The Poor Are Down on Their Luck. During the Christmas season, the news media sometimes provides us with accounts of poor individuals or families (usually white) who are down on their luck. These stories are often linked to stories about soup kitchens or other charitable activities and sometimes call for charitable contributions. These "Yule time" stories are as much about the affluent as they are about the poor: they tell us that the affluent in our society are a kind, understanding, giving which we are no The series of unfortunate circumstances that have led to impoverishment are presumed to be a temporary condition that will improve with time and a change in luck. Despite appearances, the messages provided by the media are not entirely disparate. With each variation, the media informs us what poverty is not (i e., sysiemic and indicative of American society) by informing us what it is.