Respectable poverty?

There are those times when you feel that the past was a different universe compared to the present. I mean, we all prate (I suppose this is one of those 'Look, there goes Suresh making us run to a dictionary' words. OR, in short, Tharoorism) of unchanging values in a changing world and all that but really? Let us see how many people you can find who will consider ANY type of poverty 'respectable'?

Let us dive right into what Tiru considers poverty that still commands respect.

Keduvaaga vaiyaadhu ulagam naduvaaga nandrikkan thangiyaan thaazhvu - Tirukkural

If a righteous man ends up being poor, he will not be looked down upon by the world - Loose Translation

Now THAT...does that sound like the world you know to you? I mean, come on, how often have you heard, "Vaazha theriyaadhavan" (Chap who does not know life) or some such that castigates such a person as impractical? A person who sticks to his values on a 'let the chips fall where they may' basis is only considered as someone who does not know the 'real' world.

If such a person laments that his righteousness has led him to suffer in life, people tend to be very unsympathetic, telling him that he brought it upon himself. You see, the biggest problem with a righteous man is that he makes you come face to face with your own compromising of your values. So, rather than deal with that guilt, you'd blame that chap for being 'impractical' and, when he laments his suffering, you feel justified in your own compromises.

To actually be respected for being righteous, you need to be self-respecting as well. I mean, if YOU are the sort of person who sticks to your values, come what may, you also need to be the sort of person who can be happy in the poverty that could come as a consequence. In other words, YOU should not be lamenting your poverty but continue to take pride in sticking to your values. THAT is when people could come around to respecting you despite your poverty.

Otherwise, I'd say that the interpretation that some have placed on this kural - that you will not be looked down upon by the wise and, thus, not necessarily all the world - would probably be truer of the reality.

AND the rest of the world will consider YOU unwise!