by Marlana Eck / The Lehigh Valley Vanguard
Poor people are just lazy.” “In life you just have to pull yourself up by your boot straps.” “This is America! Everyone has an equal opportunity to succeed.” These are only a few of the myopic stereotypes people have of the poor. For those who use the phrase without knowing what it means, pulling oneself up by their “boot straps” does not actually mean “you have to take care of yourself” or “you just have to dust yourself off.” It is a 19th century turn of phrase meaning: you must attempt an absurdly impossible action. That is indeed what poor people have to do to survive in the world.
Poor people are just lazy.” “In life you just have to pull yourself up by your boot straps.” “This is America! Everyone has an equal opportunity to succeed.” These are only a few of the myopic stereotypes people have of the poor. For those who use the phrase without knowing what it means, pulling oneself up by their “boot straps” does not actually mean “you have to take care of yourself” or “you just have to dust yourself off.” It is a 19th century turn of phrase meaning: you must attempt an absurdly impossible action. That is indeed what poor people have to do to survive in the world.