11 Things People Only Think Are Lazy When Poor People Do Them
The double standards that criticize those who are less fortunate while giving more power to the wealthy.
GaudiLab | Shutterstock Being able to work and, more specifically, having financial stability are some of the things that craft a person’s societal “deservingness” for basic respect, understanding, and support, according to a study from the Nature Journal. However, work ethic is far from the most crucial factor in a person’s wealth; privilege, support, and societal perceptions play a significantly larger role.
Despite the true nature of wealth accumulation and individual financial freedom in our country, many middle- and upper-class families view people living in poverty as “lazy” or “entitled” — essentially blaming them for their economic situation. There are some things people only think are lazy when poor people do them, further exacerbating guilt and shame within the cycle of poverty and crafting double standards that favor the wealthy over those financially struggling.
Here are 11 things people only think are lazy when poor people do them:
1. Watching TV
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Much like buying their kids treats or eating fast food once in a while, poor people are often judged for the kinds of things they fill their free time with. They’re demonized for taking a break and indulging in mindless entertainment, even though wealthy people are simultaneously celebrated for doing so simply because they bring in a higher income.
Of course, it’s ironic because people living in poverty tend to work more hours and have less free time than their wealthy counterparts, so they’re spending less time watching TV and indulging in other entertainment than society thinks.
2. Taking a break
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Rest is essential, regardless of how much you work, how much you earn, or your social standing. It’s not only essential for physical health and protecting the efficiency of our bodily processes, it also keeps our mental health balanced by reducing stress and promoting a better mood. However, people living in poverty — who are constantly berated and policed for how they spend their time — are often demonized for taking a break and prioritizing rest.
Whether it’s combating burnout, taking PTO, or leaving a second job to protect their mental or physical well-being, they’re condemned for protecting their peace. At the same time, the wealthy are celebrated for doing the same. Wealthy people are “protecting their peace” and “looking out for themselves,” but poor people are “lazy” and “unmotivated.”
3. Eating fast food
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Whether it’s buying a treat at the grocery store or eating fast food, poor people are consistently demonized by society for purchasing “non-necessities.” They’re seen as less deserving of the small joys in life simply because they don’t have the privileges and power of wealth.
Ironically enough, the stereotype that poor people eat more fast food — which partially fuels this judgmental narrative — is entirely disproven by research, such as a study from the Economics & Human Biology journal, which found that it’s an eating habit less prevalent in low-income households.
So, no — it’s not fast food, little treats, and small luxuries that are keeping poor people stuck in poverty, it’s strange narratives and judgmental attitudes, alongside institutional issues, that’s keeping them in a cycle of financial struggle.
4. Living at home in adulthood
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According to the U.S. Census Bureau, one in three adults currently lives with their parents, primarily due to financial constraints and an insecure job market. For wealthy adults living at home, society crafts them as victims of societal circumstances — they’re spending time with family, saving money, or waiting for the right job to move out.
However, for those who are poor and do the same, it’s often seen as a symptom of a lack of motivation or laziness. Just because they don’t have or come from money, they’re subjected to judgment despite often being in similar circumstances as their wealthy counterparts.
5. Being unemployed
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When someone from a wealthy background or situation is unemployed, it’s always a fault of circumstances or the system. The job market is bad; they’re saving money, or maybe they’re even waiting for the perfect role to come around.
However, it’s one of the things people only think are lazy when poor people do them, condemning people living in poverty for not finding any work, even if it means sacrificing time with their family or their physical and mental well-being.
If you don’t have money in our society, you must work — that’s the trade-off and double standard of our socioeconomic situation. People are generally only deserving of basic empathy and respect — in alignment with societal expectations — when they’re rich or working, so being unemployed is not an option. It’s a metaphorical belief in our culture, but it’s also subtly ingrained in many social assistance and support programs — if you don’t have a job, you’re out of luck.
