Right now, the highest concern during the pandemic is the fear that daily wage earners aren’t well equipped to handle the pandemic. And while it is important that we look at their lives and their troubles - sometimes we may cross the line into poverty porn.

If you have never heard of poverty porn - it may sound a little weird. But it is nothing like it sounds. So what is it?

What Is Poverty Porn?

Close your eyes and think of poverty. Do you think of dark-skinned, skinny children somewhere in Africa? You’ve probably been exposed to poverty porn. Poverty porn captures human beings in vulnerable, deeply personal moments, and packages that trauma for profitable consumption.

It also glorifies the narrative that they are victims and we are saviours. It over-simplifies poverty and complex issues like famine. Our global trade system is set up to serve the interests of the wealthy, so when we take part in trying to sell the idea of poverty for pity instead of an actual reach for help.

Why Should We Not Let It Rise During The Pandemic?

A quick search on the internet for poverty gives you a wide range of pictures – mostly of Indians or Africans starved or poor. But poverty porn does not limit itself to photographs.

It is “any type of media, be it written, photographed or filmed, which exploits the poor’s condition in order to generate the necessary sympathy for selling newspapers or increasing charitable donations or support for a given cause.”

Poverty porn started with charities and non-governmental organisations milking sympathies through advertisements, campaigns and videos to get donations. Right now, we have a crisis at hand that requires more than a sympathy picture or two.

By using these pictures, and indulging in poverty porn we are effectively making the issue at hand seem like a menial one. We belittle the lives these people live on the daily by doing so. In itself, the lack of resources and the added issue of neglect only makes the pandemic situation worse for them.

While we feel like the saviour, and sit in the comfort of our houses looking at poverty porn. It’s only in everyone's interest to skip on the poverty porn and actually work on or demand a better plan to make their lives easier or safer.