Let's talk about poverty porn.

We’ve all seen those commercials... the abandoned puppy, the starving child. Well-meaning charities use images like these to inspire pity and generate donations.

The problem (one of many) is that when those images, known colloquially as "poverty porn," use graphic examples to elicit an emotional response from the viewer they are not showing anywhere near the whole picture.

Poverty porn misrepresents not only the impoverished but also poverty itself. It propagates the idea that poverty is defined simply as lacking material resources or physical suffering, which leads people to believe that a quick donation can reverse it. In reality, poverty is multidimensional, and there are many issues at play including the role of the local government, social structure, agriculture, gender roles, and history of the area.

Interested in discussing how the use of provocative imagery by NGO's and well-meaning people in the media can actually do a disservice to people living in poverty? Join us this evening (2/8) at 5:30 pm in Haldeman 124 for stimulating discussion and thought provocation.

Sydney and Allyson

In the meantime, here is a breakdown of poverty porn a la SNL: https://youtu.be/MEb_epsuLqA