6. Not going to college
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Not going to college is one of the things people often think is a sign of laziness when it's done by poor people, even though taking on debt, attending school, and truly thriving in an academic environment is often easier for the wealthy — giving them a strong advantage when it comes to making connections and obtaining a degree.
When wealthy individuals choose not to attend college, opting instead for freelance jobs, starting businesses, and investing in entrepreneurial ventures, they’re celebrated. However, when people living in poverty do the same, they’re condemned and blamed for their circumstances. It’s always “Well, if you went to college,” or “they’re too lazy to go to school,” instead of conversations that recognize the spiral of insecurity taking on student debt and moving away from home truly presents for people without a safety net.
7. Struggling with mental health
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Whether it’s depression impacting their ability to complete daily tasks or overwhelming anxiety that’s sabotaging their productivity at work, people are most demonized for their mental health symptoms when they’re living in poverty. However, ironically enough, they’re also the least likely to receive the resources, knowledge, or support they need to get better.
On the other hand, a person struggling with their mental health who’s also financially stable and secure is celebrated for taking time off, seeking support, and giving themselves a break. They’re praised for putting themselves first and looking out for their well-being instead of being “the corporate man,” while people living in poverty are being forced to adopt shame and guilt for doing the same.
8. Following a creative passion
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Whether it’s having a creative job, taking time off to pursue a personal interest, or using their free time to explore a new artistic hobby, people living in poverty are constantly being policed and judged — not just for how they spend their money, but also for how they choose to use their time.
Especially if they're not making money from these creative pursuits, they’re labeled as “deserving” of financial insecurity for not putting their well-being and free time on the line for money and traditional work.
They’re shamed for not picking up an extra job or turning their hobby into a side hustle while simultaneously watching wealthy people be celebrated for going on retreats, taking time off, and indulging their wildest creative interests at their leisure.
9. Being a stay-at-home parent
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When wealthy people are stay-at-home parents, it’s perceived by society as “a choice,” however, when their poor counterparts do the same, it’s emblematic of their lack of motivation or laziness — even if that’s farthest from the truth.
Many people can’t afford to be in dual-income households simply because childcare is too expensive and its prices are rising every day. Rather than relying on unstable and unsafe childcare and giving up a parent’s entire salary to afford it, it’s a financially savvy decision people living in poverty make to become a stay-at-home parent.
10. Receiving government assistance
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From strategically utilizing tax write-offs for activities such as gambling and subsidizing multiple properties, there are numerous government assistance programs and support loopholes that wealthy individuals regularly exploit — and, more importantly, are often celebrated for using — to save money. However, people living in poverty, struggling to make ends meet, and living paycheck-to-paycheck are simultaneously shamed for utilizing government assistance programs like Food Stamps and low-income housing.
It’s one of the things people only think are lazy when poor people do them, even though the money-saving benefits and programs wealthy people leverage are often paid for by the less fortunate in society. While there are certainly stigmas and myths about people using welfare and other assistance programs, the underlying truth is that they’re largely unhelpful.
For the people who can leverage this aid and its benefits — a tiny percentage of those struggling — it makes hardly any difference in helping them stay afloat. They’re exclusive, highly regulated, and largely misguided, keeping people stuck making a certain unlivable wage to afford necessities like groceries and rent.
11. Complaining about work
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According to a study from Harvard University, incentives rarely encourage workers to work any longer or harder than they already do. Most people living in poverty are already working harder than most, despite still struggling to make ends meet and afford necessities like rent or groceries.
So, if we’re justifying anyone’s complaints about a failing corporate, economic, or institutional system, it realistically should be people living in poverty — they’re working harder than most with little to show for it. Yet, like many of the other things people only think are lazy when poor people do them, most people judge complaints from people living in poverty — calling them entitled, ungrateful, and lazy.
Zayda Slabbekoorn is a staff writer with a bachelor’s degree in social relations & policy and gender studies who focuses on psychology, relationships, self-help, and human interest stories.
