Wealthy Chicago suburb offered a poverty simulator

[Anonymous]

A wealthy suburban city in Illinois is getting slammed for offering a 2.5-hour 'poverty simulation' that it said would show residents what a 'month' of living poor feels like

Yahoo News, September 8, 2023, Matthew Loh

- The city of Highland Park in Illinois has been criticized for announcing a "poverty simulation."

- It was supposed to be held at a repurposed country club and show residents what it's like to live poor.

- A description of the now-canceled event said it would simulate a "month" of poverty in under three hours.

Officials of a suburban city in Illinois came under fire on Tuesday for announcing a "poverty simulation" for its residents.

The two-and-a-half-hour free event, planned for September 9, has since been canceled amid widespread backlash on social media.

Meant to "increase residents' understanding and awareness" of life in poverty, the simulation was to be held at the Highland Park Country Club, a government-owned facility.

"Participants in this immersive experience will begin to experience what a "month" in poverty feels like," a Tuesday announcement for the simulation said.

The simulation would place people in scenarios where they "do not have enough resources" and "are forced to make difficult choices that can negatively impact them and their families," said the event description.

"The outcome is increased awareness of the need for resources to support those living in poverty to create a more resilient health, human, and education sector in our local area," the announcement added.

But people online criticized the event as tone-deaf.


"What an absolute embarrassment for HP. What is the intended goal of this?" One commenter wrote. "Nothing about spending a few hours at a country club simulates living in poverty. This is a total swing and miss."

Despite its name, the Highland Park Country Club isn't a private country club or golf course, but a facility purchased by the local government in the 1990s that has been repurposed as a senior center, city park, and private event venue, The Chicago Tribune reported, citing city officials.

It was chosen for the simulation because it was the only government-owned space large enough for the event, which was expected to receive around 100 participants, Highland Park communications manager Amanda Bennett told The Tribune.

On Wednesday at 1:53 p.m., the Highland Park government's Facebook account announced that plans for the simulation were canceled.

Highland Park, a city of around 30,000 people about 25 miles from Chicago, is a relatively wealthy community, according to statistics from the US Census Bureau.

The city's median household income recorded from 2017 to 2021 was $153,226, more than double the median household income in Illinois, which was $72,563 in the same time period.

Representatives for Highland Park did not immediately respond to a request for comment sent outside regular business hours.


Source: https://www.yahoo.com/news/wealthy-suburban-city-illinois-getting-052831357.html

[Anonymous]

The event died due to ridicule, particularly because their senior center is called a "Country Club" because they bought it from a decommissioned golf club.

But there is value in the exercise itself. People who did not grow up poor or even lower middle class have no concept of the tradeoffs poor people are forced to make. Things that seem irrational to the rich often have rational explanations once you actually consider the situation. That is not to say that poor people always make good choices, but our ignorance to the reality causes problems as well.

[Anonymous]

My sister did a poverty simulator through her job. If it’s the same one, it is incredibly well done. She was once homeless with a toddler and was skeptical, almost offended, by the concept but she actually thought it was excellent and extremely well thought out. Many people do not know what it is to be seriously broke and barely making it. There are folks on DCUM that would benefit from it.

[Anonymous]

There is tons of research saying the wealthier you become the less empathetic you become.
This sounds like it could have been helpful, but the online mob of 19 year old know better.
So oh well.

[Anonymous]

I mean, this is the plot line of multiple hit movies and TV shows.

The only ones "offended" are the social media hucksters funded by dark money billionaires who loathe even one cent in taxes.

[Anonymous]

We’d all be better off if everyone above a certain HHI learned what it’s like to live in poverty.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There is tons of research saying the wealthier you become the less empathetic you become.
This sounds like it could have been helpful, but the online mob of 19 year old know better.
So oh well.

What I find annoying with “kids today” (or rather people in general) is they express an opinion without first hand knowledge of something, in this case the simulation. If you’re a critic, you must do/eat/see what you are critiquing. SMH.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There is tons of research saying the wealthier you become the less empathetic you become.
This sounds like it could have been helpful, but the online mob of 19 year old know better.
So oh well.

