Sometimes there is too much finger-pointing in the poverty debate, often between those who look at poverty from either a more conservative or liberal point of view. However, I do not believe that any one perspective is fundamentally at fault, nor do I believe that either perspective provides all of the answers.
      There are those in a more conservative camp who point the finger of blame at individual factors. They argue that those in poverty find themselves there due to personal choices and individual factors, such as the extent of education pursued, drug and alcohol use, and even laziness. What they fail to realize is that whether or not one receives an education, is likely to abuse drugs or alcohol, and even is "lazy" or "underachieving," has a lot to do with the hand they are dealt in life.
      On the other side of the coin, you have a more liberal camp that points the finger at the government and policymakers who promote and uphold particular structural and contextual factors in society that impact poverty. They argue that those in poverty find themselves there due to circumstances beyond their individual control, such as being born into a particular family composition, socioeconomic status, race and ethnicity or underprivileged neighborhood. What they fail to realize is that regardless of all of the structural constraints society may put on an individual, that individual still has the ability to make choices regarding personal behavior and the optimization of opportunities.
      Certainly, we can gain insight from each point of view, and neither side has a comprehensive claim on the truth regarding the causes of poverty or appropriate interventions. It is true that both individual and contextual factors matter in poverty. Furthermore, many individual factors can be influenced by contextual factors, and vice versa. Thus, the issue of poverty is truly a complex problem.
      So how do we fix the problem? Do we target individual factors or focus on more macro-level contextual factors? It seems that the obvious answer is that we need to try to tackle both. In doing so, we need not pass unconstructive blame on one side or the other, but rather we must take proactive steps to eradicate the problem. We should work to educate individuals in our communities in regard to health-related issues, effective money management and budgeting methods, the dangers of alcohol and drug abuse, and job-searching techniques and making oneself more marketable in the workplace. Furthermore, we must take a long hard look at structural inequalities in our communities that keep the rich rich and the poor poor and strive to provide equality in educational opportunities, health care and so forth.
      Certainly, there are no perfect answers to the poverty dilemma. If there were, the problem would already be solved. However, working together as concerned citizens and policymakers united, we can surely go a long way in helping those less fortunate around us find the many benefits and opportunities in society that we so often take for granted.