Re:An Atlas of Upward Mobility Shows Paths Out of Poverty
by dragonwriter on Monday May 04, 2015 @05:16PM
(#9489258)
> One thing I could not quite understand, is why people stay in poor area with little to no opportunities?
Because moving to a new area isn't free.
> Some people may want to stay close to family and friends, especially when they need their support. That is understandable, but then it's their own choice, and they are probably content about it.
Recognizing that preserving a support network that certainly exists along with the poor conditions that certainly exists is likely the best choice available, even though moving might provide slightly better odds of material improvement but with a weaker support network in the highly-likely event of poor outcomes does not equal being content with the poor set of choices available.
> For those who are unhappy about their situations, why don't they just move?
The ones who can afford to (often because, even if poor, they have stronger or more geographically diverse support networks, or they are lucky enough to secure, rather than merely speculate on the chance of, better circumstances elsewhere before moving) do, which is one reason the places with poor opportunities go into a downward spiral.
Because moving to a new area isn't free.
> Some people may want to stay close to family and friends, especially when they need their support. That is understandable, but then it's their own choice, and they are probably content about it.
Recognizing that preserving a support network that certainly exists along with the poor conditions that certainly exists is likely the best choice available, even though moving might provide slightly better odds of material improvement but with a weaker support network in the highly-likely event of poor outcomes does not equal being content with the poor set of choices available.
> For those who are unhappy about their situations, why don't they just move?
The ones who can afford to (often because, even if poor, they have stronger or more geographically diverse support networks, or they are lucky enough to secure, rather than merely speculate on the chance of, better circumstances elsewhere before moving) do, which is one reason the places with poor opportunities go into a downward spiral.