What I find annoying with “kids today” (or rather people in general) is they express an opinion without first hand knowledge of something, in this case the simulation. If you’re a critic, you must do/eat/see what you are critiquing. SMH.

I get where they’re coming from though. The last thing we need is a bunch of wealthy people thinking they know what it’s like to be poor because they did a 2 hour simulation. That would be offensive. But it’s a good way for them to learn what the experience is like, and there aren’t a lot of other opportunities for them to do so.

There used to be a challenge for people to try to manage for a week (I think, but maybe it was the full month) on the same amount people receive on food stamps. I remember some politicians doing it when we lived in MI in the early 2000s. They seemed surprised at how difficult it was to feel children on so little, and the sacrifices required to make it work. I was in my early 20s and had grown up poor, so it was both gratifying and offensive to me to hear them talk about their newfound knowledge. It’s like they can’t believe it until they experience it personally, and then when they experience the simulation suddenly they’re the first person to ever be aware that there’s such a thing as hardship. All the while they’re barely scratching the surface of what it’s like living below the poverty line, just getting a glimpse.

Tl;dr I get why these programs are necessary but I agree that they can be offensive.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The event died due to ridicule, particularly because their senior center is called a "Country Club" because they bought it from a decommissioned golf club.

But there is value in the exercise itself. People who did not grow up poor or even lower middle class have no concept of the tradeoffs poor people are forced to make. Things that seem irrational to the rich often have rational explanations once you actually consider the situation. That is not to say that poor people always make good choices, but our ignorance to the reality causes problems as well.

+1

The saying “it’s expensive to be poor” is accurate. I’ve only ever been broke, not poor, and I still definitely had stable and solid middle class family to bail me out had that been necessary, but that fear of homelessness, insufficient food, not being able to get the new tabs for the car that you absolutely need to get to work, work that’s always in person… showing people who have never experienced anything on this scale, as well as those who have no imagination or empathy, would have been a net benefit for all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There is tons of research saying the wealthier you become the less empathetic you become.
This sounds like it could have been helpful, but the online mob of 19 year old know better.
So oh well.

What I find annoying with “kids today” (or rather people in general) is they express an opinion without first hand knowledge of something, in this case the simulation. If you’re a critic, you must do/eat/see what you are critiquing. SMH.

I get where they’re coming from though. The last thing we need is a bunch of wealthy people thinking they know what it’s like to be poor because they did a 2 hour simulation. That would be offensive. But it’s a good way for them to learn what the experience is like, and there aren’t a lot of other opportunities for them to do so.

There used to be a challenge for people to try to manage for a week (I think, but maybe it was the full month) on the same amount people receive on food stamps. I remember some politicians doing it when we lived in MI in the early 2000s. They seemed surprised at how difficult it was to feel children on so little, and the sacrifices required to make it work. I was in my early 20s and had grown up poor, so it was both gratifying and offensive to me to hear them talk about their newfound knowledge. It’s like they can’t believe it until they experience it personally, and then when they experience the simulation suddenly they’re the first person to ever be aware that there’s such a thing as hardship. All the while they’re barely scratching the surface of what it’s like living below the poverty line, just getting a glimpse.

Tl;dr I get why these programs are necessary but I agree that they can be offensive.

Yep. -Detroiter

[Anonymous]

Are they exploring what is causing the poverty in the first place?

[Anonymous]

Maybe the poor can attend a simulator also where they explore what it takes to get out of poverty. Not all the wealthy are born into wealth.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Maybe the poor can attend a simulator also where they explore what it takes to get out of poverty. Not all the wealthy are born into wealth.

Trump University?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Maybe the poor can attend a simulator also where they explore what it takes to get out of poverty. Not all the wealthy are born into wealth.

Trump University?

No, to start, do not have babies while still in HS or shortly thereafter. (Not a Trumper)

[Anonymous]

Planners should have ignored the online outrage.

These types of exercises can be very valuable. The people who would attend are trying.

Most people (those who backed down) are cowards,