Final answer:
Poverty is a complex issue influenced by systemic factors such as economic system inefficiencies, education access, and discrimination, rather than mere laziness. Countries like Malawi can still engage in trade through comparative advantages, despite lacking absolute advantages. It is crucial to move away from oversimplified explanations and consider the broader social and economic challenges when discussing poverty.
Step-by-step explanation:
As a sociology student, I would explain to my friend that the assertion 'People are poor because they're just lazy, get a job' oversimplifies the complex causes of poverty. Poverty is influenced by various factors, including systemic issues like economic system failures, lack of access to quality education, racism, and sexism. Countries like Malawi may struggle with poor soil quality and low investments in formal education, but this does not mean they cannot participate in or benefit from trade. Comparative advantage allows countries to specialize in producing goods at which they are relatively more efficient, even if they do not have an absolute advantage in any goods.
In the context of individual poverty, attributing laziness to those who receive support like SNAP benefits fails to consider the broader socioeconomic challenges they face. For example, the economic system may not provide sufficient jobs offering a living wage. Additionally, such a statement ignores discrimination some individuals may encounter in the job market.
It is also inaccurate to assume that most people without long-term jobs in low-income countries are simply unemployed. Many of these individuals are engaged in informal work or in subsistence efforts that are not captured by formal employment statistics. Understanding poverty requires a nuanced approach that goes beyond simple attributions of laziness.