It is an ongoing battle. Unfortunatly, we dont live in an utopian soiety. Never have never will. For as long as you have people who are indigent, the culture will always exist in some form or another. The impoverished will always depends on the rich, and the rich will always need the impoverished. It's like the yin and yang principle. Again, you're right, you dont have to allow your circumstances to define you, but I guarantee you the moment you shake that label, there's always another one waiting.