Reflections on Poverty

Xuefeng

December 22, 2024

During the era of Mao Zedong, I held the position of a "local ruler" for three years. Many scenes from that time remain vivid in my memory. Back then, all households were equally poor, yet some families seemed to live more comfortably than others. These relatively well-off families shared one common trait: they often invited me to their homes for meals, treating me with fine food and warm hospitality. In contrast, the poorest households shared a different common trait: they never invited me over for a meal.

From this, I observed a pattern: families more willing to give were generally wealthier, while those who were miserly and stingy tended to remain poor.

When I first started my business, I didn’t have much money. However, I still hired someone to help with household chores. As my financial situation improved slightly, I hired two people: a woman to handle cleaning and laundry, and a man to take care of the lawn, flowers, pool, and vehicles. From this experience, I discovered a small secret: the more people I hired, the more money I made. Conversely, those who tried to do everything themselves without hiring help rarely became wealthy.

Let’s consider this scenario: you have only 31 yuan and need to travel 30 kilometers to handle some business. If you walk, you’ll still have 31 yuan upon arrival, but it will take six hours. If you take a bus, the fare is 30 yuan, leaving you with just 1 yuan but saving five and a half hours. Which would you choose—walking or taking the bus?

Those who choose to walk will likely remain poor. Those who choose to take the bus are more likely to become wealthy.

Would you rather spend 20 yuan to order takeout or 10 yuan to buy groceries and cook at home, saving 10 yuan?

Those who opt for takeout have a higher chance of becoming rich, while those who cook to save money are more likely to remain poor.

Would you spend 2,000 yuan on a washing machine and dryer, or would you prefer to hand-wash and air-dry your clothes to save 2,000 yuan?

Those who buy a washing machine and dryer are more likely to become wealthy, while those who rely on manual labor are more likely to remain poor.

If you have 100,000 yuan, should you save it in a bank or spend it?

Those who save their money in the bank will inevitably move toward poverty. Those who spend it are more likely to become wealthy.

If you can solve a problem in three minutes by spending 20 yuan but instead spend two hours to save that 20 yuan, this mindset will undoubtedly lead to poverty.

The Chinese character for “poverty” (穷) is a combination of “cave” (穴) and “force” (力). Symbolically, it represents a force trapped in a cave, endlessly struggling but unable to break free—this is poverty. It can further be extended to mean a person confined within their own home, endlessly toiling, and thus remaining poor.

From this, it becomes clear: those who focus solely on internal struggles and exclude external opportunities are destined to remain poor. This applies not only to individuals but also to families, villages, cities, regions, and even nations. A mindset fixated inward leads to poverty, while a mindset oriented outward leads to wealth.

Poverty or wealth is not determined by one’s birth, physical strength, knowledge, or environment. It is determined by one’s way of thinking.