my friends survive so that they are not ready for fighting this system.

[@samdavinchi1624]

In a monetary system no money is poverty

[@juliannaroyal4202]

Hey, it's Survivor Ian!

[@veroniquet3730]

What will we do when the robots will have replaced all the jobs? Universal Basic Income? I'm all for it. Money will still be needed then.

[@abelincoln332]

Easy to say, when you are wealthy!!

[@ardsonardonia1932]

a lot of meaning (poverty) physically,mentaly.materialy,educationaly,sipiritualy,socially etc..we are like coin thre are two sides and thre is advance and dis advance.... opposite of poverty is rich..riality to be rich and success is contentment....

[@anzellecoetzee8518]

I wish all volunteers had this guy's attitude, energy and enthusiam for what he does

[@evmcmunn]

the idea that jobs fix everything is exactly what is wrong with the world today, it is a depressingly narrow state of mind, people in a think tank don't have a job, people who inherit millions of dollars don't have a job, don't hear the community up in arms about forcing menial labor on those troubled souls, not to mention politicians taking large sums of money to NOT represent the majority of their constituents, and the list goes on as long as far as you have the perception.

[@casiandsouza7031]

It was worth my 19.24 minutes without travel time getting seated etc. to realize that the resources exist and the problem is access.

[@Isochest]

Nor money: Monopoly. With Progress comes Poverty.

[@vanhughes]

Great job.

[@allencolvin656]

Want to end poverty? Support college grants and the skilled trades unions/training and apprenticeship programs!

[@benjaminlevine7623]

I want a follow up on marc and the charity

[@allanachi2857]

Poverty is all about money at all, you don’t have no money you’re poor.

[@analisawolff4869]

Could it be that Marc Noel found it easier to identify only capital letters when typing? Which would reflect his education level - also an important area in need of improvement.. Just a thought..

[@johnc9017]

There is much more needed in addition to a job. The most important thing is willingness to work, willing to get up in the morning and show up for work on time. Willing to actually work at the job. In my experience, what causes poverty (at least in the USA) is a lack of work ethic, not lack of jobs . I have met many people in poverty that talk about working and needing a job, but when given a job, they do not work, they do not show up on time. The entire situation ends up being nothing more than welfare.

[@lamasbelladelmundo]

Privileged man speaking about poverty. That should have been the title.

[@boompace]

I loved this!!! Sure a job does not always pay the bills but we are blessed in the United States not to live in Port a Prince! It is true his organization goes far and beyond what others do! If these haters are so smart solve the poverty problem themselves instead of complaining, please!

[@MASHSOMUZIK]

Awesome

[@reginaldpegues4465]

technically yes money is responsible for poverty the reason why is because money is a form of legalized​ debt which isn't of our causing or choosing.. plus the big Banks own about 97% of all us $ money. we the people only see 3% of the currency which means that is technically not enough money in circulation for everybody to enjoy which would mean if there's not enough money in circulation that would be a instant link to Poverty because poverty means a lack of resources which would explain why a lot of poverty exists because the money system is very flawed and it is old and it needs to be destroyed and it is a crime. plus the debt money that we go to work for is technically not worth anything. so in a secret light we secretly work for free and we secretly are all slaves to the greedy England Bank, corporations in the Federal Reserve. plus the continuum money itself is poverty because when we keep creating money. we keep creating a higher and higher and higher inflation rate which means debt that we have to pay back . so yes money is the root of pretty much all poverty.its undeniably a game of musical chairs.plus even worse if we the people only see about 3 percent off the money then imagine if everybody saved money .it would be basically a poverty situation reason is cause a lack of money resources in circulation

[@andreitabacaru8378]

Was this guy in Survivor 10th season?

[@annemirelieantoine3420]

Just like wealth is not about how much money you have by how much you can produce

[@donaldgrant9067]

I read a lot of the comments on here. Of course we have the ones saying "Get A Job". Why? If at the end of the week you have nothing.

[@marliokono6292]

That was very sweet 💗💞 I wonder if he is still running Team Tassy?

[@Balinux]

I want to start my own business and can't, because lo and behold, I don't have the cash.